For many of us, 24 hours a day aren’t enough to finish what we need to do. Whether it’s finishing a report for work or making dinner for the family or meeting with old college friends, juggling all these things usually takes its toll on us. Instead of enjoying these, we end up regretting not getting takeout or meeting with friends. We are so tired that we just want to lay down when we get home. Is that how we all want to live our lives? Exhausted and uninspired?
There are a lot of young adults who still need to take care of their aging parents. You can imagine the stress of having to juggle all that. It’s okay to admit you need help. Call a home healthcare professional when you need to. If there’s no one to take care of them within the family, explain why you have to work and why they have to be left with a caregiver. Your parents will understand. Apply this same principle on every aspect of your life. It is okay to multitask, but there’s also nothing wrong with asking for help.
Say No When You Have To
Yes people are those who cannot say no when someone asked for a favor. You’re already juggling too much and yet when your aunt asked for help, you still said yes? You couldn’t even tell your aunt to ask someone else because you are bone-tired and weary? Learn to say no. So many people can’t say no to their friends, family, and peers. Don’t resort to an instant yes. If you are not sure, take a few minutes to decide. Tell the person asking to give you time to think about it.
Create a Plan
Do you make a plan? Do you look at the week coming and plan what activities you should be engaged in? Few people are great planners, but the ones who are found themselves in the list of the richest and most powerful people in the world. Planning your days and weeks helps you keep track of the most important things you should focus on. It takes your mind off your present worries and redirects it to more urgent matters.
Think of it as prioritizing tasks. You break down a major task into smaller ones and tackle each one singularly. You don’t have to look at a problem and become overwhelmed by its magnitude. Break it down to smaller chunks. Group similar tasks together. Don’t jump from one task to another. You will end up missing something.
Organize a Bit
You don’t have to go full obsessive-compulsive in organizing your life, but you need organization if you are to be successful in multitasking. But also, don’t feel pressured to digitalize everything or make a handwritten planner. Grab a notebook. Jot down the things you have to do for the week. Tick off the items as you complete them. If you can, list down the purchases you made. That’ll help you keep track of your budget.
A cluttered desk might work for you, but you will feel different once you organize your things and schedule a bit. If your mind is cluttered, free it up, too. Learn how to organize your thoughts, so you will have a better time dealing with stressful situations in real life.
Take a Break
Take a break, may it be small or big. When you’re working on something big, take small breaks to free up yourself from the routine of it. Literally, stand up and move around. You will hurt yourself physically if you sit and type in front of your computer for eight hours. Go for a short walk or chat with some co-workers. It’ll help refresh your mind a bit.
And then, take big breaks, too. If you can, free yourself from your responsibilities once a year and go on a vacation (either with loved ones or by yourself). Don’t deny yourself the pleasure of the things you love to do such as traveling, spending time with friends, watching TV, etc. You don’t have to travel far to take a break. You can go on leave and stay at home. Taking a break doesn’t have to be grand, but you do have to do it for yourself.
Juggling your career, personal life, and family obligations isn’t impossible. It is hard, but it is also rewarding to fulfill so many things in so little time. But the trick to attending to many things at once is to take care of yourself. You need the energy to do these things effectively. If you are not taking care of your health, you’ll do these things half-baked or sometimes, not at all.
