Managing Stress by Managing Time (Part 1)
Stress is a very common reason that people come to therapy, and no matter the primary source of stress, feeling rushed and not having enough time almost always plays a role. If there were more time, we wouldn’t feel so pressured! So what can you do to better manage the precious resource of time?
What can you do day-to-day?
Grab a pad of paper, or a device that is always with you and start jotting down what time you start and stop activities. At the end of each day, (or when you have time!) review what you have written. Which things do you spend more time on than you would like? Which things could benefit from one of the following: Eliminate – Automate – Delegate
How can you determine your valued use of time?
One way to determine what you value most is to consider what you hope will be said about you at your funeral. Most people do not wish to be remembered for how many extra hours they put in at the office, or for their meticulous appearance. How do you want to be remembered, and how do you need to spend your time to make that happen?
Another way people think about their values is to determine what they would most regret if they were to come to the end of their life. It is important to make changes while there is time.
How can you establish your priorities?
In his book “First Things First”, Steven Covey encourages you not to prioritize your schedule, but to Schedule your Priorities.
To prioritize each day, list what is essential for that day. Include self-care including breaks, things that will start the dominoes falling properly, things to meet the larger goals. Don’t start on anything else until these are done. Then move on to what is important but not essential.
What are some other skills and considerations?
Some people often do more than is necessary. A key question to ask yourself comes from “The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook” by Edmund Bourne, Phd. The question is this: Is this life-enhancing, or life-restricting? This is a critical question to ask yourself on a regular basis.
For more information on these skills and considerations, contact a mental health professional.
Managing Stress by Managing Time (Part 2)
Stress is a very common reason that people come to therapy, and no matter the primary source of stress, feeling rushed and not having enough time almost always plays a role.
How can you establish your priorities?
One way to determine how to balance your time is to jot down all of the areas of your life. Include spiritual, health, mental health, social, financial and other areas you may think of. Also list your roles: parent, child, employee, friend, and others. Then rate your satisfaction with each area from 1-5. Allocate time to focus on the lowest scores first, to bring your life into a better balance.
What are some other skills and considerations?
Often people believe they are getting more done by multi-tasking. However, our brains can only do one thing at a time, so in reality, we are simply dividing our attention and being less efficient at each task. Distractions and divided attention should be minimized.
Most people need to learn to stop saying yes to too many things but don’t know how to say no. We fall into the trap of thinking about what we “should” do vs what we choose to do.
Often there are habits that can be formed, one at a time, to streamline our tasks. Establishing routines frees your mental processes and your time.
Our brains lose efficiency without proper care – water, nutrition, sleep and truly effective breaks. For more information on these skills and considerations, contact a mental health professional.
Jeannette Barber, LCSW-C has been a licensed psychotherapist for over 30 years, working in various settings. She trained other therapists while working for the largest mental health system in the state. Jeannette has been in private practice as the owner and practitioner of Guiding Path Therapy of Maryland LLC since 2018. For more information about her practice, visit https://www.jeannettebarber.com/
