How many times a day do you think to yourself, “I don’t have enough time to get that done!”.
Up until 2009, I would think this multiple times per day. I was always overbooked with too many projects, too many commitments and too many responsibilities.
The Crash
I would go from spending multiple days getting massive amounts of work done to crashing on the couch with a TV series. I would literally lay there for an entire day (sometimes two) completely isolated and burnt out.
This was still early on in my mindfulness meditation practice. I was just beginning to become aware of my thoughts and how they impacted my feelings and actions.
Mindfulness to the Rescue
I knew something needed to change. I began to say “No” more often to projects or events that didn’t excite me.
I spent more time cooking healthy food and getting exercise. My sleep improved and I began to feel more balanced and more peaceful.
Over the years, I have gotten very good at setting boundaries and making sure my schedule is rarely “busy”.
For me, busy equals stress. Stress equals bad choices in food and exercise, as well as poor sleep. It’s a slippery slope from “busy” to “unhealthy”.
The Slip
Yesterday I had a slip. I woke up and read an email about a project that I’m involved in that needed some attention.
Instead of my normal routine of morning yoga or meditation, I jumped into the project.
This ended up requiring more time that I thought it would and I squeezed it in.
The result… I felt rushed, I had to drive faster to appointments, I didn’t have the proper food with me so I had to stop for Salad Bar (that was a good choice!). But what made me smile was when I had the thought, “I don’t have enough time”.
The Save
Ding. Ding. Ding. “I don’t have enough time” is my warning sign that I’m off balance and need to get back on track.
Years of mindfulness meditation has helped me recognize my warnings signs as soon as they go off.
I immediately set my boundary and removed myself from the project for the remainder of the day.
I took a few moments for some deep breaths. I took 5 minutes for a short sitting meditation. I felt grounded again.
Your Turn
Please leave a comment below and tell me: What are your warning signs that you’re getting stressed? How do you handle it?