Category: Not So Busy

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WE live in a busy world. That’s how it seems, and that’s what everyone says.

We’re all busy, right?! There’s no other way, right?! We have no choice in the matter, right?

Busy as a choice…it’s certainly a subject matter to consider if you haven’t already done so. When it comes down to it, it’s important to ask: is busyness a choice?

Yes, it’s (mostly) a choice

I think that ultimately much of our busyness is a choice and our choice. For example, we choose to get married, have a child, and start a family. A child needs to be cared for (in a variety of ways), so here comes “the busy”. We choose to have another child. More busy. We buy a house and have to maintain it.  We get involved in social circles, in our community,  and our church. We sign up for activities, and then we sign our children up for activities.

Yes, ultimately, we choose all that busyness. Maybe we don’t look at it that way, but it truly is how it works. We live this life; it’s a life made up of days, weeks, months, and years, and we choose how we fill it.

No, it’s not (always) a choice

There are also things in life we don’t choose. A family doesn’t choose a terminal illness that lands their child in the hospital for months on end. A person don’t choose the loss of a spouse and the single life filled with all the responsibilities. No, we don’t always choose the busyness. Yes, there are  situations and parts of life that are unavoidably busy.

If life has you in a place where most of your busyness was not your choice, don’t despair; don’t become discouraged. There are parts of life we just can’t change, and some of that, comes with a whole lot of busyness.

Choose wisely

If we remember that there is unavoidable busyness then we can more carefully consider the avoidable busyness of life. Options for how we choose to fill our days surround us (and often crowd us). When the choice is ours, we must choose wisely. Fill your day to the brim if you think that is best, but don’t forget (when you’re tempted to complain) that you made that choice. Sign your kids up for lots of extra curricular activities if you want, but don’t grumble out it. Fill your calendar to overflowing if that seems best, but don’t tell everyone around you just how busy you are.

Choose your attitude

If you can’t change the circumstance (and maybe you don’t want to or you can’t), then change your attitude. There is a lot of life that we might refer to as busy. But you know what? Maybe it’s not busy. Maybe it’s life. Maybe it’s a blessing. Maybe it’s a choice. Maybe we should be thankful and grateful and embrace the life we’re living.

Looking for ways to decrease the busyness inside and outside your home?   Check out these posts!

3 Ways to Be Less Busy Inside Your Home

3 Ways to Be Less Busy Outside Your Home

What about you? Do you think busyness is a choice? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this topic, so leave a comment below!

Until next time,
Charissa

(This post contains affiliate links, so thenotsobusymom receives a very small commission if you make a purchase through the links. Thank you for supporting the blog!)

If you feel like you’re constantly drawn to your phone but are having a strong desire to put it down more, this is the post for you!

Our phones can and do have a place in our day-to-day lives. They provide information and connection. But we also know they can be consuming and time-wasting.

I have been trying to be more thoughtful and purposeful about putting down my phone. As we think ahead to the weekend, I wanted to share some phone-free alternatives with which to fill your weekend!

Here are my 5 ideas:

Read a Book

Many people say they don’t have time to read. I think if we have time to scroll our phones then we probably have time to read. This is an area I personally get tripped up on. I will often have a book laying right next to me, but then I choose to pick up my phone instead.

This weekend I encourage you to start a book or maybe finish the book that has been sitting on your bedside stand for the last few weeks.

I just finished Marilla of Green Gables last week, and I absolutely loved it. I am currently reading Restart (a middle grades book), and I hope to be starting What Falls From the Sky in the next few days.

If you need some inspiration in the book department, check out these posts:

5 Books That Have Inspired and Encouraged the Not So Busy Mom

I Didn’t Reach My Reading Goals, but Here’s What I Did Read

Quick Tip: Use Audio books to End Car Squabbles

Tackle a Project

Household projects are endless, and sometimes our phones keep us from starting or finishing a project that’s been on our to-do list forever. Put down the phone this weekend, and tackle that project. I’m always so surprised by how much can be accomplished in a short amount of time if I eliminate distractions (like my phone).

One ongoing project that I hope to continue this weekend is my master closet. I have been organizing and editing my wardrobe. This has been a long process and project, but I am making progress.

What project have you been trying to start or finish for awhile now? Even just 15 or 30 minutes of uninterrupted time can be beneficial.

For more, check out:

Got 15 Minutes? Bedroom Closet Organization

Got 15 Minutes? Kitchen Drawer Organization

5 Things You Can Clean in 5 Minutes

Take a Walk

It’s a beautiful time of the year to get outside and explore. Walking is good for the body, soul, and mind. Walk with your family. Walk with a friend. Maybe you just need a quiet walk alone.

I try to walk 2 or more miles a day whenever possible. I generally like to spend some of the walk in quiet (so I can think and pray), and then I also take some time to listen to some of my favorite podcasts. ( I do realize you have to pick up the phone to listen to a podcast, but it’s not social media so there’s that….)

A few of my favorite podcasts:

The Happy Hour with Jamie Ivey

The Crystal Paine Show

Cultivating the Lovely

Reconnect with a Friend (or 2)

Friendships can easily get neglected because of the busyness of life. Take some time this weekend to connect with a friend. This could be accomplished in a number of ways. Ask a friend out for coffee. Meet a friend and her kids at the neighborhood playground. Invite a few friends over for dessert. Even a simple gesture or activity of re-connection will benefit both you and your friend.

Rest

Rest. Yes, I said the “R” word. It’s an important word that is often neglected in this day and age. People see rest as unproductive and often unnecessary. I find rest to be one of the most important things I can do for me.

Resting does not necessarily mean sleeping; although getting appropriate sleep is important. Resting can be napping, putting your feet up, or just spending time ignoring the “to-dos” for an afternoon.

Don’t ignore rest; embrace it… starting this weekend!

What about you? What will you do this weekend instead of spending time on your phone? I’d love to hear your ideas, so drop them below.

Until next time,
Charissa

Continue reading “Put Down Your Phone & Do 1 of These 5 Things This Weekend”

(This post contains affiliate links, so thenotsobusymom receives a very small commission if you make a purchase through the links. Thank you for supporting the blog!)

When considering ways to make your life less busy, I have shared that it is helpful to look at two big areas of your life: life inside & life outside your home.

I’ve already tackled life inside the home in a prior post. You can find it here.

But what about life outside the home?

How can we lessen the load? How can we free up space on our calendar? How can we make life less busy outside our own 4 walls?

Today I’m sharing 3 ways to be less busy outside your home.

Edit Your Child’s Extra-Curricular Calendar

I recently wrote a post about my advice when it comes to extra curricular activities. A child’s calendar can quickly fill up and overflow. And that means your calendar can quickly fill up and overflow.

If you want to be less busy outside your home, some calendar editing will probably have to occur. It won’t be easy. It might even come with some pushback, but I think the outcome will be worth it.

Extra-curricular activities are good and have their place. But you know what also needs a place in your child’s life? Space. Breathing room. Opportunities for play.

A quick and intentional edit will begin the process of making your life just a little less busy.

Streamline & Eliminate Errands

I know people who could make a part-time job out of running errands. Truly.

If you love running errands, great! But there is some simple streamlining and elimination that can be done to make errands an every once-in-awhile instead of an all-the-time.

Sometimes we run errands simply to fill our time, in order to avoid quiet, or to just get out of the house. Running errands is often necessary, but if it fills your days more than it should, consider some simple changes.

Ideas to consider:

• Making one day of the week an errand day
• Asking your spouse to pick up/drop off something on the way to/from work
• Ordering your groceries online
• Ordering clothing online
• Ordering health and beauty items/toiletries online
• Going without (Do you really need that 3rd tube of chap stick, that specialty drink, those super sale shoes? Maybe you do, but just take a moment to rethink what you’re running out of the house for and why.)

Practice the Art of Saying No

The options available to fill your time are endless. Opportunities to say yes, to sign up for this, and to be a part of that are everywhere.  A lot of this can be good, meaningful, and important, but that doesn’t mean it’s all for you to do.

When you know your priorities and desire to live a full life (with less of the busy) then you are more aware of the importance of your yeses and your nos.

Don’t be afraid to say no. Don’t be worried about not being a part of something. Don’t be concerned about what everyone else is doing.

An intentional no can bring a lot of freedom, space, and calm into days (weeks and months) that can easily get out of control with plans and commitments. An intentional no can make life a little less busy outside your home.

What about you? How do you make life less busy outside the home? I’d love to hear your thoughts, so please drop a comment below!

Until next time,
Charissa

(This post contains affiliate links, so thenotsobusymom receives a very small commission if you make a purchase through the links. Thank you for supporting the blog!)

As a reader and follower of this blog, you might be wondering if there is a special formula for creating a not so busy life. Perhaps you’re hoping there is a special formula. A formula would certainly make things easier.

Maybe something like:
1 child + 1 sport + 1 instrument= a happy, less busy family
or
no extracurricular activities + lots of outside time = a full life

No Special Formula

But there is no special formula. I can’t give you an equation to make your life less busy.

Remove this activity. Say no to this specific event. Don’t do this. Avoid all of that.

No, that won’t help…or at least it won’t help long-term.

You see, when it comes down to it, not so busy is not really about the not.

Does that prior statement make you scratch your head? Let me explain.

What You Don’t Choose

What you choose not to do does have it’s place. I certainly encourage moms to make life simpler and eliminate the unnecessary. I truly believe less is more. I want you to consider areas you might be over-extending, over-spending, and over-stressing. I think saying no to a lot of extras and a lot of the unnecessary is good and important.

Check out these posts for more on that:

My Advice When It Comes to Extracurricular Activities

One Simple Thing You Can Do to Make This School Year Less Busy

Are You Looking to Make Life Less Busy? Consider These 2 Areas

What You Do Choose

But I think, even more importantly, it’s what we DO choose that really matters.

What are you saying yes to?

How are you filling your days?

What pursuits, passions, and priorities are shaping your years?

How we fill our days, our months, and our lives is what truly shapes and molds a not so busy life. When you focus on what does matter and when you choose the important, the nots and the nos take a back seat to the yeses.

In My Own Life

In my own life I want to (simply put) love God and love others. I want to say yes to connection and deep relationships with the people around me. I want to treat life as the gift it is and live it to the full.

When I am aware of my priorities, I can live them out. I know what I want to fill my life with. I know how I want to spend my time. I know how I want my calendar and my schedule to look.

As you consider more deeply the not so busy life, think less about what you’re eliminating and more about what you want to include and add to your life.

What about you? What do you think about the not so busy life? How are you choosing to fill your days? I’d love to hear, so drop a comment below!

Until next time,
Charissa