For last month’s Happiness Project, I focused on getting all of the things done that were in the back of the mind. All of those things stayed in the back of my mind for so long – long enough that I would forget about them somewhat, but the constant reminders of “I need to do this” lingered in my mind. And while focusing on those tasks for last month has helped me relieve stress, I asked myself: why does this often happen to me in the first place? Yes, part of it is because I put off things that can be done right away, but I’ve also found that I need to focus in on how I balance my life.
I have a lot of hobbies, interests, and things in general that I like to do. And I’ve found that, when I like to focus in on one thing, everything else suffers. Whether that’s in music, fitness, reading, or even blogging. And not only that but over the summer, when weekends were more eventful then they get over the winter, my routine gets thrown off just enough that I’m not ready to return to it come Monday.
Some of these things aren’t a necessity to have a consistent schedule for. Some of them are necessary if I want to improve. And some things, like music, I must prioritize if I’m playing with a group. And fitness and dieting I must prioritize because not doing so will cause me to lose weight I can’t afford to lose.
I’m an introverted person, so I need to recharge after being in social settings. This is where I start picking up new hobbies to try, and that’s also why I tend to get very invested in those hobbies. But I’m also trying to spend more time out and about than I usually would because I believe that it’s just as important to challenge my comfort zone a little bit at a time.
This month, I’d like to reflect on all of these things, and figure out how to make the most of my time while also maintaining balance. Here’s how I’m doing it:
Reflect on what’s important to me.
It’s true that I like a lot of things – but what’s the most important to me? Am I spending too much or too little time on something? Have I tried scheduling a minimum or maximum amount of time on something, or adding something to a routine? How has that been working out?
Create a loose routine.
Because routines are what I live for on this blog.
It’s easier for me to assign times for me to do things. It’s exactly how I can say I read over 50 books so far this year. Just having an assigned time for me to do something is how I get myself to do something. And this may not work for everyone, but I’ve found that it works well for me.
Expect the unexpected.
Lately, I’ve been working out in the evenings, but this doesn’t always work for me if I have a prior commitment. If my loose “time slot” is occupied by something like that, how should I readjust? Can I skip that activity? Or should I push it back to the next day, if I can? I find that I don’t currently have a plan for these types of things, which is why I tend to lose my habits so easily. Setting my own expectations have been helpful for me in professional settings, so I will try to apply this to my personal life as well.
Looking back on this, it seems odd to spend this month working on the hobbies and the things I like to do, rather than working on something that will better something bigger. But I also believe that bettering myself and my own happiness makes me better for when I am in the presence of others, and I believe that learning to manage all of these things better will help me stay productive even when I am not at work. I think not dedicating myself to certain activities, like blogging or drumming or my health, have set me back in many ways, and I’d like to learn how to make the best of them and not waste time. I’d really love to get better at all of those things, and I feel held back by not giving these things the attention that they deserve. So now’s the time to direct more energy into the things I wouldn’t normally, so that time becomes worthwhile.
What are you working on this month? Let me know below.
Sincerely,
Julie Anna
