People everywhere are busier than ever.
And it’s getting worse.
Like, it’s actually a little crazy.
Right now, I’m moving into a new house, onboarding new team members, travelling around the world, running a business...all while trying to handle all the duties of being a mom, wife, and friend.
Some days, I literally ask myself how I’ve managed to pull it off.
I can’t buy more time, no matter how wealthy I become.
No one can.
Time is something that doesn’t discriminate.
We all have the same amount of it no matter where we live, how much money we make or what we do for a living.
So it’s something we have to be super careful with, invest in and hold sacred.
Being busy is not something we should be bragging about.
Personally, “it don’t impress me much”. 🎵
So how do we become more mindful of our time?
How do we get through all the tasks so we can have those moments of peace in our day?
How do we balance it all so we’re feeling productive but relaxed on the daily?
I got you, boo.
Here are three things you can do to battle the busy and make the most of your precious time:
1. Get organized with online tools
One of the biggest culprits of busyness is not being organized.
If you’re part of a team, or working with multiple clients, it’s easy to get frustrated and overwhelmed with the sheer amount of communication, tasks and meetings.
We had to get super organized over here in Hayley Hobson World because my team is spread out across North America.
We are...ahem...super busy.
In addition to managing a cross continental team, I work with numerous clients in my health and coaching businesses.
Some of the tools we use to stay connected and organized are Slack, Asana, Voxer and Canva.
Slack helps us communicate on the many different aspects of my business. Some of our communication channels include: social media, marketing, weekly newsletter, general, branding, events, podcast, the list goes on…
Asana helps us assign tasks and stay on top of who’s doing what.
Voxer allows us to send each other quick and easy thoughts and messages
Canva helps us keep all our designs in one place (and it’s soooo user-friendly!).
Using these tools has changed the entire game for us.
I highly recommend you start implementing tools that help make the most out of your time.
And some of these tools are totally cheap (in case you’re worried about cash flow…) Canva,Voxer, and Slack are even have free plans that work for most entrepreneurs just starting out. Woohoo!
2. Schedule ‘white space’ every day
You NEED to take a break from the chaos.
I don’t care how much is on your to-do list!
No excuses.
No matter how busy you are, you need to create ‘white space’ in your day.
What is it? It’s that beautiful precious time between meetings and appointments.
Sometimes you have to use that time to catch up on emails.
But if you can, use that time for the ever-elusive but ever-so-important: self-care.
Use your white space wisely.
Go to the gym for a workout, meditate, call your mom, literally stare at a blank wall and listen to elevator music…
Do what you gotta do to center yourself, re-group and take some deep breaths.
Unless you’re a doctor, nothing we’re doing here is life or death.
So take it easy on yourself.
You’re doing the best you can! We all are. Give your mind a break.
Busy doesn’t equal productive. Declutter your life and change your mindset from busy to focused
If you’re like me, you want to say YES to everything.
I want to do it all.
I want to take action.
But, and it’s a big BUT, saying yes to anything and everything will have you on the fast track to burn out.
3. We all have limits and boundaries and we need to respect ‘em.
Prioritize your tasks. And if there’s time left after those priorities are taken care of... And after you’ve enjoyed some white space...
THEN, and only then, can you think about saying yes to more.
Check your calendar first. Check in with yourself first.
This is your journey and the choices you make are yours to own.
If you’re overwhelmed, take a step back.
Busy is a mindset so start making mental space for peace.
Again, we all have the same amount of time.
We need to use it wisely.
You know those people around you who always seem “chill”?
You can be that person too.
Time is precious. Spend it wisely and in ways that fill you with joy and fulfillment.
What are your "Less is More" strategies? How do you balance your life?