For those who are too busy- How to Enjoy Life Now

If you feel like a slave to your schedule and are overwhelmed by your to-do list then this post is for you. It is the key to learning how to enjoy life, now, regardless of your to do list.

This post is for me too… I’ve been there. I would work an ungodly amount of hours, then commit to some other gig on my one night off. I kept this pace through college and grad school because that was normal to me. I worked all the jobs, at once… and am really proud of what I’ve accomplished.

All of that to say, I get it. The grind is real. The grind is important. Work Hard.

Go Get It. 

BUT… sometimes we fall into this trap of :

“Let me get through this and I’ll slow down”

“After grad school I will take the time to enjoy things”

“I’ll make time for myself after this semester.”

“Once I get that promotion, I will be happy. I just need to sacrifice”

This is a trap guys. You deserve to enjoy life, now. 

The belief you have to accomplish something to enjoy life right now is a trap

Enjoy today. Once you accomplish one thing, you are going to set a goal for another thing, so don’t wait. You will never slow down and you are going to miss incredible moments. You are going to miss beautiful relationships. You are going to miss out on opportunities to grow as a person.

So before you add one more thing to that agenda of yours, read this:

1. Identify Your Personal Values: The answer to this question is going to look different to everyone AND it may change depending on what is going on in your life. Do you want to ensure quality alone time with your partner? Set aside weekly date nights. Do you want to spend more time with your family? Maybe you keep your Saturday mornings free. Do you want to go to the gym daily? Set aside REALISTIC time to go.
2. Recognize Your Limitations: Take a look at your calendar. Is this realistic? Sure you may grind through a tough few weeks, but can you happily sustain these commitments for a long period of time and stay true to your personal values. It is okay if the answer is no.
3. Take on Your Conflicts: Now it is time to make some tough decisions. Does this add value to my life? Does this add to my overall happiness? If you get that dread-y feeling before you have to go, it may be a sign that you shouldn’t be doing it. This may mean learning how to tell people “No” or “I can’t right now, I am just too busy.”
4. Stay Strong. Once you have set your calendar around your personal values stick to them. If you set aside time every morning to go to the gym, go to the gym. If you decided you are not going to work on Sundays, that means actively committing to rest.

We tend to over glorify being busy. Honestly it is ruining our well being, our happiness, our health, and our relationships.

Change doesn’t happen overnight so don’t beat yourself up if your schedule still is a mess, but hopefully you can start to look at things differently and begin to feel more in control of your schedule. To learn more about ways to receive support, learn more about working with a coach or therapist.