I have been truly blessed with the ability to compartmentalize the many competing agendas in my mind. Because of this I can shut it off and enjoy the moment.
-Arlene Dickinson
The world today is so very busy. So many things can command your attention. From social media to relationships, from work to personal care. If we aren’t careful we barely remember to stop, think and plan! This is where I believe anxiety actually steams from, the feeling that we have so much to do in such a minimal time frame. A friend of mine told me when I was “fresh yute” to “keep the main thing, the main thing.” That little phrase helped me then and continues to prove valuable to this day! Let’s see how we can slow things down to get the most out of our time.
Firstly we MUST compartmentalize. This can be achieved by doing a few a things. Mainly prioritizing. With priorities you must be prepared to make some sacrifices, it’s par for the course. Write a list of what is most important to you and your success in the future. Figure out what you can do in the present to keep those priorities satisfied. Let go of the rest. Trust me it’s easier said than done, but like anything else it just takes a little bit of practice and you’ll be fine. The next thing naturally will be putting together a meticulous schedule. You must schedule your time. Organization is key. Picture a suitcase that you must fill. If you just throw everything in it you won’t have space for everything. Sure it takes longer to come up with a plan to fit everything with the folding and whatnot, but once you have the plan and preparation work done things just fit better. That’s what you will be doing with your time. Remember all you can do is all you can do, push yourself but don’t break a leg (or exhaust yourself mentally) trying to fit everything in where it ought not be.
Once those two things are in order once again, it’s time to let go or “disassociate.” This is a key life skill to be worked on ruthlessly. Don’t feel bad for it either, what’s the point of tending to things that won’t bare you fruit in the future? If it’s scheduled in the agenda but not for today DON’T give it any energy. No need to worry about it until the time comes. All your energy should be put towards your goals for today, what’s right in front of you. This will undoubtedly lead to a less stressed more focused and carefree life. Your productivity with boom and you will add YEARS to your mental health. Start now with no delay, you deserve it!