In a world that seems to be moving at a hundred miles per hour, demands on our time seem to be at an all-time high. Between family responsibilities, work demands, and friendships, it can be challenging to reserve enough energy to get through the day.
Many of us are driven by the desire to please. Others put forth significant effort to avoid seeming rude. We live in a “yes-driven” society, and most of us feel the pressure to do more with less time. However, in doing so, we often forget to balance time for ourselves to recharge, and when our energy reserves deplete, we are unable to address any of our responsibilities, no matter how much we want to.
Requests or Requirements: Understanding Demands On Our Time
With summer in full swing, it is an important time to talk about the demands being made on our time. Some may have children at home on summer vacation. Others may be inviting guests into their homes or traveling on vacations. Perhaps the demands being made by your job are heightened as colleagues travel and you have to pick up the slack.
Especially if your days are jam-packed, it is important to look at your schedule and identify which demands are requests and which are requirements. Some of us wish to write a tangible list, while others prefer keeping track mentally. Regardless, consider all of the things on your To Do list. For each, ask yourself:
- Will this task recharge or deplete my energy reserves?
- What are the consequences of saying ‘No”?
- How important is this to me?
- How important is this to the person asking it of me?
By answering these questions, you can begin to develop a deeper understanding of the demands being made on your time. This allows you to create priorities, and better understand which demands are best to say “No” to. After all, there is nothing wrong with learning to say “No” to the tasks or invitations that will deplete you and sit low on the priority list.
Prioritizing Time For Yourself
Especially for those of us who are known for giving too much of ourselves; it is tempting to place the things we do for ourselves low on our priority list. Since there may not seem to be any pressing consequences for skipping yoga class or finishing the book you’ve wanted to read, it is easy to place these items low on your priority list.
However, any items on your list that will recharge your energy reserves should become a top priority. It cannot be said enough: taking care of yourself is essential for taking care of others.
Tending Your Fences
Through a collection of entertaining parables, Tending Fences: Building Safe and Healthy Relationship Boundaries provides readers with insights into how to construct boundaries that are useful and specific for each relationship in life, including the relationships with ourselves, other people, ideas, food, and money.