5 Steps To Happiness For Busy Bees
When you run into a friend in the street and ask how they are, do they stop and have a conversation or just “busy” before rushing off on yet another errand? If you’re guilty of this then Michelle Laurey has 5 simple tips to help you free up time so you can have a decent conversation when you bump into someone on the street.
“Busy” has become the new “fine”. Try this: ask your friends or acquaintances you run into in the street how they’re doing and take note of the answers. Count the number of times you hear “Fine” (or, even better, “great”) and the number of “busy” people. In my experiment, “busy” won by a landslide.
Being busy seems to have become the default state for most people’s lives. It makes sense to be busy, as it feels like there’s always work to do to move ahead in life. Some of us are trying to get out of debt, often including hefty mortgages or student loans, and others are saving up to hopefully buy a house one day.
But none of that is a reason to forget about your personal happiness. This article will help you lead a happy life even with a packed schedule.
1. Awareness Of The Problem
In some ways, being busy is a good feeling. The pressure of having so much to do can provide an adrenaline rush, and it ensures you have a feeling of purpose every day instead of floating around aimlessly. Although having a purpose and a strong work ethic is admirable, we still need to have a balance between health, personal relationships, and work.
Unfortunately, many people don’t strike a balance and instead let their work overwhelm their lives. One-third of British employees experience anxiety, depression or stress in large part because of being busy, and 75% of parents don’t have time to read to their kids at night. The first issue is bad for the employees, and the second is detrimental to the kids, as it jeopardizes their development and their relationship with their parents.
Before you can solve it, you need to acknowledge that this is a problem. Being busy shouldn’t be a source of pride because there are much more important things in life than work.
2. List Of Priorities
If you are constantly busy, there is a huge possibility that your priorities aren’t in order. Everyone gets the same 24 hours in their day, and it’s important to figure out how you want to use yours. If you want time for a hobby, then you’ll need to put a limit on how much you work every week.
Take some time to write down all your obligations in life and what else you want to do with your time. See if those obligations are conflicting with other things you want to do, or if you’re simply mismanaging your schedule.
It’s not necessarily bad to have obligations that keep you busy. If you have to pay off a debt, if you are remodelling your house (or buying a new one), or saving up for a car, it is understandable that you want to earn as much as possible. But sometimes it’s a matter of making a choice to prioritize more than just work. Planning everything can help you keep your schedule organized, and you’ll have a sense of accomplishment when you see all that you’ve achieved.
3. Put Yourself First
As you plan your week, remember to give yourself a day of rest every week. Rest is important for your body and mind.
Avoid leading a busy life at the expense of your health. Burning the midnight oil and eating poorly will both be detrimental to you in the long run. Aim for at least seven hours of sleep each night and eat plenty of nutritious foods. In addition, a hobby can be a great way to get a sense of fulfilment from your life.
Feel free to watch the occasional movie, read, meditate or simply spend a couple hours relaxing. This may feel like a waste of time, but you’re actually resting your brain, which is very important.
Finally, never be afraid to say “no” to people. It’s natural to want approval from others, but to get people’s respect, you need to respect your time. Being able to say “no” allows you to set boundaries and avoid doing things solely to please others.
4. But Don’t Forget About Others
We need relationships with other people to get the most out of life, and you should make time for your friends and family. Interaction and just being in the presence of others will make you healthier and happier.
Of course, you won’t have much fun with your friends and family if you’re snapping at them or acting down because of how busy you’ve been. Try to keep your emotions from overwhelming you, and don’t bring stresses from work into your interactions with others.
5. Be Like Elsa And Let It Go
It’s easy to overanalyze and wonder if you made the right decision well after you already made it, but this isn’t healthy or beneficial. Once you’re done with a task, stop thinking about it. Don’t worry about being in control of everything or having everything work out perfectly.
Celebrate every small victory and realize that even the issues that seem bad now likely aren’t that big a deal. And to learn how to really let go of your fears, seek out opportunities to do things that frighten you. This will teach you to turn your nerves into something positive.
Everything In Moderation
It’s okay to have a full schedule, but it’s important to find a balance so that your entire life isn’t dominated by your work. We must accept that we can’t do everything and be satisfied with what we are able to get done every day. That’s the first step to finding happiness in our busy lives.
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