Simplify Your Schedule to Overcome Busy

Nowadays, it has become a point of pride to tell our friends and family how busy we are. Always having something to do gives us a sense of importance. But is the state of busyness really improving our lives?

Statistics indicate 75% of parents are too busy to read to their children at night. There is a rising number of children being placed in day cares and after-school activities. We’re having a hard time finding opportunity for vacations. And nearly 50% of Americans say they regularly lie awake at night because of stress. This is a problem.

We have become too busy.

But busyness is not inevitable. We can re-evaluate our habits to prevent falling prey to this kind of stress. But how?

1. Remember that busyness is a choice, and it is not necessarily something to be proud about.

Realize that rather than a badge of honor, busyness actually limits our potential. This is because directing our energy towards things which are not high priorities diminishes what we have to give to things which are.

2. Identify your true priorities and schedule your life around them.

This is something that takes time to evaluate, but it is crucial to moving toward a simpler schedule. We need to figure out our priorities because time is valuable and can be easily wasted on lesser pursuits.

3. Schedule rest and family time.

Write it into your schedule, and guard it. Our family practices a full day dedicated only to rest and family time each week. Choose a recurring block of time and schedule it into your life. Guard that time as non-negotiable.

4. Spend less time maintaining your possessions.

The fewer items you have to upkeep and maintain, the more valuable time and money you’ll have to redirect where it matters.

5. Learn to build moments of quietness in your daily routine.

This can be waking up 10 minutes earlier to reflect or meditate, eating your lunch quietly outside, or scheduling breaks between tasks in your day.

6. Learn to say “no.”

Seneca wrote, “Everybody agrees that no one pursuit can be successfully followed by a man who is preoccupied with many things.” Learn to say “no” to less important commitments to open your life to pursue the most important.

Let me challenge you today to schedule a specific time this week that you will acknowledge and practice rest. It can be 30 minutes, or an hour, or a whole day, whatever is realistic for you.

Use your planner or calendar to block out this time (maybe for the next few weeks as well), and then do your very best to stick to it. After some time and practice, you may just find yourself wanting to keep that special time as a habit.

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About the Author: Gabriella Hileman is an artist and creative producer living in the Southwest with her husband, son and parrot.