Some people try to do everything and spread themselves too thin.
…And I’m one of those. I’m trying to do and be everything.
I choose to raise Little O without a nanny, but at the same time, I choose to work.
And on top of that…
…I need to take care of my health by exercising.
…I need to nurture my relationship with D.
So, yes, I’m doing too much. I guess this is legit adulting.
Sometimes it gets crazy like what happened today. It’s a Friday, so a lazy day for me. I started work at 4:00 PM and ended at 7:51 PM. I had a quick bath and nursed Little O to sleep. She didn’t get to sleep until 9:00 PM.
On a regular day, I’d be done with my workout, dinner, and bath by 8:00 PM because Little O’s bedtime routine starts at 8:00. Because I worked late, I didn’t get to do Day 2 of my new Freeletics training journey.
How You Can Stay Sane
1. Know your priorities
My top priority is my health, because if I can’t take care of myself, how would I take care of my family? Taking care of Little O and D comes next.
2. Accept the tradeoffs
As I have limited time in the day to do everything, I’ve accepted the fact that some things would have to be put on hold. My goal of starting a business would be delayed. I can start a business, but the financial results of one is uncertain. Right now, what I can do is to continue freelancing while raising Little O.
3. Accept that there’s no such thing as balance
Merriam-Webster defines balance as “equal distribution of weight.” Here’s my realization – balance is a myth.
If this is how you define life balance, then you spend equal time on your career, relationships, health, personal development, leisure, and spirituality. But you don’t, do you?
You don’t need and can’t have balance in life. One area will always be dominant. What you need is to know your priorities and make time for them.
4. Delegate
I’ve always been independent. I believe in the adage “if you want something done right, do it yourself.” However, I’m slowly learning to delegate. Most of the household chores at home is done by D’s sister. And why is it okay with me? Well, as I’ve read over the years, you can outsource (or delegate) tasks that you dislike doing or tasks that you’re not skilled at. Similarly, if you find yourself spread too thin, check out your activities, and some of these may be outsourced or delegated to someone else.
Takeaways
On days you feel like going crazy because of too many things going on, slow down and remember what’s most important in your life.
