Wednesday, May 02, 2012

Sometimes it's Good to be a Quitter!


One of the most common struggles people recount in my office is time management.

Yet oftentimes, on review, many of those same folks' lives are filled with obligations that are far from required.

Clearly we can't just decide to stop working or caring for our families, but no doubt most of us fill up parts of our lives with volunteer work, over the top dedication to the office, and/or unnecessarily involved parenting.

Work-life balance is definitely a determinant of health. Stress due to lack of time can wreak havoc on many areas of life including sleep and mood where disturbances in either in turn may lead to increases in appetite or cravings.

There's no doubt it's not fun to admit to yourself you've got too much on your plate, and even less fun to clear it. That said, if you're feeling constantly overwhelmed I'd argue you owe it not only to yourself, but to the causes you might be quitting, to take a step back - because if you're not able to give them your full attention, you're taking up a spot that might be filled by a person who could.

Are there things in your life that you can let go of, but simple guilt or pride is stopping you? Are there things you can delegate to others? Are there things that if they weren't hanging over your head you might feel lighter, sleep better and have more time to dedicate to yourself?

Is there something you can quit?