How to be Calm, Happy and Productive (at the same time!)
Feb 16, 2021A lot of people in my life often ask me: How do you get so much done? And stay so calm and happy?
In a moment, I’ll share a few secrets with you.
Before I do that, I want to invite you to this month’s Self-Care Masterclass entitled “How to Overcome Procrastination”. I hear from many people who want to know what to do about procrastination. Of course, there are many “how-to’s” out there, but as with all things Courageous Self-Care, if you just start slapping on solutions, you don’t really get to the core of the issue.
In this month’s masterclass, we’ll be going deep so that you learn what’s getting in the way of making progress on the things that are important to you and then you’ll find out my signature process for taking strategic, inspired action. Interested? If yes, click here to learn more.
Ok. Back to my secrets for getting lots done and staying calm and happy whilst doing the things.
(Disclaimer: I’m not saying you should or shouldn’t do any of these things. I’m just saying this is what works for me.)
(Disclaimer the 2nd: This list is a result of years of trial and error. It continues to be a work in progress.)
Here are the things I don’t do, which frees up a lot of time for things I want to do:
>Social media (apart from sharing my blog)
>Play games on technology
>Watch TV (we don’t have one; we got rid of it on purpose to kick the habit)
>Consume the news in any way
>Binge watch anything
>Commute/drive kids to school (we’ve moved 3 times so they can walk)
>Listen to the radio (I don’t like the ads)
>Listen to podcasts
>Read magazines
Here are the things I do that help me maximize my time and stay calm and happy:
>Meditate daily (it’s a magical time-expander)
>My weekly Sacred Success Sunday Review (it’s 90 minutes well-spent so I don’t have to plan every day)
>Daily breath work (also a magical time expander and stress-reliever)
>Use timers (to use my time effectively and also so I don’t have to watch the clock)
>Track my habits (so I know what’s working and then I do more of that)
>Live in a small condo on purpose (way less cleaning)
>Regular decluttering (because humans can only look after a certain amount of things and beyond that they drain your energy)
>Get my kids and husband involved in meal prep, cleaning and contributing to the household
>Use systems as often as possible (for my family, for myself and for my business)
>Consistent gratitude practices
>Schedule time for rest and fun to ensure I’m not always focused on productivity
>Move my body regularly, with joy
>Use music to enhance my mood
>Spend time in silence daily so that I’m not always consuming other people’s thoughts and energy
>Daily rituals to anchor me in what’s most important to me
>Go outside every day
>Focus on being present
So, let’s turn it over to you. I recommend making a list like this one. What are things you don’t do (or no longer want to do) so that you can reclaim some of your time. What are some things you’re already doing that help you stay calm and happy while getting stuff done?
It’s so valuable to pause and reflect on where you’re at and where you want to go next. If you’re going to make the list, be sure to come from a place of curiosity rather than judgment. It’s about gathering information to see what’s working and to notice where you can make some changes.
Well, now you know my secrets! Like I said before, I’m not telling you to stop doing anything or to start doing anything I mentioned. We’re different people with different likes and dislikes.
My intention for sharing my personal don’ts and do’s is to give you some ideas on what’s currently working for me. It’s all a process of case studies and gathering information. You can take what you like and leave the rest.
We have one more week on the topic of Time and then we’ll move on to something else exciting.
I wish you a most exceptional week filled with things you love to do.
With olympiads of love and jubilees of courage,
Christina
*Creator of Courageous Self-Care
*Lover of Sourdough Croissants
*Mediocre Parallel-Parker (Seriously. It makes me sweat every time. Three cheers for angle parking. Or being chauffeured - my actual preference.)
PS - Remember to check out “How to Overcome Procrastination” if that’s a thing for you. Click here for more details.