I just don’t have time to…

I’ve been finding myself pulled in many directions this week.  It’s the busy time of year with the job, classes, updating my website, writing blogs, family coming into town tomorrow, not to mention the normal everyday things.

I felt stretched really thin.   I kept thinking I just don’t have enough time to (insert whatever).  This only causes me even more stress because I’m just putting more pressure on myself.

I realized I’m lying to myself.

I do have time.  I’m making the choice not to do whatever it is.   I started to ask myself why is it I claim to not have time?   Where does that come from?   I can get so frantic telling myself I don’t have time, I believe myself.

Once I ground and calm myself I also realize it’s a really indirect way of trying to take care of myself.  This week not only am I busy but I simply don’t feel really well.  When I say I don’t have time, I’m really saying is..

I need that extra time to rest

Down time where I’m not exerting myself, mentally or physically.  Rest looks different for everyone.  It could be watching a TV show you like, laying in bed reading or napping.  In a society that pushes us to always be productive it’s hard to just “be”.

I recently started to take 10 minutes each day and do absolutely nothing.  I sit and stare at the wall, do my best to not figure anything out and not think about the things I need to do.  I am just simple “being” for 10 minutes.  I can make it 6 to 7 minutes of this before I start to check the timer on my cell phone to see how much longer I’ve got.

10 minutes feels like a long time when I’m doing nothing at all.

So give it a try, the next time you say you don’t have time to do something, ask yourself why?   Do you need to take some time and just simple be?

Then maybe you’ll sit down and realize you really do have time to write a blog or whatever.  =)