Have you ever used busyness as an excuse to forgo things that make your body feel good? Instead of making dinner at home or getting in a workout, you’re picking up a quick meal at the drive-through and haven’t been to the gym in months. Overfilling your schedule can lead you to a brutal cycle of stress that will have you forgetting about your own health and happiness.

In today’s society, being busy has become the new norm. Busyness is frequently associated with working hard, which must mean you’re doing well and having success, right? In reality, being overly busy can have you feeling constantly pressed for time, conflicted about what to do next, and multitasking with no single focus. These ongoing feelings can majorly impact your stress levels and actually create less success in your life, both personally and professionally.

When it comes to busyness, prioritize your big goals, dreams, and main concerns first before accomplishing the activities you need to do or enjoy but aren’t absolutely crucial. The mundane, day-to-day tasks that you’re responsible for should be done last.

Here are a few tips to help manage your busyness:

1. Use time management tools. Using tools to manage your time, stay organized, and arrange the crucial tasks can help you feel less scattered and give you a good visual for what your days look like. Keep a scheduler or to-do list on hand to make sure you’re staying productive, not overfilling your days, and always incorporating moments of downtime to keep from becoming anxious and overwhelmed.
2. Learn to say no. When trying to balance your work, social life, home life, and personal time, we often say yes to too much and wind up putting our time for enjoyment on the back burner. Whether it’s rescheduling a client or canceling brunch with a friend, remember that to be your best self, you need time for self-care, too. Putting too much on your plate in the hopes of pleasing everyone can lead to stress and exhaustion.
3. Plan to disconnect. Set aside time on your calendar to disconnect from your email, close out social media, and avoid answering text messages and phone calls. These things can likely wait!
4. Stay accountable. Have a friend, health coach, significant other, or coworker remind you not to push yourself to your limit. While being a hard worker is something to be proud of, hitting your breaking point is not worth the agony and repercussions that come with it. Use your voice to share how you’re feeling with someone you trust – sometimes venting can be the best method to relieve the tension you’re experiencing.  
5. Reward yourself! Did you accomplish all your essentials for the week? Take a moment to recognize what an amazing accomplishment that is and reward yourself. Whether it’s getting drinks after work with a friend, hiring a babysitter for a spontaneous date night, taking a Saturday afternoon yoga class, or even sleeping in an extra hour, these moments that bring you joy should be just as important as checking things off your to-do list.

Tell us your best tips for avoiding busyness and creating a clear headspace in the comments below!

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