Lately, I’ve been trying to focus more on single-tasking. This is a huge challenge for me, as I find comfort in a certain amount of busyness and security in claiming a high level of “productivity.” On top of that, I’m working actively to make sure my priorities are reflected on my calendar and in the way I spend my time. More and more, I’m learning that giving my full attention to something is a form of respect, and multitasking hinders me from giving my best to any one thing.
The interesting thing that I’ve found about this transition, is that because my “busyness” and “productivity” are way down (although I’m learning that productive should really be measured in quality, not quantity), I am struggling with a bizarre guilt. If I decide to sit down and write, my brain says I should be working out. If I decide to go work out, my brain says I should be spending time with my husband. If I decide to take a night off and just hang out with my husband, my brain says I should be blogging. And all of that makes one feels very tired of making the “wrong” choice.
What I’m learning is that I had built up a lot of unhealthy expectations of myself and imposed many demands on my time that were more dictated by what I “thought” I should be doing as opposed to being true to my own desires for what I want my life to look like and reflect. Creative time, working out, quality time with my husband – these are all things that are dear to my heart and important. But I don’t need to be doing them all, ALL of the time. And if how I’m spending my time lines up with my heart and my priorities, I can be happy about that decision – even if I’m “sacrificing” the time I could be spending doing something else, or many something elses. I can be happy about decisions that line up with my intentions, and the fact that I’m not doing everything is actually a good and healthy thing! Whatever that one thing is that I’m doing, this is my right choice, for right now!
So, one thing at a time, please. And if it makes you happy, be happy about it!
This is a blog hop! Check out the other great bloggers involved here.
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I’m struggling w/ this too. When we’re having dinner, my own daughter tells me to put my phone down…eek! I feel like I want to accomplish too many things, too soon. I’m working on this too. Giving 100% of my time to each part of my life…my family, homework time w/ my girls, blog time, hubby time…but it’s def a work in progress. Thanks for this post, I thought i was alone. xo
You are not alone! My husband is my main accountability here – he has definitely, like your daughter, told me to put the phone away! I am almost always in a hurry but learning that busyness is a crutch and almost always ends up with me being burnt out. Gotta be in less of a hurry – it’s hard.
I think there is a serious theme going on here among the happy bloggers -only you know yourself best & only YOU know the path to your own happy-ness. xo
Right? It can be hard to be confident in your own choices, especially if you’re always comparing them to other people’s choices. But it’s so rewarding to learn to stick to your guns about how you choose to spend your time.
[…] Reveling in each moment […]
I stuggle with my expectations of myself as well as expectation I have of others. Then I layer the multiple priorities atop those expectations and factor in aoo of the demands form every angle until I am exhausted. You are one person and can only realistically accomplish so much.
Jack of all trades; master of none. That saying has always spoken to me. That sounds like me most of the time when I am juggling so many things throughout the day at work. I trying to give everything 100%, but that just isn’t realistic. You have to prioritize what gets the best quality and what can surviive with a lessor amount. I’ve modified the saying to be Jack of all trades; master of a few. There are some things that I am very good at all the time and I guess I will settle for that.
I have been a very organized and driven person who is not happy to settle for anything less than perfection. Lately, though, I cannot master everything I am involved with or responsible for. Sometimes you have to rely on others (when that is available and possible). Sometimes you have to accept less than perfection. I am getting better at this with age. A little better. Some of the time. Sorta.
Haha – appreciate your honesty, Dan! I can definitely relate – I am a severe multitasking perfectionist (not a good combo) but I’m learning! Both to lessen the load on my plate, and to accept the best that I can do at the time, even if it isn’t “perfect.” I think we’ll be works in progress for quite some time.