I’ve written several blog posts about de-cluttering your home and your life after Christmas, so now it’s time I wrote a post about de-cluttering your schedule.
We’re extra busy at Christmas, but the rest of the year can be hectic too. Many of us spend our time rushing around, making lists, planning and worrying. We’re too busy to relax, to spend quality time with our partner or children, or to look after our mental health. Well it’s time to stop and take a breather.
It’s time to assess your life and work out which areas you can improve, to give yourself more time, more space and lighten the burden that we all seem to carry.
Assess Your Life
Which areas of your life do you find particularly stressful? Is it lack of time, lack of money or lack of space? Most of these problems can be helped by de-cluttering your schedule and your life.
Lack of Time
If lack of time is your main problem then you need to work out which activities you can drop. Do you have too many hobbies? Or an evening class that is draining your time? Do you volunteer at your children’s school or with a charity? Do your family rely upon you too much to do things for them?
If you are feeling stressed and jaded then it’s time to step back. Drop one or more of your activities and free up some regular time in your schedule to relax and have some ‘you’ time in which you do something for yourself. This could include a long luxurious bath or shower, relaxing with your favourite film, or an early night with a good book.
This will give you a chance to rest and recharge your batteries. You will feel a lightening of your load if you de-clutter your schedule in this way, and will be better able to cope with what life throws at you in the coming year.
Lack of Money
De-cluttering your schedule could mean doing less shopping which will immediately save you money and time. Or it could mean dropping a hobby or voluntary role in order to free up time, in which you could think about getting a part-time job, selling some unwanted possessions on eBay, or some other way to earn more money.
When you are short of money you need time to think, assess your options and take appropriate action, and you cannot do any of these things if you are continually rushing around in a stressed state.
Lack of Space
De-cluttering your schedule will free up time for you to de-clutter your home. Apart from moving to a bigger home, the best method I know to gain more space is to de-clutter. Get rid of everything you don’t use, including furniture. Sell it, give it away, or take it to the local recycling centre, but get it out of your house.
You will have more space, will spend less time on housework and will feel less stressed if you’re not surrounded by clutter.
De-Clutter Your Life
De-cluttering you schedule and your life this January could make 2013 the best year of your life. We all get the desire to start afresh in the new year, so don’t wait for those feelings to wear off; de-clutter your schedule now and begin to reap the benefits straight away.
