Archive for busy-ness
Top 5 Reasons to Take Back Your Time
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In the book, Take Back Your Time: Fighting Overwork and Time Poverty in America by John De Graaf, we are encouraged to organize a Take Back Your Time Day on the fourth Friday in October as a way to avoid overwhelm, exhaustion and overwork.
We are consumed by “time poverty” and “busy-ness”. A recent USA Today article featured a study commissioned by Westin Hotels & Resorts where 1,500 employed professionals were polled by STUDYLOGIC. The study found that 64% of workers admitted they had canceled or postponed a vacation this year and 33% said it was because of stress at work, too many responsibilities or too busy to plan a vacation.
Take back your time…you’ve earned it! Vacations are intended to refresh and give you a break from the stress of work. Why not take advantage of the opportunity to regain energy and rejuvenate so you’ll better be able to perform at an optimum level?
And, here are 5 good reasons to take back your time so you can stay refreshed and energized …
- Gratitude - Show appreciation for the things you already have in your life and the universe will bestow more gifts in your life. Take a break from your to-do list and start a gratitude journal. Write down at least 5 things you are grateful for every day.
- Self-Care – Carve out some space from you “busy-ness” for self-care so you will have the mental and physical energy to enjoy your abundance. Make sure you schedule “me time” on your calendar so you can do the things that you enjoy.
- Schedule wisely – When you try to squeeze in “just one more thing” into your already crowded schedule, you open yourself up to overwhelm, frustration and energy drainers. Set realistic priorities and complete one task before moving on to the next one. On occasion, take a “mental health day”, don’t answer the phone, check email or text. Relax and enjoy spending time with YOU.
- Organization - Organize your to-do list by what’s important NOW. Everything doesn’t have to get done today. Organization gives you a sense of confidence and accomplishment. When have some organization in place, tasks don’t seem so daunting.
- “End your day with some downtime - At the end of your day, take 15 minutes to unwind and relax. You deserve it! Sit quietly, take several deep breaths and calm your mind from the days busy-ness.
Until next time…
Gladys Anderson - Life Coach, Therapist, Author
Certified Life Coach, Family therapist and Group Coaching Specialist, Gladys M. Anderson, helps nurses, teachers, social workers, therapists and other care-giving women to set limits so they have more time, more joy and more energy for self-care. To get tips, start living out loud with enthusiasm, energy, passion, and self-confidence now, get your FREE copy of Building Strong Boundaries to Create More Breathing Space in Your Hectic Life
How My Palm Pilot Turned into a Problem Child
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When you come in contact with people who disregard your boundaries, it’s like inviting unwelcome guests into your home so they can ignore you, disrespect you and leave a trail of negativity behind.
For years I used a Palm pda system to keep track of my calendar and contact lists and a cell phone for making and receiving calls. I often wonder how any of us ever manage our lives without a pda or smartphone.
I loved my baby Palm and, like most babies, my palm grew up. She turned into a problem child. Her behavior became erratic. She was uncooperative, stuck and downright difficult. She no longer respected my time as being important and refused to take responsibility for her inaction.
She no longer listened to me. She didn’t take my requests serious. She didn’t respect my wishes and was prone to completely shut down when I tried to communicate with her.
Does this sound like someone you’ve come in contact with lately?
Making the decision to give up my Palm reminds me of the struggle a lot of us have when it’s time to let go. Holding on even when you find the behaviors intolerable or offensive, refusing to accept “no” as your final answer and infringing on your time and clutter in your life
There is a purpose for everything that comes into your life and when that purpose is served, you must know when it’s time to let go. Some people [and things] are in your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime. It’s up to you to determine which it is.
There are life lessons to be learned from every experience. What I know for sure about my experience of letting to of my Palm is this:
- You must be willing to let go of people and things in your life that don’t honor your boundaries so you don’t stay stuck in a time warp. You never know what doors will open with just the right opportunity when you have made space for it.
- Know when to let go. Holding on to things that no longer serve a useful purpose takes up precious space that could better be used for something that works for you.
- Making a choice about how and what you spend your time doing creates strong time boundaries and space to do the things that are really important to you.
- Accept change. Change is inevitable…nothing stays the same. Change is a vehicle for growth
When you have problems with all of this instant, constant contact and busy-ness, what do you do to set boundaries that protect your time?
You can post a comment below. I would love to hear what you’re thinking…
Gladys Anderson - Life Coach, Therapist, Author
About the Author:
Gladys M. Anderson is a certified group coach, personal life coach and a licensed marriage & family therapist. Gladys helps nurses, therapists, teachers and other caregivers establish boundaries, build balance and create breathing space into their busy lives.