Read This If You Feel Like You Always Have To Do Everything Immediately
Are you too busy being busy?
getty By Jonathan Gao
The other day, I was mindlessly scrolling through Instagram — an endless series of Reddit thread photos, posts selling guitar equipment, and random clips of trending TikTok videos.
But then, I came across a post that spoke to me. It read: “Sorry I didn’t text back. I forgot. Most days I struggle to even manage simple tasks, the amount of energy it takes to talk to others is almost unbearable.”
This post helped me realize that aside from texting people back, society expects us to do literally everything instantaneously.
Whether you’re a full-time student or an employee, you probably know the feeling of needing to fulfill obligations immediately, which leaves you no time to be mindful of how you feel.
If you feel like your lifestyle requires instant everything and you can never seem to stay present, here are three easy ways to add mindfulness to your daily life:
1. Consider cutting out all types of excessive 'busyness.'
People act like constantly staying busy is worthy of an award. Though you should always try to be responsible, too much responsibility can stop you from completing the most critical tasks at hand.
Prioritize the things that will help you attain your goals first in order to lighten up your “to-do” list. When you do, you’ll have more focus, a clear game plan, and a sound state of mind.
2. Use the 80/20 principle.
The 80/20 Principle, or the Pareto Principle, says that 20 percent of our effort (or input) produces 80 percent of our results (or output). This rule may sound pretty specific, but it applies to every aspect of our lives, including staying mindful while we work.
Because you spend 80 percent of your time doing 20 percent of your tasks, knowing which tasks really matter will help you stay more present and save you a lot of time!.
3. Practice 'single-tasking' instead of multitasking.
Trying to handle many tasks at once can be counterproductive because it requires you to switch between skill sets. Therefore, multitasking can overcomplicate your agenda and make you less efficient.
We may love to try to complete several tasks in a given amount of time, but managing several things at once uses more of our energy. Staying mindful of one task at a time will help you think more deeply and creatively.
Besides, not everything needs your attention immediately.
If you find yourself constantly on the go, and worry that you can’t juggle so many responsibilities and answer everyone immediately, use these tips and tricks to help you stay more present in your daily life.
Breaking down your tasks and knowing how you typically allot your time will lead you to a slower-paced, more mindful life.
Jonathan Gao is a writer who focuses on relationships, stress, and anxiety. For more of his content, visit his author profile on Unwritten.