My smartphone rings with a soothing “uplift” tone so I can start my day on a positive note. Yes, I know all about not keeping your phone by your bed or using it for an alarm, but so far I am not sleep-texting or trolling Facebook at 3 a.m. By the time most of us hit the pillow at night we feel like we’re in a deficit. It’s time to stop starting the day feeling behind.
Jade Teta, ND, CSCS and the founder and creator of Metabolic Effect, as well as Time Millionaires, has coined a state he calls “busyness without business.” He described it this way in the July-August 2013 IDEA Fitness Journal and I believe it applies to any aspect of our life. “There is a frenetic pace, constantly something to do and the feeling of catching up. But when the day ends, nothing really got done. You answered e-mails, trained clients, shuffled paper, made calls to prospects and everything else. But no major items got checked off the list. No momentum was built for your business as a whole.”
How about no momentum was built for your life, your happiness or for family unity? I would know and now I know better. These tips are based on my own self-deception. Open up spaces of time for what is necessary to live productively, in the moment and less busy. It has made a huge difference for me.
1. Facebook and social media fakery. Block feeds and un-friend to prevent information invasion. Stop trolling unless you want to feel like your life is dull and boring and your kids aren’t winning enough awards. I opened an “amazing dog” video link once and ended up on YouTube for an hour. We waste an enormous amount of (non-work related) time on our favorite sites.
2. Accomplishment fakery. Busyness does not mean “importantness.” Yes, I made up a new word. Ask yourself what you accomplished at the end of the day and rate it in relation to overall importance in your personal and professional life. Do you need to bake for the fundraiser, chair the committee, dust your house every day and sign up your kids for three activities? Out of all of your responsibilities, what has significance? What truly matters?
3. B-H-A-G fakery. So happy to share the Big Hairy-Ass Goal acronym. See #2 above and truly ponder what you absolutely must get done each day. Make that a priority so matter what else happens…flat tire, teenage drama, sick kids, last-minute deadlines, etc., you are focused on completing your BHAG. If it absolutely cannot get done, move it to the top of your list for the next day.
4. Focus fakery. Speaking as a recovered multi-tasker I assure you that jumping from task to task, keeping four windows/URL’s, etc., open on your screen, setting your cell phone notification buttons to on, answering a phone call or checking a text that can wait, and shoving down food at your desk while you work, among tons of other distractions are preventing you from full, creative focus and productivity at anything. Take a short 5 to 10-minute “recovery” break every 60-90 minutes. At the very least, move around a little and take a few deep breaths. Give gratitude and hydrate. No Facebook trolling for Pete’s Sake.
5. Human doings fakery. We are human beings. We have a natural peaceful and serene quality if we allow it to breathe and exist. We are designed for activity and rest, even back to the caveman days. Thinking that you can consistently tilt the scales heavily to one side yet find balance is a delusion. Genuine downtime, complete relaxation, vacations or getaways that truly get you away and basic moments of silence and stillness are essential to live our best lives.
Tina Arana Anderson, M.A.,
Tina Arana Anderson, M.A., is a media and wellness specialist and spiritual mentor. She combines her media and wellness experience with spiritual mentoring and intuitive guidance. She’s an angel therapist, clairvoyant and clairaudient as well as a writer, host and producer. Her ultimate gift is helping you with high vibrational, joy-filled living; deep inner-peace and lots of levity. For project collaborations, parties or private sessions, contact her at tinaandersonOC.com.
