Many of us know all too well the hustle and bustle that daily living brings; going from the grocery store to work, getting to appointments on time, remembering to reach out to friends, and taking care of yourself can all seem to be daunting. We try to juggle so many responsibilities in life, hoping to keep it all in order.
I understand the craziness that a week full of fun events, work obligations, schoolwork, or appointments can feel like. It is so much fun and you love doing all of the small things! But sometimes, it feels like you are being tossed around in the wind as you try to keep up. I used to live in this chaotic swirl every single day, feeling like I had to meet grand expectations, go to every single event, make sure all of my loved ones were happy, be accomplishing all of the #careergoals out there, while also trying to hold onto my faith and sanity.
Long story short, it didn’t work. I was being controlled by my life and all of the things that come along with being a high-functioning human. My guess is, that it doesn’t work for anybody no matter how convincing they may be at their “perfect life” image.
The truth: everybody struggles and gets caught in the hurricane of hurry.
I have found a few strategies and practices that have helped me go into each day with a clear mind, an intention for simplicity, and the energy to accomplish everything I love.
Habit Tracking
I first started habit tracking when I started a bullet journal. The bullet journaling may not have lasted too long, but I have kept a habit tracker ever since, and it has been revolutionary.
I like the idea of tracking habits rather than a to-do list. Personally, a to-do list is more about responsibilities and obligations that need to be done but aren’t the first thing I want to think about in the morning. For example, I like to keep the steady habits of a gratitude journal, morning stretch, being in solitude with Jesus, creating, and meditating. Those 5 things have kept me grounded and aligned with my values, creating a pause in my day. They keep me from flying off in the gust of expectations and hustle throughout my day.
These can be personal and are all flexible by design. The beautiful thing is you can be tracking a different habit every week. Or, if you’re trying to pick up a new habit, it is helpful to see where you may need extra accountability.
Placing these somewhere you see them every day can be incredibly helpful. Mine reside in my planner and are checked regularly throughout the day. I enjoy checking off the circles, but I also keep an air of grace around tracking because these habits are meant to promote well-being.
Below is a download for a daily habit tracker to keep track of habits, intentions, and improvements for each day of the week.
Balance Daily Events
I am an extrovert at heart, which means I can jump from social gathering to party, to club all in one day. However, it can become exhausting when that comes to be the norm. I find that I no longer want to be around the people I love and enjoy because I am so mentally drained.
Something that has changed my world has been creating a balance of activity types in my days. I start each morning simply by stretching, gratitude, and breakfast. This is usually a great way for me to ease into my day and have a moment of solitude. As for the rest of the day, I find a balance between work, social events, family time, and outdoor recreation.
This allows me to keep a steady foundation with each area of my life without falling into burnout. It also gives me space to reflect on what I am needing more or less of in certain seasons of life.
A daily set up may srround these things:
- One conversation or moment of connection with friend/family
- One hour of practicing a hobby or engaging in creativity
- A mid-day check-in on intentions
- An hour to play
- A block of time for focused work
- A mindful meal
- Time to wind down before bed
- A time for prayer and reflection
- 30 minutes of movement
- Time to clean or do house chores
Single-Tasking
There are many studies that show humans are incapable of effectively multi-tasking. We may like to think we are the best at it, but in reality it cannot be done. I used to believe I was the queen of multitasking, bouncing from one task to the next. I may have finished many things, but they were all poorly managed or half-done. Iwasn’t getting the most out of my abilities.
The mor I tried to fit into the same time span, the more stressed I became and the less enjoyable my time. I couldn’t be completely present with my friends while I was also trying to finish homework, plan my next meal, or rush to the next event. My quality of living decreased.
I began to single-task when I was in my early stages of treatment. I found that my time was being more effectively used, the effort I put in gave a higher reward, and I was completing quicker than I thought. I was able to engage in every single beautiful moment and not feel like I was being dragged in another direction.
The best part: I started to see God in every single moment and soaked in His great presence.
It is very counter-cultural to do things one at a time, and it may seem illogical to do them mindfully. However, I realized that I had so much more peace and felt less obligated to rush. I found joy in the small things because I was taking the time to do them with more awareness.
A great way to begin this is with small things:
- put your phone down while driving
- cook dinner without distractions
- eat meals without working, texting, emailing, or reading
- do the laundry one step at a time
- talk on the phone without doing something else
- go on a walk without any devices or music
Starting may be the hardest part, but has cleared stress from my mind and has allowed me to view each activity as a blessing.