In Arianna Huffington's book, Thrive, she talks about the concept of "time famish": essentially, it's the sense that you're starving for time. Not enough quality time with family, not enough waking hours to get everything done at work, and not enough time to enjoy life.
Ever had that feeling? I know that I have. In fact - sometimes in my life, I feel like there's so much I want to do any try and experience that I feel a real sadness that there simply isn't time for everything.
But packing our days full of tasks and to-do lists isn't the answer. That busy-ness is the opposite, actually, and it creates an even greater sense of time famish.
Not enough time.
How can you combat the sense that there just isn't time to get everything done, and done well? Here are some solutions I've personally discovered in my life...
"Rush" Doesn't Have to be Your Modus Operandi
A business coach I knew years ago always said that struggle was a choice. I love that she said that - because it's really true that most of our experience of life comes from how we choose to react to it.
And panic - or a sense of rushing - is certainly an option, and an option that many of us frequently choose.
When I realized that hurriedly bustling through my day was actually an active choice I made, it was clear that I could make a different choice. Instead of choosing the rush panic, I could choose something else: for instance, gratitude.
What a thought! To feel grateful for all the opportunities that were making themselves available to me instead of cursing them for all coming at once.
Suddenly when I feel grateful for everything that's happening, I can fully enjoy the situation instead of already thinking about the next thing I have to do. Time famish? Who's time famished when they're having a great time chatting with a client or writing a blog post that tickles them?
Delegation is the Name of the Game
I've written about delegation a lot over the years because it truly can make a big, big difference in how much time you have. Asking others for help is something that we business owners often forget to do because we're such go-getters.
Here are simple things that can be delegated...
- Uploading + sending out your newsletters
- Posting your blog content
- Writing your blog posts
- Scheduling appointments
What would your life be like if those 4 things were all taken care of? I'd bet you'd have wayyyy more time to go to the gym, brainstorm and spend time with family.
And those are just a few simple suggestions; next, ask a family to cook dinner or hire a house cleaner.
Take a Deep Breath
I've been surprised that even in the midst of an incredibly brain-melting day, 60 seconds of deep breathing and calm can make a big difference in how time famished I feel. It just reinforces the idea that being frazzled is a state of mind.
Try it like this:
When you feel particularly rushed, stop where you are and take a nice deep breath in. Let it out. Keep breathing slowly for about a minute (or more if you can!) and feel your body starting to slow and become more peaceful.
I'll bet that by the time the 60 seconds are up, you'll feel more peaceful and more centered. This technique has radically shifted the trajectory of my day many times.
So, how do you deal with time famish? Leave a comment below to join the conversation.
Allison Volk specializes in creating authority and visibility for businesses and entrepreneurs through effective content marketing. Her clients have appeared in The Huffington Post, Forbes.com, Mind Body Green, LifeHack, Bitter Lemons and DentalTown.com, to name a few. Find out more at www.TheBlogBabe.com.