First, the obvious answer
It’s about that time of year when many of us (ahem, myself!) realize that we have put too much on our plate.
Our intentions are usually good, but when we are starting to feel that we are spread too thin it’s a good idea to do a time audit. We can audit and budget our time just like we budget our money.
Simply start logging how you are spending your time. This is only to bring to our attention distractions that we might not realize and to understand what can be eliminated.
A couple of tips:
- Categorize your time as necessary/unnessary and like to do/don’t like to do. Anything that falls under the categories of “Don’t like to do,” and “Unnecessary,” has got to go.
- Set goals. Maybe they are as simple as “Get 8 hours of sleep.”
- Prioritize. For some reason, I tend to set all of my activities to “HIGH priority” even though they aren’t.
- Don’t be afraid to say no to things that aren’t aligned with your priorities/goals.
Seeing exactly where my time is going even if just for a few days can get me refocused and help me to feel less overwhelmed.
Because we are always going to be busy, so it’s up to us to be in control of our schedule and not let our schedule control us.
Now, the not-so-obvious answer
Sometimes we are spread too thin, and other times it feels like we are constantly pushing and grinding and pushing and grinding towards our goals and getting nowhere.
But, what if we let our calling chase us instead of us chasing it?
To be quite honest, lately, I’ve been leaning out of – instead of leaning into – my business. And, my business, this business, is exactly what I’ve felt has been my calling for the past few years.
It’s what’s given me energy, passion, excitement, and hope. And, that’s why I believe it is my calling.
But, I’ve had to take some time to lean out and refocus my goals for the past couple of months. I’ve cut back on blogging, writing emails, promoting, collaborating, and filming videos because relentlessly chasing my calling was starting to feel burdensome.
Then, the other day I happened to see this quote:
“The greatest hazard of all, losing one’s self, can occur very quietly in the world, as if it were nothing at all. No other loss can occur so quietly – an arm, a leg, five dollars, a wife, etc. – is sure to be noticed.” ~Soren Kierkegaard, The Sickness Unto Death
And, that very quote is exactly why I do what I do. So that we don’t quietly lose ourselves as we journey through life as so many of us tend to do.
So that we don’t forget to NOTICE ourselves, BELIEVE in ourselves, DREAM for ourselves, and LOVE ourselves along the way.
Now I’ve realized that we don’t actually have to relentlessly chase our calling.
Because our calling so desperately needs us that no matter what we decide, it will relentlessly chase us.