By Kristi Casey
One of my favorite bosses was obsessed with team dynamics. Of primary concern was keeping people from ‘tipping over’ under the burden of too much work.
Overload shouldn’t be your default.
It was a novel concept to me—that there might be too much for any one person to do. Overload in our house- hold was normalized. We didn’t do second trips to bring in groceries, we’d string bags all up our arms to get it all over with. We didn’t sit around and relax, we’d pack our schedules with sporting events and parties.
But now there’s a little voice in my head that warns me of ‘tipping over.’ From time to time, I inventory what I’ve chosen to involve myself in and prune away what no longer serves me.
How to keep from tipping over Anytime is a great time to examine
where you’re spending your time, treasure, and talent. Are you investing each of these limited resources in ways that invigorate or exhaust you?
You owe it to yourself to only participate in things that will enrich and educate you or strengthen and help others within your community (which will also enrich and educate you).
Your challenge: Do less, with more intention.
If you feel exhausted and stressed, ask yourself:
- Which activities are draining me?
- Are they things that you wanted to do at first but are no longer relevant?
- Or are they things that you’re only
doing because you think you should?
- What would happen if you just stopped doing it?
- Is there a way to hand it over to someone else?
Everything you put down makes space for something better to enter your life. And don’t worry about not having enough to do. Life always has a way of creating more busy.
But for now: Weed your garden. Fill your calendar with intentional acts.
Find time to rest and recuperate.
At the end of your life, your heart won’t be cheered by all the checklists you completed, it’ll remember just the moments spent in service or the company of those you love.
Let me know how it goes! Share your thoughts and experiences by writing a letter to the editor or tag @ trulykristi on social channels.
Kristi Casey is a creative alchemist who paints, performs with the folk/Americana duo Mayberry Wine and is the author of several books of fiction and poetry. Visit trulykristi.com to sign up for her free weekly newsletter.