The Checklist
Tick, tick, and tick. There’s nothing more satisfying than ticking off tasks from your “to-do” list and the feeling of airiness and accomplishment that comes with it. Or watching your Trello board tasks move from left to right (Ok, that’s for the Trello fanatics out there.) If you’re like me, you often feel purpose and pride when getting things done. However, if we’re not careful, we risk going from energetic and happy to feeling tired and overwhelmed.
In today’s cult of busyness, it’s easy to go from being productive (getting things done) to just being busy (doing a lot of work but getting nothing done).
Let Me Ask You This...
How many “to-do’s” include doing something for yourself? For example, a 10-minute rest in the garden watching the clouds roll by, reading a magazine, or solving a sudoku puzzle?
If you said “yes”, then congratulations on tuning into your intuition that you need daily time to have a rest and restore moment. If you said “no”, ask yourself “Why not”?
Confusing Busy with Being Productive
Hearing someone say that they’re “busy” is the norm these days and we usually don’t even bother to ask “With what”. If we aren’t feeling “busy”, we can fear feeling left out or worry about not being busy enough.
Being productive feels fabulous, and staying engaged with tasks at hand has been linked to improved cognitive abilities.
The trick is to not perceive staying busy as a must-have or badge of honor. In other words, be cautious of the tipping point of going from feeling full of purpose and getting things done to filling up your agenda to the point where you start spinning your wheels. When you start becoming busy but don’t get anything done, you risk feeling overwhelmed. And with that can come a lack of sleep, irritability, frustration, and a whole host of struggles.
Top Strategies to Cope with The Cult of Busy
Mark out time for yourself and your family in your agenda. Whether it’s to take the dog for a walk, take a yoga class, or meet up with friends, invest daily time in activities that boost both your physical and emotional health.
Get up and walk away from your desk during the day. A few minutes catching up with family or getting outside in the sunshine helps fuel you up with energy. If needed, add a reminder in your agenda or post-it notes on your screen.
Give yourself some space, and learn how to confidently say “no” when you’ve already got too much on your plate. The next time you feel put on the spot when someone asks for your time, try answering “I need some time to think about this request/proposal/invitation. I’ll get back to you before the end of the day/in a few days”.
Be proud of your accomplishments. Take the time to write down your successes, no matter how small they seem. Journaling is a great way to connect with yourself on a deeper level. Empower yourself by tuning into what your body is telling you so that you can make smart decisions to make your health a priority.
Schedule in You
Go ahead and schedule "me time" in your agenda. Every Monday morning, review your schedule for the week and ensure that time is blocked out for your favorite yoga class, reading time, or whatever activity helps you unwind.
It will be one activity that you'll enjoy ticking off your list.
Sara Smits van Oyen
I’m a Kajabi Specialist who's been on a professional journey that's spanned over 30 years in finance roles before finding the sweet spot of helping lifestyle entrepreneurs share their unique gifts with the world. I’m a mood creator and client journey geek who loves to help her clients shine in the spotlight so that they can focus on taking great care of themselves and their clients.
You Also Might Be Interested In...
Self-Care When You Have Limited Time and Money
Feb 25, 2023
#block-1694873394061 { margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; } #block-1694873394061 .block { border: 4px black; border-radius: 0px; background-color: #fffff9; padding: 0px; padding: 0px; padding: 0px; padding-top: 15px; padding-right: 15px; padding-bottom: 15px; padding-left: 15px; } @media (min-width: 768px) { #block-1694873394061 { margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; } #block-1694873394061 .block { padding: 0px; padding: 0px; padding-top: 15px; padding-right: 15px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 15px; } } @media (max-width: 767px) { #block-1694873394061 { text-align: center; } } #block-1577982541036_0 .btn { margin-top: 1rem; } #block-1707123353134 { margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; } #block-1707123353134 .block { border: 4px black; border-radius: 0px; background-color: #efe0e2; padding: 0px; padding: 0px; padding: 0px; padding-top: 15px; padding-right: 15px; padding-bottom: 15px; padding-left: 15px; } @media (min-width: 768px) { #block-1707123353134 { margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 25px; margin-left: 0px; } #block-1707123353134 .block { padding: 0px; padding: 0px; padding-top: 15px; padding-right: 15px; padding-bottom: 15px; padding-left: 15px; } } @media (max-width: 767px) { #block-1707123353134 { text-align: center; } } #block-1577982541036_0 .btn { margin-top: 1rem; } #block-1706890365423 { margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; } #block-1706890365423 .block { border: 1px solid #9d8a75; border-radius: 0px; padding: 0px; padding: 0px; padding-top: 15px; padding-right: 15px; padding-bottom: 15px; padding-left: 15px; } @media (min-width: 768px) { #block-1706890365423 { margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; } #block-1706890365423 .block { padding: 0px; padding-top: 15px; padding-right: 15px; padding-bottom: 15px; padding-left: 15px; } } @media (max-width: 767px) { #block-1706890365423 { text-align: left; } } #block-1706890365423 .image__image { max-width: 25%; border-radius: 4px; } #block-1706890365423 .image__image { float: right; margin-left: 15px; margin-bottom: 10px; } #block-1706799983051 { margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; } #block-1706799983051 .block { border: 4px black; border-radius: 0px; background-color: #fffff9; padding: 0px; padding: 0px; padding: 0px; padding-top: 15px; padding-right: 15px; padding-bottom: 15px; padding-left: 15px; } @media (min-width: 768px) { #block-1706799983051 { margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; } #block-1706799983051 .block { padding: 0px; padding: 0px; padding-top: 15px; padding-right: 15px; padding-bottom: 15px; padding-left: 15px; } } @media (max-width: 767px) { #block-1706799983051 { text-align: center; } } #block-1577982541036_0 .btn { margin-top: 1rem; } #block-1706977513406 { margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; } #block-1706977513406 .block { border: 4px black; border-radius: 0px; padding: 0px; padding: 0; padding-top: 15px; padding-right: 15px; padding-bottom: 15px; padding-left: 15px; } @media (min-width: 768px) { #block-1706977513406 { margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; } #block-1706977513406 .block { padding: 0; padding-top: 15px; padding-right: 15px; padding-bottom: 15px; padding-left: 15px; } } @media (max-width: 767px) { #block-1706977513406 { text-align: ; } } #block-1706977513406 .block, [data-slick-id="1706977513406"] .block { display: flex; justify-content: flex-start; } #block-1706977513406 .image, [data-slick-id="1706977513406"] .image { width: 100%; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 0px; } #block-1706977513406 .image__image, [data-slick-id="1706977513406"] .image__image { width: 100%; } #block-1706977513406 .image__overlay, [data-slick-id="1706977513406"] .image__overlay { opacity: 0; background-color: #fff; border-radius: 0px; } #block-1706977513406 .image__overlay-text, [data-slick-id="1706977513406"] .image__overlay-text { color: !important; } @media (min-width: 768px) { #block-1706977513406 .block, [data-slick-id="1706977513406"] .block { display: flex; justify-content: flex-start; } #block-1706977513406 .image__overlay, [data-slick-id="1706977513406"] .image__overlay { opacity: 0; } #block-1706977513406 .image__overlay:hover { opacity: 1; } } @media (max-width: 767px) { #block-1706977513406 { -webkit-box-ordinal-group: 0; -ms-flex-order: -1; order: -1; } } #block-1707125883043 { margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; } #block-1707125883043 .block { border: 4px black; border-radius: 4px; padding: 0px; padding: 0px; padding-top: 15px; padding-right: 15px; padding-bottom: 15px; padding-left: 15px; } @media (min-width: 768px) { #block-1707125883043 { margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; } #block-1707125883043 .block { padding: 0px; padding-top: 15px; padding-right: 15px; padding-bottom: 15px; padding-left: 15px; } } @media (max-width: 767px) { #block-1707125883043 { text-align: center; } } #block-1577982541036_0 .btn { margin-top: 1rem; } #block-1707124140552 { margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; } #block-1707124140552 .block { border: 4px black; border-radius: 4px; padding: 0px; padding: 0px; padding-top: 15px; padding-right: 15px; padding-bottom: 15px; padding-left: 15px; } @media (min-width: 768px) { #block-1707124140552 { margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; } #block-1707124140552 .block { padding: 0px; padding-top: 15px; padding-right: 15px; padding-bottom: 15px; padding-left: 15px; } } @media (max-width: 767px) { #block-1707124140552 { text-align: left; } } #block-1707124140552 .image__image { max-width: 25%; border-radius: 0px; } #block-1707124140552 .image__image { float: right; margin-left: 15px; margin-bottom: 10px; } #block-1707124382299 { margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; } #block-1707124382299 .block { border: 4px black; border-radius: 4px; padding: 0px; padding: 0px; padding-top: 15px; padding-right: 15px; padding-bottom: 15px; padding-left: 15px; } @media (min-width: 768px) { #block-1707124382299 { margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; } #block-1707124382299 .block { padding: 0px; padding-top: 15px; padding-right: 15px; padding-bottom: 15px; padding-left: 15px; } } @media (max-width: 767px) { #block-1707124382299 { text-align: left; } } #block-1707124382299 .image__image { max-width: 25%; border-radius: 0px; } #block-1707124382299 .image__image { float: right; margin-left: 15px; margin-bottom: 10px; } #block-1707124366601 { margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; } #block-1707124366601 .block { border: 4px black; border-radius: 4px; padding: 0px; padding: 0px; padding-top: 15px; padding-right: 15px; padding-bottom: 15px; padding-left: 15px; } @media (min-width: 768px) { #block-1707124366601 { margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; } #block-1707124366601 .block { padding: 0px; padding-top: 15px; padding-right: 15px; padding-bottom: 15px; padding-left: 15px; } } @media (max-width: 767px) { #block-1707124366601 { text-align: left; } } #block-1707124366601 .image__image { max-width: 25%; border-radius: 0px; } #block-1707124366601 .image__image { float: right; margin-left: 15px; margin-bottom: 10px; } #block-1707124390272 { margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; } #block-1707124390272 .block { border: 4px black; border-radius: 4px; padding: 0px; padding: 0px; padding-top: 15px; padding-right: 15px; padding-bottom: 15px; padding-left: 15px; } @media (min-width: 768px) { #block-1707124390272 { margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; } #block-1707124390272 .block { padding: 0px; padding-top: 15px; padding-right: 15px; padding-bottom: 15px; padding-left: 15px; } } @media (max-width: 767px) { #block-1707124390272 { text-align: left; } } #block-1707124390272 .image__image { max-width: 25%; border-radius: 0px; } #block-1707124390272 .image__image { float: right; margin-left: 15px; margin-bottom: 10px; } #block-1706981288999 { margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; } #block-1706981288999 .block { border: 4px black; border-radius: 0px; padding: 0px; padding: 0; padding-top: 15px; padding-right: 15px; padding-bottom: 15px; padding-left: 15px; } @media (min-width: 768px) { #block-1706981288999 { margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; } #block-1706981288999 .block { padding: 0; padding-top: 15px; padding-right: 15px; padding-bottom: 15px; padding-left: 15px; } } @media (max-width: 767px) { #block-1706981288999 { text-align: ; } } #block-1706981288999 .block, [data-slick-id="1706981288999"] .block { display: flex; justify-content: flex-start; } #block-1706981288999 .image, [data-slick-id="1706981288999"] .image { width: 100%; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 4px; } #block-1706981288999 .image__image, [data-slick-id="1706981288999"] .image__image { width: 100%; } #block-1706981288999 .image__overlay, [data-slick-id="1706981288999"] .image__overlay { opacity: 0; background-color: #fff; border-radius: 4px; } #block-1706981288999 .image__overlay-text, [data-slick-id="1706981288999"] .image__overlay-text { color: !important; } @media (min-width: 768px) { #block-1706981288999 .block, [data-slick-id="1706981288999"] .block { display: flex; justify-content: flex-start; } #block-1706981288999 .image__overlay, [data-slick-id="1706981288999"] .image__overlay { opacity: 0; } #block-1706981288999 .image__overlay:hover { opacity: 1; } } #block-1706979780499 { margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; } #block-1706979780499 .block { border: 4px black; border-radius: 0px; background-color: #fffff9; padding: 0px; padding: 0px; padding: 0px; padding-top: 15px; padding-right: 15px; padding-bottom: 15px; padding-left: 15px; } @media (min-width: 768px) { #block-1706979780499 { margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; } #block-1706979780499 .block { padding: 0px; padding: 0px; padding-top: 15px; padding-right: 15px; padding-bottom: 15px; padding-left: 15px; } } @media (max-width: 767px) { #block-1706979780499 { text-align: left; } } #block-1577982541036_0 .btn { margin-top: 1rem; } #block-1696522456141 { margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; } #block-1696522456141 .block { border: 1px solid #9d8a75; border-radius: 0px; padding: 0px; padding: 0px; padding-top: 15px; padding-right: 15px; padding-bottom: 15px; padding-left: 15px; } @media (min-width: 768px) { #block-1696522456141 { margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; } #block-1696522456141 .block { padding: 0px; padding-top: 15px; padding-right: 15px; padding-bottom: 15px; padding-left: 15px; } } @media (max-width: 767px) { #block-1696522456141 { text-align: center; } } #block-1696522456141 .feature__image, [data-slick-id="1696522456141"] .feature__image { width: 100px; border-radius: 100px; } .authorfeature { display: flex; align-items: flex-start; position: relative; } .authorfeature__image-container { flex-shrink: 0; margin-right: 20px; } .authorfeature__image { max-width: 150px; height: auto; } .authorfeature__content { flex-grow: 1; } @media (max-width: 767px) { #block-1696522456141 .authorfeature { flex-direction: column; align-items: center; } #block-1696522456141 .authorfeature__image-container { margin-right: 0; } } #block-1707127664747 { margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; } #block-1707127664747 .block { border: 4px black; border-radius: 0px; background-color: #fffff9; padding: 0px; padding: 0px; padding: 0px; padding-top: 15px; padding-right: 15px; padding-bottom: 15px; padding-left: 15px; } @media (min-width: 768px) { #block-1707127664747 { margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; } #block-1707127664747 .block { padding: 0px; padding: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; } } @media (max-width: 767px) { #block-1707127664747 { text-align: left; } } #block-1577982541036_0 .btn { margin-top: 1rem; } #block-1706982022007 { margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; } #block-1706982022007 .block { border: 4px black; border-radius: 4px; background-color: #fff; padding: 0px; padding: 0px; padding: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; } @media (min-width: 768px) { #block-1706982022007 { margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; } #block-1706982022007 .block { padding: 0px; padding: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; } } @media (max-width: 767px) { #block-1706982022007 { text-align: left; } } #block-1706982022007 .block { overflow: hidden; } .awesomecontainer .row .block-type--accordion { align-self: flex-start; }
