REVIEW FINANCES – review your financial situation. Often when we are overscheduled and busy, we purchase things and spend money on things unconsciously. This puts us under further financial strain and the cycle continues. Doing a budget might be the last thing you have energy for. Once you have started to rejuvenate, this is a task I strongly recommend you undertake. Having a clear understanding of how much money is coming in, and how much is going out! What is the gap? Live life more simply and with more consciousness. You will find you don’t need as many things as you thought! This has been my personal experience and it has been worth it.
REDUCE WORKING HOURS – take some time off in the short term e.g. a week or two or schedule a day off on a Friday or Monday so you get a long weekend. This will create some space for you to take a good look at the inner workings of your life. You could even ask your boss if you can work less days a week e.g. 4 days a week even if for a month only. If you have reviewed your financial situation, you might find ways to spend less money and therefore work less hours or shed one of those multiple jobs you have!
SCHEDULE YOU time – once a week at least, take time out from everything. Even if it is only 15 or 20 minutes, away from your responsibilities and pressures. You will start to feel things again. See things more clearly. Your creative juices may even begin flowing! Ask your partner or family for help if you need children looked after so you can schedule YOU time.
SAY NO! Learn to say NO! This was one of the most important lessons for me. This included the children on demand expecting me to do something, take them somewhere or solve a problem. People, including work colleagues and children need to understand you are a human being. You have a capacity. Some things (most things) can wait a little. Very few things need to be done immediately. You can say “I will get back to you about that”, or “we will do that at 5pm today or after dinner”.
HEALTHY EATING – eat healthily when possible. Do some meal planning each week so when you go grocery shopping you know what you need to purchase. This helps reduce the cost of your weekly grocery bill and enables you to plan more healthy meals. This includes food while you are at work.
OUTSOURCE – some of your commitments or responsibilities if you can afford to. This might include a house cleaner once a month or fortnightly. Getting a gardener in once a month or the lawns mowed.
CREATIVITY – engage in some type of creative activity. Something which has no particular purpose, function or even outcome. It can be anything. You don’t even have to be very good at it! This uses a different part of your brain and may help you relax and unwind.
ACTION – be in action about the situation. The situation will not resolve itself mysteriously! There are no short cuts or magic bullets. You can do it. That is the good news. This is an opportunity to design a better life that works for YOU!
POSSIBLE TASKS – only when you are ready and have some energy:
>PREPARE A BUDGET – what you are looking for is unconscious mindless unnecessary spending. A useful website is at https://moneysmart.gov.au/budgeting/how-to-do-a-budget
>APPROACH YOUR BOSS – about scheduling some leave from work over the next few weeks or month. It might only be one day or it could be a few.
>SCHEDULE “ME TIME” – speak to your partner or family about getting at least 1-hour ME time sometime each week. You get to choose what you do during this time.
>PRACTICE SAYING “NO” – consciously think before you say “yes” I can or will do that! Pause. You can also change your mind and say something else came up or you realise now that it won’t be possible. Each time you say no, acknowledge yourself. Keep practicing.
>MEAL PLAN – write a meal plan for the next 3 days or 3 days next week. Before doing this have a look in your cupboards, fridge and freezer to see what you already have. This might give you some ideas immediately. Write a list of things you still need to buy to make these 3 meals. Go shopping. Only buy what is on your list. Get family members to help if possible.
>OUTSOURCE – identify what things you could outsource, how much they might cost you and how frequently. Ask a friend for some input. They may have other ideas.
>WHAT IS YOUR IDEA OF FUN? – if someone asked you what do you like to do just for fun – what would it be? List at least 4 things.
>REMEMBER – being kind to yourself is necessary. Take care of yourself. Listen to yourself. Your inner voice. Your tuition. Sometimes called your “wise one”.
Iris May 9th May 2020
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Be Kind to Yourselves - BK2Y 