Being busy seems like a strategy for success but is it really?

I was just reflecting on my weekend. It's been a mix of work, catching up with family & friends, reading (oh my, I love a good book!) and doing some jobs done around my home. It's a good mix of doing and being.

But it hasn't always been that way, in fact far from it!

I used to put way too much emphasis on doing. I'd constantly be doing something and it was exhausting. I pushed myself hard and more often than not I was really stressed.

The trouble with constantly pushing ourselves is that it's like putting a frog in a pot of water and slowly turning up the heat. We don't realise how busy we've become or the impact it's having on us until the damage is done.

How busy are you?

Honestly. How would you rate your level of busyness? Use a scale of 1 - 10 where 1 is you're cruising and 10 you're flat out on the go day in, day out.

It is possible to be productive, to make a difference and to be successful but not be crazy busy working every moment of every day. Okay, so you probably aren't literally working every minute of the day, but it's likely you're thinking (worrying) about work when you're doing other things, even sleeping!

There's no denying doing stuff, taking action, is needed. But when we get caught in a cycle of busyness it's like running in a hamster wheel. You're putting in plenty of time and effort but you're not getting anywhere.

The week ahead...

Take a look at your diary and To Do list for the week ahead, what are your priorities? What really deserves your attention, energy and focus? Now here's the thing, if your plans for the week don't include time for what you need, then that needs to be taken care of first.

Being an adult can be tough at the best of times but here's what I've noticed working 1:1 with people. They're incredibly busy. Back to back meetings, overbooked with client appointments, ferrying their children to an endless number of practices and events, and on it goes. BUT there's no time for them to nurture themselves.

Self-care isn't a luxury, it's a necessity.

You cannot be the best version of yourself (for you or others) if you're not looking after your own emotional, mental, physical and spiritual health. And when that happens, when you're not looking after yourself well, being an adult gets super tough.

Have you ever found yourself wishing for someone to show up and make all your decisions for you? You just want to block out the world and not do any more adulting!

Rather than get to that point, where the water is boiling hot, notice the signs along the way. One of the most practical things you can do is acknowledge how busy you are and get clear about what you're giving your attention, energy and focus to. Then armed with this awareness, commit to making the necessary changes.

It's okay to take care of yourself. You're a human being, not a human doing, you and your health matter.

Let me know how busy you are now and what you commit to doing to reduce the busyness and stress.

Tracey Hancock is a coach and mentor passionately committed to helping people achieve their dreams and goals. Drawing on her own experience and the lessons she's learnt trying to be and do what she thought was expected of her, Tracey will guide you to live and work your way.

 Ready for change and to feel more fulfilled? Contact Tracey to learn more about the REALiving approach today.