4 Habits Fear Uses to Keep You “Crazy Busy”

Why do we wait for the rock bottom, the diagnosis, the failed relationship, or the missed opportunity to wake up to the fact that crazy busy is not sustainable?  Yet, most of us wear “crazy busy” as a badge of honor to tell the world how important and needed we are. The reality is this:  Being crazy busy is more crazy than busy and finding a way to get in control of your calendar (and your email!) is your ticket the real freedom you are craving.   

At the end of the day, what we all really want is more freedom in our lives, and this is what real productivity and balance will give you.  Yet, most of us run around “crazy busy,” because we believe there isn’t a better way.  Do any of these sound familiar:

• Trying to please everyone
• Trying to fit it all in
• Thinking sleep is lazy
• Reacting vs responding
• Saying yes without really thinking
• Forcing execution at the last moment

All of it … crazy busy.  Fear loves this because it keeps you stuck, safe and just the same. 

What if there was another way?  What if you could be aware of the ways fear tries to keep you stuck? What is knowing allowed you to take back the control and start living a life that is balanced by design, which looks like:

• Doing less, but better
• Considering the tradeoff’s before saying yes, or no, to something
• Choosing to do things, not doing all the things
• Not always being accessible
• Pausing to think about what really matters
• Scheduling your priorities

With a little planning you can have all of the above and the amazing side effect will be more joy, less stress, increased momentum, and more focus.

Here are the 4 Habits Fear Uses to keep you “Crazy Busy”:

1. Clutter - Research is showing that homes and workplaces surrounded by clutter make us feel anxious, overwhelmed, and stressed out. So no, I don’t say “bless the mess” … I say get rid of the mess!Clutter over stimulates the senses, leaving you tired and exhausted. Clutter distracts your attention. Clutter causes anxiety. Clutter manipulates your mind into thinking work is never done which restricts your mind from being creative and productive.Homework:Spend time each week decluttering a space in your life. Whether it’s your closet, your hard drive, your desktop, or your iPhone … clearing out the clutter opens up focused margin in your life and will increase your productivity.

   
   

2. Saying yes too much – As a high achiever, you want to do it all. If you were honest with yourself, when was the last time you got everything done on your to-do list with time to spare?If you laughed a little as you read that… I have an idea for you that can help:Start saying no more.Now, this doesn’t mean we don’t say yes anymore … saying yes is a cornerstone of the improv theatre and can open so many doors in life … yet saying no is equally important.Here’s my “Is it a Yes, or Is It a No” play book that can help you know the difference:

   
   

   Say Yes When …	Say NO when …
   You Feel Expansive	You feel restricted
   You could help someone	You feel pressured
   You are new to a city, career, role, or company	You are doing it to please someone else
   You could meet new people	The tradeoff isn’t worth it
   You feel stuck or lost	It goes against your values or beliefs
   You could boost your brainpower	Your self-care is sacrificed

   
   

3. Being too accessible – There is nothing wrong with an open-door policy, yet there is something wrong with an always open-door policy. Recent data shows that 70% of workers with an iPhone spend 70% of their weeks engaging, 70% of people check email before bed at night, and on average 6.3 hours a day are spent on email.And we wonder why we don’t get anything done?!Never forget that email is really everyone else’s to-do list. So while it’s important, you should prefer to get your real work done, then go take care of the rest of the world.Homework:Protect the first 60-mintues of your work day each morning to advance your real work.Ask yourself “what is the one thing I can do first that will make the rest of my day easier, better and/ or more productive … then go do it … before you check email!

   
   

4. Not scheduling priorities - The first things that get cut when we are stressed out are the gym, fun, vacations, sleeping, and eating well.This is what’s making us sick. You NEED Whitespace.Ever wonder why we get our best ideas in the shower or on a vacation?It’s because when you hit the pause button on human beings, we start! Research is showing us that when you set specific, and difficult, goals in 30-day time frames you double your chances of achieving your goals.Homework:Research goal-focused day planners and start using one to get in control of your priorities and your work week.I use the VOLT planner by Ink + Volt.Other popular ones include: The Self Journal, The Full Focus Planner by Michael Hyatt and the Commit 30 Planner.

You don’t have to live a life that is crazy busy.  It’s not only energy draining, it’s not sustainable.  There is a better way and with a little planning, courage and focus, you can design a life that is balanced by design, which will not only allow you to stay focused, you’ll experience so much more joy in the journey.