As I was approaching 35 during the last quarter of 2019, I was feeling overwhelmed with anxiety. I felt like I was running out of time, and didn’t have enough hours in the days, months, or years left in my life for me to actualize my goals and dreams. On the flip side, I felt like I had a ton of time on my hands, and that I was often wasting it rather than putting it into good use. Although I was grinding it out and constantly working toward my goals, I was feeling defeated. Additionally, I was grappling with the fact that I was turning 35, which seems old and mature, but still very young; I’m still trying to figure myself out.
I’m still wondering how in the world am I supposed to achieve the “bad bish” status that I thought 35-year-old Brittany should be? What do I need to do in order to achieve such heights? How am I supposed to maintain and grow the blog, wash my face twice daily, pay all my bills on time, invest money, save money, co-host a podcast, read the Bible, pray/meditate, maintain relationships with family, friends and a romantic partner, cook, clean, do laundry, maintain a full-time job — and be fully engaged, aware and innovated at said full-time job –, workout and stay slim thick, make sure my hair is washed, deep conditioned and moisturized, and take time for self-care. How Sway? Who has the answers?
After discussing my consternation with a mentor, she dropped some gems that made me realize that a lot of the pressure I’d been placing on myself was self-imposed. Everything is a process and things take time to evolve and come to fruition. Rome wasn’t built in a day, so with this new enlightenment, I wanted to share with you those same gems I am using to quell the anxiety.
Maximize the hours in the day – I figured that even if I wake up one hour early, or stay up one hour later, then I can get more done in a day. Adding just one hour to my day can help me maximize my time to get stuff done. So for me, I used this time to go to the gym, write for the blog, or meditate and spend time with God.
Outsource what you need – Seeking external resources for assistance does not equal weakness or laziness. Hiring or asking for help when needed helps to maximize your time so that you can spend it doing the things you want to spend more time on. Some tasks that could easily be outsourced to free up your time could be laundry services, cleaning services, or hiring a nanny while you run errands. There are a number of things you can pay others to do so that you don’t have to. The possibilities are endless. Don’t be afraid of the judgment that comes with hiring help. No one gives you an award for doing it all by yourself. If things are being taken care of, then who cares about how it gets done. If having a cleaning service allows you more time to focus on the things that matter to you, then take advantage of the services. You don’t have to be superwoman!
Pace yourself – As I mentioned earlier, all the stress and pressure I was feeling at trying to get everything done was self-imposed. I was literally competing with myself to get things done and that’s just a waste of time and energy. There is no need to take on everything at one time. I am still trying to figure out the maximum amount of projects or things I can focus on at one time that won’t be overwhelming. I know for me personally, when I feel overwhelmed I’m more likely to be unmotivated to do anything and ultimately waste a lot of time. Pacing myself will also allow for me to make sure that I am giving 100% to my tasks and not half-assing it. I can also take the time needed to ensure that I stay creative and not stagnant in my work.
Time is a commodity that we can’t replenish. Once it’s gone, it’s gone. So I am going to do myself a favor and treasure and utilize the time I have left for better use. If you have any additional tips on how to better utilize time and maximize the hours in the day, please share!
I don’t mind outsourcing at all. It’s so helpful in our very fast paced society.
I make sure that I don’t take on more than I can handle. I’m real quick to tell people no. I need my peace!
I need to be better at saying no!
It’s so true about learning to say no and not letting others judge you for doing so… i find that scheduling to accomplish certain tasks each week based on your schedule for the week helps to keep you on track
Great post!!!
These are great tips. I’ve started waking up earlier than normal and it has seemed to help. Also, I have been taking a little time on the weekend to create and organize for the next week coming up.
Being intentional with time is definitely key. All of these are great tips.
This is sound advice with tangible steps to take. I am also guilty of putting unnecessary pressure and expectations on myself. I’m getting better with it.
Creating To-do lists helps me to make the most of my day. I’ve found that I actually have more time towards the end of the day when I’m focused on set tasks versus trying to get everything done at once.
I’ve gotten really good at saying NO. Now I’m creating systems and processes so I can start outsourcing.