You are never at one place; wherever you are and whatever you are doing, you could feel the impatience, the anxiety the shame, the guilt telling you that you should be somewhere else or doing something else.
You’ve used a journal to organize all your tasks and engagements.
You’ve set notifications to remind you of taking your parents to doctor appointment or making to your manicure treatment.
You’ve squeezed your lunch time, dinner time and even sleeping time to fit in more of your family, friends and work.
Maybe, you even unconsciously squeeze yourself out of the calendar to fit in one more to-do.
The red light in the traffic always seems 1 minute too long.
The meeting in the office often seems to eat up what belong to your next schedule.
You talk about work way too often and much when you are with friends.
You desperately want to pack up things when the “official” office hour arrives and yet, you sit at in front of the computer like an unshakable mountain, replying emails or even, waiting an off-hour meeting to start.
You check work messages and emails regardless sun or rain, weekday or weekend.
You have had the feeling that everything has blended together and your life looks somewhat blurred to you.
“Can family time BE family time?”
“Can the laughter of the children not be intruded with a sharp thought of the strategic meeting in coming Monday morning?”
“Can I go to the spa and free of thoughts of others and other things?”
“Can there be more to share when I am with friends?”
There is a tiny part of you wanting to see every single aspect of your life in its own vibrant colors and thrive in its own space. You immerse yourself in those colors and spaces without feeling needing to get to the next thing or worrying about a potential problem.
Of course, YOU CAN!
And it starts with setting clear boundaries and committing to uphold those precious boundaries for yourself.
Here is how to get started.
- Clearly identify all the areas of your life (please remember to include YOURSEF).
- Take out of your calendar and define the time blocks for each area.
- Communicate your commitment on your vision of these time blocks and how you plan to engage in those time to yourself (yes, yourself) and please around you.
- Set intention every time you shift gears. Do not let the different time blocks bleak into another.
- Observe and adjust.
- Core principle: love yourself. It’s not about seeking perfection but about building life to your happiness and fulfillment. There is always time call for exception. Define what qualifies as exceptions as well.
As a busy professional in a demanding and chaotic day to day life, to be an effortless and nourishing life, boundaries can’t not be emphasized more.
Is this something you are working on right now?
What comes up for you?