Minimize stress with this quick exercise
Busyness is one of the most common causes of stress.
When your schedule is jam-packed with things to do, it feels impossible to fit in the things that are truly important to you.
Your to-do list is a mile long, and there’s not enough time in the day to do what you need to do.
Finishing a few tasks leads to you remembering a few more things you need to get done.
So, where the heck do you start?
Maintaining Priorities
If you’re anything like me, this time of year often throws me off schedule.
The weather begins to turn, temperatures rise, and the opportunity for outdoor activities is abundant.
I’m constantly trying to balance (way) too many hobbies – fly fishing, biking, hiking – while still trying to maintain my work and health.
It’s easy for me to put the “most important things” to the side, and replace them with “less important things.”
But this year I’m working on keeping the main thing, the main thing.
Minimize the Distractions
I’ve found that it’s necessary to write out everything I have going on in my life.
Finding a balance between work and play is only possible when you view the bigger picture.
To “minimize” the distractions, you need start by recognizing what they are.
Here’s my method for doing this:
- Write down all the things that may be bringing stress into your life. All of it. Take a few minutes to think through everything that comes to mind.
- Once they’re listed, take a look at all of them in the “bigger picture” of life. Which of these things are the most important to you? Star the top 3 that are worth your time.
- For the rest of the things listed, think about how you can “minimize” the stress of these things. Are they even worth your time? How could you avoid these stressors moving forward?
Listing it all out will help you to become aware of the unimportant things.
It’s often these sneaky, “lesser important” things that add the most tension in our lives. However, most of the time, they’re not even worth our time or attention.
Eliminating them entirely will open up new opportunity in your schedule. This way, you can focus your time and energy on what truly matters.
I’ve been trying to do this exercise whenever I feel overwhelmed, and it always takes some weight off my shoulders.
As we head into the “busyness” of spring and summer, I hope it can do the same for you!
–Eric Pfohl