I almost forgot about this series, but I’m super excited to bring it back!
My one New Year’s Resolution for 2014 is pretty simple: have more good days.
I don’t have bad days on a regular basis, but I don’t necessarily have good days either. The days where I go to bed feeling accomplished, proud, and balanced are few and far between. I want to celebrate this year by enjoying as many days as I can – even when it feels like mission impossible.
So each week, I’ll be sharing a one of 52 ways to have a good day – or maybe even a great one. Read the rest of the series here.
#4: Do Less
One thing I’m really guilty of is over-planning my days. Even knowing that I over-plan and trying to adjust my schedule to ensure I don’t do that doesn’t seem to work because I still find a way to slip in 10 things I feel like I should do.
Ever since we moved, I’ve been trying really hard to break that cycle though. We have a lot we can do on our own land (when the weather is nice), projects around the house, and new places to explore in our new town. On top of that, I’ve made my fitness goals a higher priority since we’ve moved as it’s much easier to get the kind of exercise I love (pretty much anything outdoors) here. But all of that is impossible to enjoy if I’m cramming my day full of things and ensuring I never finish my to-do list so it’s always rolling over.
So I’ve been trying to look at things in a different light. Sometimes I push things off if they don’t have to be done that day or that exact moment. This is especially true on nice days or even days where I’m just not feeling it. If I can afford to rearrange my schedule and clear out some personal time, I’m all over it. It’s helped my mood tremendously to give myself that kind of freedom and flexibility (but it does require a lot of discipline!)
Other times I ask myself if it truly needs to be done or if it’s really worth my time. I’m amazed at how many things I’ve written down on my to-do list that I end up crossing off because they really weren’t necessary or truly beneficial in my personal or career goals. It definitely showed me to better evaluate what exactly is going on my list and to keep it off unless it needs to be on there.
Obviously all of my days aren’t filled with pushing things off or finding unimportant tasks, but I try to make sure that there is some flexibility to move things around. Even if it’s 15+ minutes that I gain back to read a magazine, go for a walk, cook a nicer meal, or even just be more present. That’s 15 minutes I wasn’t expecting to be able to enjoy. And I always do the important things that need to be done so I’m never spending those 15+ minutes feeling guilty for the things I didn’t do. Intentionally taking time off or rearranging your schedule is SUCH a different feeling than slacking off.
do you have any tips on doing less in a day?