5 Ways to Slow Down

Right now my life feels as though its going about a mile a minute. I have no where near enough time in the day, or week, or month, to do all the things I want to. And the stress of that it starting to take its toll. I really need to try to slow down, and I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one.

Lately I’ve been trying to keep up with a lot, because there’s so much that I want to be able to do. I want to be successful, and healthy. I want to be a good person, friend and girlfriend. I want to improve my blog, writing quality content and getting good traffic. I want to be creative and spend time making things.

There is just so much on my to do list, all the time, that there is no way I can keep up with it. I’m not sure if a healthy person could keep up with it let alone me, with my chronic illness.

But the sheer fact that I can’t do these things is affecting my mental health. Because they are all important to me, and to who I am as a person. It’s not just that I should get these things done, it’s that I feel it is important to me as a person to do them.

I’m just not achieving what I want from life, because I am aiming too high! So here is my attempt to stop myself in my tracks and give myself more realistic expectations.

Maybe I’ll be able to be happier.

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5 Ways To Slow Down

What do I need to slow down on?

When I think about the things I want to achieve, it’s honestly overwhelming. The list feels mammoth.

The things I am currently trying to keep up with:

Blog related

Writing, editing and promoting a blog post every week.
Creating and scheduling 15-20 fresh pins every day in order to get traffic to my blog.
Putting together an ebook.
Researching Pinterest and SEO strategies, and optimising these.

Personal

Do a yoga routine every day (I’ve only had 2 off days in 3 months).
Read my bible app plan and my bible in a year plan every day.
Practice German every day.
Read some of my book every day (I’m trying to read as many books as I can this year).
Fill out my bullet journal and wellness journal every day.
Use my journal app every day.
To knit and crochet as often as I can to try and get enough items to start selling them.
To drink enough water every day.

And of course I am also working full time and I have an exam for work in a week which I’m also trying to revise for every day. I’m also battling chronic illness and mental illness daily, so my life right now feels pretty intense.

I don’t know if every one will look at this list and feel as overwhelmed as I do, it may seem a normal amount to keep up with to some! For me though it’s all just impossible, and it’s making me ill. The stress has really started to get to me.

I spend so long worrying out about the bits I’m not always able to do that I’m not able to put my full effort into the things I can do.

If you too feel like your to do list and your goals are completely unachievable, and are getting burnt out trying to reach them, then here are some tips that I am trying to follow myself in order to slow down.

You don’t have to do it all at once.

It’s important to know that you can achieve all the things you want, but you don’t have have to do them all at once. In fact trying it all at once may be hindering you, because you have less time to focus on each one.

Instead try to focus on a couple at a time. For example, with my blog I’ve decided to focus on just learning about Pinterest and optimising my Pinterest account, instead of on doing both that and SEO.

Once I feel I’ve got Pinterest down I will then focus on SEO and other things.

I also know that my bullet journal, wellness journal and journal app are meant to be there to help me. So if I’m not feeling up to it it’s not important for me to fill them out every day. Even if I manage just one of them that’s enough!

Prioritise.

There are certain things I really want to keep doing because they are more important than the others.

I really want to keep doing yoga regularly, because it is helping my body to become stronger. I’m also worried if I stop doing it every day that it’ll be a slippery slope and I’ll eventually stop doing it altogether.

I also think its important for me to be reading my bible every day, because it’s a big part of my faith and my relationship with God.

But not every thing on that list is as important. If I can manage to do yoga every day (or most days) and read my bible, even if it’s just one of my two plans, then that’s great.

Take a look at your list and see if there are some things you can do less frequently because they are less important. Is there something you can do every other day? Are there things you can alternate?

Plan ahead.

Is there a way you can plan your week so you can better use your time?

This stems from prioritisation, but sometimes it’s easier to feel like you’re accomplishing things if you have a plan. It’s okay that you didn’t practice German today because you have it scheduled in tomorrow.

Have a look at what commitments you have for the week, and try to organise your goals so they fit and they work for you. Just make sure you pencil in plenty of time for rest and fun, because you know what happens when you have all work and no play!

Give yourself a break.

You are not an all powerful being, capable of all things, and you shouldn’t expect yourself to be.

If your to do list seems never ending and you’re struggling to keep up with it that is okay. It doesn’t make you a bad person or a failure, it makes you human.

If you do plan ahead and you miss something, or you run out of time, or you’re just not well enough to do it, it is okay! There are other days, other opportunities. Your mind and wellbeing are way more important than any of these things.

Don’t beat yourself up, just allow yourself the time you need and try again another day.

Make sure you rest.

The best way to slow down and avoid burnout is to allow yourself to rest. You can’t be on all the time, our bodies and minds need rest.

And it’s good to rest!

Personally I need a lot of rest, because my body just isn’t up to much, and that’s often why I’m not able to get through all the things on my list. But pushing myself through it only makes things worse.

I’m not going to be less tired tomorrow, and achieve more, if I don’t let myself rest today. And neither are you.

So please allow yourself the rest you deserve.

I hope these tips help you to rest and avoid burnout – and to not expect too much of yourself. There are only a certain number of hours in a day, and a certain amount of things you can fill the day with.

Whatever you manage to get done in a day is enough. Because you are enough.

Stay safe everyone! Xo

If you liked this post you may also like 5 reasons to take a break for your mental health.

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