Say no to yourself for sanity’s sake

Do you feel like life’s too busy? Part of the reason some people feel they don’t have enough hours in the day is because of mental disorder and disorganization.

If you’re feeling stressed, a crazy schedule definitely isn’t helping. This is something that I’ve been aware of ever since Tsh encouraged us to say no to ourselves.

Sometimes you have to say no to things and avoid overcommitting your time. For me, it’s something that I’ve gotten better at doing, with one exception… saying no to me.

The reality we live in

Let’s face it. We’re all busy and have our own agendas that get disrupted and knocked off track every day. That’s how it is, and there’s not a whole lot we can do about it.

I’m probably no different than the next person on social media or someone who works online for a living, and it’s true that I’m pitched multiple times a week to collaborate in some fashion.

Each of these times I need to say no, unfortunately— but that’s the easy part.

I started a WordPress theme business, and I’m currently a partner in a software development company, so I have endless tools at my disposal. Whether it’s beautiful designs, content optimization software, or web hosting, the endless amount of ideas that I pitch myself are astounding.

I can easily say no to other people, but I have a ridiculously hard time saying it to me. I’m an idea guy, so I fend off ideas in my head multiple times a day. And it’s exhausting, to be honest.

Idle minds are the devil’s playground

When it comes to idle minds, I’m not referring to a lack of work to do—there’s plenty of that around, trust me. This is all about the brain. I put in my full 40-60 hours a week, but my mind is on ludicrous speed practically every waking moment. It’s simply how I’m wired.

I have a thousand ideas for websites and businesses on a hundred topics I’m interested in.

The reality is, I have a full time job, a family to feed, a house that I’m building, and close to 40 people in our company who all rely on me to do what I’m supposed to be doing.

Which is … work.

And as I’m learning to say no to both others and myself, I’ve realized it’s something I need to continually work on.

Putting yourself first

Now that I’ve admitted to you that I struggle with all I want to do, here’s a few things that I do go out of my way to do. They’re my attempt to retain sanity.

1. I pursue a hobby.

It might sound like an obvious idea, but we don’t give ourselves enough time to enjoy them. For me, this is running, so I make sure that I go outside and run at least three times a week. It’s really difficult to check email and social media while I’m cruising, so this gives me some much needed time away.

2. I declutter my work area.

I generally run a lean ship, but once in a while my office starts to accumulate stuff in various places. When we see things laying around, it subconsciously starts to build up. So, I’m trying to be better about putting things away after I use them.

3. I write stuff down.

Making lists might seem like adding to the things we have to do, but it can go a long way in reducing distractions. It simply gives me immediate access for taking care of them without spinning the wheels in my mind trying to remember them.

How are you doing with this?

Are you taking on too many projects or running too many errands? Are you spending too much time chasing down rabbit holes that aren’t productive or don’t bear fruit?

Remember—sometimes it’s good to say no to yourself in the name of sanity.

P.S. – How to bullet journal.