Over the course of the Valentine’s Day season, I’ve noticed that there are a lot of women living in misery. Many women are miserable because they are not married; they are not in a relationship; they don’t have any children; they are not where they thought they would be at this time in life.
And there is an equal amount of women who are trying to be wives, mothers, housekeepers, cooks, cheerleaders, employees, business owners, etc. etc. They are trying to do all of these things all at the same time. This results in no time left for her.
I’ve been caught up in this life as well. Not because I am lamenting all the things that I think I should have accomplished in my romantic relationship, but because I was doing all the things that society was telling me I should be doing as an entrepreneur. There are so many unrealistic expectations that we have set on ourselves and ones that we’ve allowed society to set for us.
It’s time for change. No, I’m not talking resolutions. I’m talking small life changes that will have a big impact on the overall quality of my life. For me, that is what’s most important – Quality of Life. Here are a few things that I am going to do to improve my overall quality. Hopefully, you’ll these helpful for you too.
- Slow down! More often than not, I found myself rushing from one place to another or constantly moving from one project to another. I even noticed that the time I set aside for prayer and meditation – I was rushing through that just to get to the next thing on my to do list. I way you start your day is the way you will finish your day. So, no matter what time I wake up, I am going to take my time and not rush through my morning routine. I am going to sit down to eat breakfast. And most importantly, NO MORE MULTITASKING!! Guess what happens when you slow down? You actually get more things done! It’s amazing how that works, but it really does. When you stop doing so much, you begin to select the things that are most important, focus that one thing, and then you’re done. It’s very liberating. Try it!
- Have fun! As an entrepreneur, it is easy to get caught up in the “I got work to do” syndrome. Even if you are not an entrepreneur, but you work full time, you have children or other family obligations, there will always be something to do. Some responsibility you have to fulfill or someone you must take care of. And, before you know it, you’re stuck in this rut of work, work, work. Church. Then, work, work, work? Can you relate to this? Instead, I am being intentional about having more fun in my life. I am blocking out time on my calendar to have fun: go to the movies, go dancing, hang out with friends, etc. Having fun doesn’t have to be extensive. But in today’s world, it has to be intentional. Plus, having fun adds to the overall quality of your life. And that’s exactly what I’m going after.
- Take a nap! Let me tell you, naps are God’s gifts to you!! Over the last two weeks of 2015, I took a nap almost every day! That was absolutely heavenly!! I did not realize how physically tired I was until I sat on my couch one day and woke up 3 hours later!! LOL. Now, I know that I can’t do this every day. However, I will plan to take naps more often. Sleeping is good for you physically and spiritually. When you are physically tired, it’s hard for you to stay tuned in spiritually. And when you get proper rest, not only do you feel better on the inside, you look better on the outside. Other side effects include – clarity, focus, and more energy. And who couldn’t use more of this in their life? And, again, all of these things add to the overall quality of your life.
- Ask for help. There is no shame in asking for help or hiring help. As much as I may enjoy wearing the title “superwoman,” I know that superwoman gets tired and worn down. So I have learned the art of asking for help and hiring help. If you need help with the cooking, hire a cook. If you need help getting around town, call Uber or a taxi. If you need a babysitter, call a girlfriend. You have not because you ask not. Seek and ye shall find. Don’t dismiss the option of hiring help because you THINK you can’t afford it. Explore the possibilities and see how you can make it happen. Getting the right help at the right time makes all the difference in the world.
These are the small things that I am committed to doing to improve the overall quality of my life. How would you rate your overall quality of life? Do you feel as if you’re rushing all the time and that there isn’t enough time in the day? Are you enjoying life? I mean, are you really enjoying life or are you just existing?
~SAM
