A reader asked about how to analyze and get rid of commitments that are taking up your time. It's a hard proposition: we are pulled in so many directions, and many of us really want to actively contribute to many of our commitments. However, we are still over-scheduled and over-committed and we need to cut back. Here is my take on how to get rid of commitments:
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If we apply my standard definition of clutter to be "something that you don't love and don't use", we can define mental clutter as the "baggage" we carry around in our heads. But what is mental clutter, and what can we do about it?
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When you have too many things in a backlog and keep adding to it, something will eventually give. We don’t have infinite time and attention, and we can’t keep expecting that we can add to a backlog infinitely. Today we look at 5 essential questions for reviewing your someday list.
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There comes a time in every deliberate life where you have to stop and say "What am I trying to do?" This question may be resolved by a quick examination of current goals and a re-orientation in that direction, or it may be something much deeper, requiring further questions. Either way, it never hurts to do a session of examining goals.
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I am big into the idea of menu planning. Besides allowing me to limit my shopping time, it takes off the afternoon pressure of trying to figure out what we will have for dinner.However, there are days when the planned menu just doesn't work. It could be because we have already eaten all the leftovers, schedules are in conflict, or because the cook (read: me) is ill. Fast food used to be the only option, but we discovered that it is easier and more healthy to have a few backup pantry meals on hand.
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I am not a morning person. In fact, I have great difficulty in waking up unless there is sufficient light. And since winter is a time of insufficient morning light, coupled with cold mornings, it is very difficult for me to get up and get things done. Yet getting those things done is what sets the tone for the whole day. Here are five ways that I get past the groggies:
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As the year is winding down, I reviewed my bullet journal. I was definitely busy in 2021, but busy with what? The minutiae of daily living. And yet I found myself wanting more time for me. I decided to brainstorm some ways to get myself some more time for myself.
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Just as I took a look at what my ideal weekend looks like, I decided to look closer at how I spend my evenings. By streamlining this time into something I choose to do, I can be more fulfilled and happy.
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When I realized my life wasn't what I wanted it to be, I knew I would have to make some changes. I sat down and figured out what I wanted my weekend to look like. Now I just had to arrange things to get there.
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When I first approached deliberate living, I knew that I was going to have to make changes. My life wasn't anywhere close to what I wanted it to be. But I also realized that to a certain extent, I could design my life. Obviously, since I work outside the home for someone else, I don't have much choice in how that goes. But at home? That's a different story. And I started with the biggest chunk of time that I have: my weekends.
