Our lives are filled with many things: relationships, commitments, responsibilities and lists of things to do. There are the things that bring us great joy and the things that just need to get done. Some of us find ourselves going to work every day, others of us are working from home and some are staying home being with our kids. No matter where we find ourselves in the spectrum, we all have a different form of busy. And if we let it, busy can really rob from us. It can rob our passion, our contentment, our gratitude, and the little moments of delight that sneak into our days just waiting to be seen.

So, how can we manage our time? How can we manage our time in such a way that our days feel more energizing, more whole and with more room for beauty?

1. It is all about the calendar. Write down every appointment and every commitment on your calendar! Place it somewhere everyone can see whether it be digitally or a physical copy. Plus, this will put to end the countless questions about what is happening when and put your mind ease as you get it all out.
2. Outsource. Think about things that you can ask other people to do. Whether that be hiring someone to help you like an assistant, mother’s helper or housecleaner or if it is getting your children involved in the housework, you don’t have to do everything! You can bring other people on to share the work.
3. Set boundaries. Be really clear on what your boundaries are. What relationships are most important to you to invest in? Where do you want to truly be spending your time? What do you really value? What are the non-negotiables? Knowing these things will help you say no to the extra and stay committed to what matters most.
4. Use the Internet. The Internet can be a wonderful place and it can truly be a gift to the busy life. Between online banking, paying bills, online shopping, finding a job, checking in with friends, and staying on top of what is going on in your kid’s school; you can get a lot done right from your desk! Utilize all the goodness it has to give.
5. Decide what’s important. At the end of the day, it is really about determining what is most important to you. Decide what you really want to have focus on and what is of high-value in your life. Rearrange so those things always come first and don’t get sacrificed on the altars of things that aren’t as important.

Breathe and enjoy the moments that you’re in. These days we live can be such a reminder of how beautiful and breathtaking life really is.