Reclaim Your Life (Even with a Hectic Schedule)

Hi there, everybody!Though I'm typing in exclamation points, I'm actually quite beat at the moment. I have one heckuva hectic schedule right now!I've been working really hard on my big dream, and it's finally coming together. Like, REALLY happening now. I can't tell you quite yet what's going down, but expect a great, big, exploding release in the new year!What I can tell you, is that I am working what seems like 3 full time jobs right now: Strong Inside Out, getting this big dream off the ground, and my personal training practice.Now, working this much is my choice, and I have accepted that this is just how it has to be right now for me to achieve what I want in the time I've given myself.In the past, I've written about cutting things out of your life when overwhelm hits, but what if you just can't, or plain don't want to? That's what today is all about, folks.

When you can't cut your work time down, you have to find quick and efficient ways to decompress.

I know the following options may not be your ideal ones, but working all the time isn't ideal either. If your schedule is what it is at the moment and there aint no changin' it, then these are some good ideas to remind you that you actually have a life. :)Here are some of my ideas for cutting the stress when you can't cut your time commitment...

Napping for 15-25 minutes

If you're strapped for time in your life, losing sleep most often comes along with it. Make sure you're keeping your cognitive function, well, functioning by taking short naps once or twice a day.If you start dragging mentally, it's better to take a break than to push through anyway. I know that my mind works best in spurts of focused activity for about 45-60 minutes, then I give my brain a rest with a Facebook check or a nap break.Lying down for even 15 minutes can be enough to refresh your mind and hop back into working more efficiently.So here's the thing: Each person naps better at different intervals. You'll want to play around with naps anywhere between 15 and 30 minutes. More than 30 minutes tends to make most people feel even slower when they wake up.Here's how to find the best napping period of time for you:

• Plan to nap every day this week (Monday through Friday) at the same time of day.
• Start with a 15 minute nap.
• If you have a hard time getting up, try adding another 5 minutes tomorrow.
• If you wake up more lethargic, subtract a few minutes off your nap time for tomorrow.
• You want to wake up refreshed and clear-headed, not sleepy or muddy-headed.
• Repeat until you've found your happy napping routine!

1 Day (Or 1/2 A Day)/Week Wifi-Free

Scary as it may be, you have to unplug every so often to stay sane. I've found that, if I don't do this, I go into introverted shut down mode.You need alone time. Even if you're "alone" checking social media, you're not really. You're interacting with other people, thinking of clever things to say, interpreting information, and deciding what to do next.Give your brain a good old fashioned rest for a day so you can come back fresh to it tomorrow. Don't have a full day? Try a half day.I schedule my day off as Sunday every week. I take that time to go to the beach with my man, and just be with him, experiencing the real world. It works wonders for our relationship as well as for my sanity. And to tell you the truth, it's not even a full day most times; I'll check Facebook in the morning, and get online again that night. Having those 12 or so hours of internet freedom really helps me reconnect.A word to the wise: schedule this day ahead of time! Don't wait for it to magically happen, 'cause you'll find an excuse to work through it (if you're anything like me). Set this day as if it were an appointment.

Meals/Workouts with Multiple Friends or Family Members

I'm gonna catch some slack from this one, I'm sure.Ok, so you don't have a lot of free time in your iCal, right? It's hard to meet with every one of your friends for coffee every week, let alone try to do something major with them like *gasp* have dinner!Save yourself some time and crazy-making; schedule meals or workouts with multiple friends or family members at once.These people are important to you. You have to make time for them. But with things how they are and your schedule how it is, you have to be creative.Here are some ideas:

• Sound out evites to a few of your closest buddies to attend a yoga or other fitness class you like. Sweating and Om-ing with them is a great bonding experience, and the evites make it seem a little more special and exciting! Not to mention that getting sweaty is a great way to avoid overwhelm.
• Set up a run club with a couple friends. This is a great way to stay in contact, as well as get your workout in a couple days a week. You can also make this a strength-training club, swim club, or any other type of activity!
• Invite friends or family members over to a delivery party at your house. Order delivery from your favorite healthy restaurant. Take orders for people, even! Make sure to order utensils so you have no cleanup at all to worry about afterwards. :)
• Host a meetup at your favorite restaurant or bar. There are no rules saying an event has to be a hassle. Just make the meeting time a couple hours, make a reservation, meet there, talk it up, pay your separate tabs and be on your way.

Ways to Cut Where You May Not Have Thought...

• Make batch meals instead of cooking something new every night.
• Instead of 1 long workout, schedule 10 minute bursts of strength training circuits or stairs throughout your day.
• Download a social media-blocker like Freedom, WriteRoom or Anti-Social and get rid of your online distractions.
• Bring work with you while you sit at a coffee shop, at the beach, or in a park with your significant other while he/she works. It's good for you to get outside, and spending time together even if you're both working is better than nothing at all.

Ideal options? Maybe not, but they get the job done with your schedule being as it is. Also, they may just end up saving you from going to crazy-town, or losing all your friends while you're so busy.Something else to consider: if it's been like this for quite a while, and there's no end in sight, take a good hard look at why you're doing what you're doing.

How long can you sustain this effort?

What is the payoff, and when will it come? Is it guaranteed?

What is it costing you (literally and mentally/relationship-wise), and is it worth it?

If it's important to you, by all means, keep going. Just keep in mind what it is you're striving for and keep your feet on the ground.That's all I've got, guys. If you have questions, please do post them below in the comments, and I'll get back to you ASAP... as long as it's not on a Sunday ;)Stay strong,Amy