Life is full of to-do lists, responsibilities and obligations. In the midst of these commitments, we try to find spare minutes here and there to do the meaningful things in life, like spending time with our families, learning a new talent or even just relaxing. Unfortunately the meaningful things seem to be put on the back burner when other responsibilities pop up. That’s backwards. The memorable things and important people in our lives should be number one, they should receive a larger portion of our time.
When your life is so full of responsibilities and time requirements you become stressed, angry and unhappy. We have to make time for the more meaningful things in life. We do that by becoming unbusy.
Rule #1: Set Your Priorities
The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another. – William James
Decide which things in your life are most important. If you are tossing too many things around, make a list of all your responsibilities and the activities and organizations you participate in. Put them in order from the most important to least important. Those that are most important need your time and attention; focus on them.
Making a list like this can be hard; you may feel that everything you do is of extreme value. Be cutthroat. Really evaluate the things in your life. Write down the value that each one has and why you are doing it. You will find that there are some things that aren’t as important as you thought they were.
Rule #2: Get Rid of the Unimportant Things
Don’t let your mind bully your body into believing it must carry the burden of its worries. – Astrid Alauda
Once you have your list of priorities, it would be best for you to drop those at the bottom of the list or set them aside to do later. There are things that might be important but don’t need your full and immediate attention. If there are things that can wait until later, then do them later. Don’t procrastinate, just manage your time better.
Rule #3: Learn How to Delegate
How do I cope with stress? I clean and organize. – Sandra Lee
The idea that you are the only person out there who can do this specific job the right way is ridiculous. There are always going to be other capable people in your life. Give them a chance to prove to you that they can help. Some people have a hard time relinquishing power to others, but it’s worth it if you can relieve some of the stress you’re carrying.
Rule #4: Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff
There is no use worrying about things over which you have no control, and if you have control, you can do something about them instead of worrying. – Stanley C. Allyn
When things don’t turn out how you want them to or expected them, don’t let yourself worry about it. You have to be able to accept what happens. Life will throw things at you that you won’t see them coming. Those are the times that you can’t worry about the little things. Take it one step at a time.
On the flip side, when little things go right, acknowledge them and the hard work you put into it. Little victories are still victories. When you let yourself feel proud of your accomplishments, no matter how small they are, you feel better about yourself.
Rule #5: Don’t Be Afraid to Say No
Saying yes to happiness means learning to say no to things and people that stress you out. – Thema Davis
This can be one of the hardest things for most people, especially when it’s something requested by a friend or family member. You know yourself the best. You know your limits and what pushes you over the edge. Don’t say yes just to please other people. It’s not selfish to think of yourself every once in a while; it’s actually healthy.
While there are stress relieving activities you can do, such as meditation, sometimes it’s not enough. To become unbusy, you should learn to get rid of the stress-causing things in your life. Hope the tips in this article will help you know how to get rid of that unnecessary extra stress.
