Do you find that you are meeting yourself coming and
going? Are you pulling your hair out by the handful because you have so much on your plate? Or, are you juggling so many things you feel like a circus performer?
Well, worry no more! It really is possible to have a stress-free schedule. The following tips will help you accomplish that goal. Follow along
as we take steps on a stress-free path.
1. Assess your schedule: The very first and most important step is to assess what you are doing each day. List each item you have on your schedule and then prioritize them. Some, like work or school, time with your family and time to recharge
yourself should be top priorities. If you find that any of the items on your calendar are mainly busy work, it's time to eliminate them from your schedule.
2. Make sure your schedule reflects your value system: Are you finding that you are doing things that conflict with your
personal values? If that is the case, eliminate those activities from your calendar. Periodically take time to evaluate your schedule and eliminate anything that conflicts with your personal value system. When you are asked to add something to your schedule, make sure it doesn't conflict with your value system.
3. Learn to say no: It's such a simple thing, but we have such a hard time saying it. It really is ok to say no immediately to a request for our time. So many of us do not do that and then we end up beating ourselves up for jamming more and more into our already jam-packed days. Try this the next time you are asked to sign up for another activity--tell the person who asks that you need to review your schedule before you can give them an answer. When
you see that you have no available time, without being under pressure for an immediate answer, call and tell the person that you aren't able to fulfill their request. The more you practice, the easier it will be.
4. Limit the kids extra-curricular activities: Studies have shown
that our children are just as over scheduled and stressed as we are. It really is ok to limit the number of activities outside of school. Just going to school and keeping up with homework is already a full time job. When you throw in sports, which includes practices as well as games, scouts or other similar activities, we end up with stressed-out kids operating on too little sleep and virtually no down time to just BE a kid. On top of that, you end up adding in taxi-service to different
activities. Try limiting the activities to one per season per child. You'll all be better off because of that.
5. Stop scrambling from appointment to appointment: Do you find yourself running from one appointment to another? When you plan your day or week, make sure that you
schedule in sufficient travel time between appointments. Don't make the mistake of scheduling minimum travel times. Be sure to allow for traffic, emergencies and trains when scheduling appointments. Then you'll have a less harried commute between meetings or appointments. Even if you work from home and have appointments in your home office, you still need time between appointments to review previous appointments and prepare for your next appointment. You'll be glad you
did!
6. Make time for you: When you are scheduling appointments on your calendar, do you schedule any time at all for yourself? Many times we schedule time for everyone but ourselves. Make it a point to regularly schedule (once a week minimum) time for yourself. Whether you
schedule time for a professional massage, or just time to sit and stare off into space, it is very important that this be a regular part of your schedule.
7. Consolidate and group: Do you find yourself wasting time and gasoline running back and forth and back again multiple times
each week? Whenever possible, group appointments together that are in close proximity to each other. This means shopping, errands, medical appointments, etc. This not only saves time and gasoline, but also save you from self-inflicted stress.
8. Delegate, delegate, delegate: In
many cases, we don't have to physically DO every task we take on. For instance, instead of cooking for days and hours before a dinner party, set it up as a potluck so everyone contributes part of the meal. Instead of breaking your back frantically cleaning, divide the workload with the other members of your household. Or, if it's in your budget, hire a service for a one-time cleaning. Delegating is an option for many activities.
9. Do double-duty: There are many things we can do, while we're doing something else. For instance, we may be waiting for something to bake in the oven. That's a great time to weed out a cluttered junk drawer in the kitchen.
10. What does it matter? When considering activities to add to your schedule, ask yourself a simple question: will it matter in 5 years if I do this, will it matter in 1 year, or even 6 months? Chances are a good many things that want to crowd your schedule won't matter. Don't be afraid to ask this question and say no to those that won't
matter.
