(image via Pinterest)
I am forgetful. I am unorganized. I am a procrastinator. I get easily overwhelmed.
And what do those four traits make me? A very stressed out, frazzled person. If those traits aren’t bridled and tamed, that is. New Year’s is around the corner, and I don’t believe in resolutions. I believe in refinements! I know that the tools to live a peaceful, calm, less stressed life are within me or available to me. The trick is refining my routines to do little things that can mount up to a big difference. Here are little things I’ve gathered from other people or from refining my own experiences that I’m currently using to de-frazzle my own life.
1. Free your brain
Yes, that’s right. You don’t have to let your brain carry the weight of so much responsibility! My father calls his planner his “brain.” Every little appointment, meeting, even when a bill needs to be paid, he writes it down in his planner. That way he can forget about, he says. Great idea! I’ve started doing this and it helps, but it requires consistency. First, you have to write down something as soon as it comes to your attention or is scheduled. Then, it needs to become a daily habit to look at your brain and see what’s scheduled. I look at mine in the morning to see what’s ahead for today, and glance at it once at night so I can anticipate what’s coming tomorrow. That way you don’t have to rack your brain for when that presentation is scheduled — it’s written down.
2. Be a strategic menu planner
Making menus is not only good for your budget, but it keeps you from asking the question, “So, what do you want for dinner?” over and over. No more scouring the fridge to see what you can put together with what’s on hand. If you make a weekly menu, you’ll know what you need at the grocery store, you’ll know what you’re eating each night, and you can plan shorter meal prep times around busier days and more elaborate meals when you know your time will allow. People eat multiple times a day — food preparation, eating, and clean up takes time, so you’d be amazed at how vital having well thought out food menus can effect your overall quality of the day.
3. Get set up the night before
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve run out the door late because I can’t find my keys or the brown shoes I want to wear with my skirt were hiding under the couch. Taking a half hour each night to prepare for the next day will help you walk out of your house with a stress-free confidence and the only thing you’ll be leaving behind is that nagging feeling of “Did I forget something?” Plan out your clothing the night before and iron it if need be. Pack your lunch before and have it sitting in the fridge. Set your keys, purse, wallet, and whatever else you’ll need for the day in the same place every night so that it’s all there and waiting for you to grab without searching for each item.
4. Turn your responsibilities into appointments
You wouldn’t just not go to a doctor’s appointment or a work meeting, would you? Of course not! (At least, I hope not!) Sometimes it’s easy to let the dishes go or bypass the vacuuming because you don’t h-a-v-e to do it. However, I’ve found that if I actually schedule my responsibilities such as bill paying, laundry, and other chores into my daily or weekly routine, they’re much more likely to get done. This way, you can expect them and anticipate them and you’ll also have the freedom to arrange your responsibilities in a way that spreads them out so they don’t seem overwhelming as they pile up from procrastination. Little appointments every day will go a long way in taking care of all your home life responsibilities. Treat them as REAL appointments. Write them in your brain err, planner, and keep your personal appointments! And when you’re done? You can forget about them.
5. Take some time, every day, that is just for you.
If you have to make this a scheduled appointment to make it happen, then do it! But every day, even if it’s just a half hour, should be completely dedicated to you and something that relaxes you. Whether it be sitting in silence, reading a book, sipping some coffee or tea, or taking a walk, meditating, whatever speaks to your spirit and fills you up with contentment and peace, make sure you do it every single day, even if you have to schedule out when that is. The key is to do something that relaxes you and frees your mind of worry, stress, or anxiety.
6. Don’t unnecessarily weigh your body down
Most of us lead busy, demanding lives. Whether you’re a stay at home mom, you work in a fast paced restaurant, you travel for a living, or you’re in a high stress office job, your body and spirit has enough on its plate to carry as it is. Don’t load up your plate (literally and figuratively!) with junk that will only drag you down. This means eating real, whole, healthy {un}refined foods that will give you the energy you need to keep going. Caffeine, sugar, empty calories, and refined carbs are going to slow down your body, make you lethargic, and keep you from thinking as clearly and sharply as you otherwise could. Eating healthfully is vital to reducing your stress and making your mind and body feel better, which will in turn help you get through the day with ease and a sense of being centered and balanced. The same goes for staying well hydrated as you run around in your life.
7. Sleep
This is a universal truth that most people think doesn’t apply to them. If you wake up groggy and tired, you’re going to stay groggy and tired your whole day. You won’t think clearly, you won’t have energy, and trying to get through your day under these conditions is only going to stress you out and put you in a bad mood. Feeling rested equals feeling prepared. Just because you’re not a toddler anymore doesn’t mean you don’t need a bedtime. If you have to schedule yourself a bedtime to make sure it happens, then do it. But to make your waking hours count, then you really do need to dedicate some of the 24 in a day (preferrably at least 8 of them) to a good night’s sleep.
8. Wind down and relax
After going about your daily responsibilities, taking care of work, cleaning up the house, paying the bills, taking care of the family…. you cannot just crash and burn. Living is like exercise. You don’t run on the treadmill and just pull the stop button. That would be disasterous and bad for your body! You have to slow down, cool down, and gradually decrease. This is the same for your day, especially if you live a high powered go-go-go kind of life. Right before bed, calm down. Relax. Unwind. If this has to double up as your bit of you-time every day from tip number five, then so be it. But make sure that you don’t just hit the “off switch” right before landing on the pillow. You need some time to decompress, to process the day’s events, do some deep breathing, and free your mind of all you’ve been thinking about. This will put your body in a better place to prepare for sleep and repairing itself for a new day.
9. Extend yourself some grace
All the above ideas are great, but no one is perfect. Also, no one can predict exactly how the day will go. We can plan it out, we can try to get something done, but unforeseen things will pop up. You’ll have to detour and for one reason or another, something just might not get done. And you know what? That’s ok. Life is a journey, and even in its messy state, it is beautiful. Enjoy the journey and when things don’t go as planned, remember that you can try again tomorrow. Most worries don’t have as terrible consequences as we think they’ll have. Be gentle with yourself and extend grace if you don’t finish everything or accomplish all of your goals and simply start again tomorrow. Be happy for what did accomplish and be accomodating for what didn’t. Life will go on.
