Three Steps To A More Organized Life
by Carrie Myers Smith

Time -- it's  the number one excuse people give for not exercising, not making healthy meals, not getting enough rest, not managing their stress. We all have just 24 hours in a day. The problem is that we tend to pack each day with as many activities as they can hold, even if many of those activities ultimately have little to no value. Some of our activities are non-negotiable, meaning we have to do them. Some are meaningful, that is we do them because we’re passionate about them, because they add joy and meaning to our lives. But some activities are “fluff”. We engage in these activities simply because we feel we’re expected to and we feel guilty if we don't.

The problem comes when too much time in each day is filled with fluff. This not only saps our energy but it also generates unnecessary stress. Part of becoming a Lifestyle CEO means managing your time, which roots itself in managing your activities and centering your life on your passions and purposes. If you need a visual representation of what I mean, try these 3 easy steps to creating more time in your life, thereby reducing stress and making life more organized and enjoyable. 

Step 1. On a sheet of blank paper, make 3 columns. Write “Non-negotiable” at the top of one column. Write “Meaningful” at the top of another column, and write "Fluff" in the last column. List your activities and commitments in the appropriate column. Be careful! It’s easy to stick "fluff" under “Non-negotiable.” Be honest with yourself. Is this something you really need to do? How many committees do you really need to be a member of? How many do you really need to lead? How many dance classes does your daughter really need in a 30-day time period?

Step 2. Once you’ve got your list of fluff down, it’s time to do something about it. What activities do you need to eliminate, bow out of, pass on to someone else, or just simply say “no” to? It’s important when preparing to take this step that you change your mindset regarding why you took these activities on in the first place. Was it because you felt you were expected to? Who do you feel expected you to do them and what potential repercussions do you feel may occur by bowing out of these responsibilities? Many times the predicted backlash never materializes.

Step 3. Next, consider how to manage the activities you have left, including the “non-negotiables,” the “meaningfuls,” and any remaining residual “fluff.” Ideally, meaningful activities don’t cause the same type of stress as other activities, but if you fail to reduce the fluff, it leaves less time to enjoy purposeful activities, hence, causing more stress. And so the cycle continues. 

Don’t’ fall into this trap. By recognizing and then eliminating “fluff” activities, you will make life more enjoyable for yourself and those you share your life with.

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Carrie Myers Smith, a certified personal trainer, speaker and licensed wellness coach, owns Women In Wellness, a free wellness club. Her work has appeared in many national magazines and her first book, "Squeezing Your Size 14 Self into a Size 6 World: A Real Woman’s Guide to Food, Fitness, and Self-Acceptance," is an award-winning book helping women change their minds about their bodies. Carrie lives in the White Mountains of New Hampshire with her husband and four sons.