When things get too busy, we get stressed. Stress is unhealthy. I’ve been evaluating my own life lately. Like many of you, I’ve been running too fast, too hard. But I’ve got a plan to get less busy.
Do you ever feel like you’ve got too much on your plate? I know I do. Not only do I have a full-time job as a college instructor, I’m also a full-time single dad. That’s enough to keep anyone too busy. Add my writing and other creative projects into the mix, and I’m overloaded.
It’s Time To Slow Down And Get Less Busy
Last year, I made big plans for Hip Diggs. I was going to start an online course to help you live more simply. I decided that was too much, so I downshifted. Maybe, I’d just create some minimalist games or a minimalist calendar. Now the new year is here and I’ve decided against doing any of those things. Why? Because it’s just too much.
We all know people who say one thing and do another. I’d rather fail at my plans for this blog than contradict my own philosophy. I claim to live simple. I refuse to let myself be so driven to produce a financially successful blog that I overcomplicate my life.
Dedicate This Year To Living With Less Stress
My number one goal for 2017 is to reduce stress. I’ll be writing more articles on that topic. I’ll still be addressing other areas of simple living, but stress is something we all deal with. It’s my goal to use Hip Diggs as a means to work through my own challenges of dealing with stress. I’ll share my journey with you, so that you might join me in living a happier and healthier life.
8 Ways To Get Less Busy
- Go to bed earlier: Sleep is essential for good mental clarity. Without mental clarity, you’re more likely to forget simple things. When you forget simple things, you get frustrated. Frustration leads to stress. If you go to bed earlier, you’ll get more sleep and have less stress. Try going to bed an hour earlier.
- Get up earlier: If you go to bed an hour earlier, get up half an hour earlier. Mornings are the best time to get things done. Use that extra half hour to do those chores that seem to get forgotten by the end of the day. I get the bulk of my daily housework done in the mornings.
- Sit and do nothing: Try this for eight minutes a day. Find a comfortable chair. Set a timer for eight minutes. Empty your thoughts and do nothing. You’ll be amazed at how much tension you can release this way.
- Exercise: I’ve discovered that I feel less busy when I get more exercise. Even though it takes a little extra time each day, exercise helps to relieve stress. It removes the tensions that build up from all the daily responsibilities. Even something as simple as a 15-minute walk does wonders.
- Get off Facebook: I’ll admit that there are days I spend more than an hour dabbling on Facebook. That’s a time suck. If you spend too much time on social media or watching TV, you’ll wind up with less time for more important things. This will only lead to more stress.
- Kill two birds (or three): One reason we get stressed out is that we’re always running. Think ahead. Plan to do several things in one outing. I combine trips to buy groceries, get gas, wash the car, and run other errands. This way I’m not running around town more than a couple times a month.
- Stop and breathe: Whenever I feel overwhelmed, I remind myself to breathe deeply. It does wonders.
- Forget about the money: We all need to make a living. But too often, we want more than we really need. We work harder and longer to make more money. That’s the trap I’ve found myself falling into in regard to Hip Diggs. So I’ve made a decision to get less busy.
I’d Rather Be Sincere Than Sell You Something
It’d sure be nice to make some extra money. But at what cost? I could have stayed up nights, ignored my daughter’s needs, and burned the candle at both ends to create an online course on simple living. But how hypocritical would that have been? I’d be doing the exact opposite as what I preach.
I’d like to see Hip Diggs gain more popularity and become more financially successful in the future. Still, if I put all my time into that effort, I contradict the very nature of my message. I’d rather be honest with myself and my readers. So for now, I’ll keep creating great content for free to benefit us all.
If you’d like to learn more about simple living, I invite you to read my free ebook, The Happiness Of Simple.
