Reclaiming Peace in a Hectic World

Have you found yourself struggling to manage it all? From different roles, societal pressures, and expectations, it can be hard to balance your time and feel as though you are partaking and giving to all areas in the way one may want to. If this is you, you’re not alone. Time management is tricky. The more expectations and roles that get added, the harder it can feel to manage it all, which may result in you feeling as though you’re losing a little piece of you in the shuffle as well. Let’s look at some tips to better manage your time to help gain comfort and reduce stress in your day-to-day.

The first step when it comes to managing time is figuring out your priorities and what is most important to you. Discovering your core values can not only help you decide how to better manage your time but can also help you with deciding what is worth investing in versus what is not. This will also assist you in saying “no” to those things that do not hold as great a value.

Next, which may seem obvious, is scheduling time to better manage your tasks and the time spent in these areas. Not only does this create a schedule/plan for how and where to spend time, but it also assists with staying organized and on task.

One of the most important things when it comes to balancing time is setting boundaries. While this is crucial, it may also be the most difficult. Learning to set boundaries assists us with understanding what our limits are and communicating them in an effective way. This could be something small, such as not checking emails after work hours, or something larger, such as saying “no” to an event due to designating that day or time for family. Setting boundaries helps to maintain clarity and protect your time and peace. Remember, utilizing the word “no” in setting a boundary does not have to be taken in a negative or uncaring way. Rephrasing what "no" means can make it easier to implement, as well as assist you with saying it more often when needed.

By implementing these strategies, you can begin to regain control over your time and, by extension, your life. It's not about cramming more into your day, but about consciously choosing where your energy goes. Maybe you need more assistance when it comes to setting boundaries? It’s okay to ask for help! Boundaries are challenging, especially if they haven't been practiced often. Asking for formal (friends or family) or informal (professional, church group) support can largely assist you.

Written by: Jordan Allen