Guest blog by Samantha Lane
“Nothing is so painful to the human mind as a great and sudden change.”
- Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, Frankenstein
For many of us, the last two weeks have confirmed that we are creatures of habit. We are designed to seek comfort and avoid the acute stress response also known as fight or flight. Therefore, it is extremely important for us to regain balance in times of disruption. Not only does balance reduce physical and emotional strain that impacts our immune system and long-term health, but it supports the productivity (and creativity) levels necessary to maintain equilibrium in life and work.
Thankfully, there are many simple steps we can take to stay peacefully productive with everything around us is constantly changing. Most importantly, we need to remember that we control our days and we control our lives. Although we don’t control everything that happens to and around us, we absolutely control our responses and our actions.
Speaking of actions, consider the following reminders for how to regain balance in a time of instability.
+ Respect Your Energy.
We work off of energy. We use it and gain it throughout the day. Be sure to maximize your peak performance time and make sure you are incorporating recharge time into each day.
+ Keep Planning!
This is not a time to stop planning, this is a time to become very good at adjusting plans. Remember, “by failing to prepare we are preparing to fail." - Benjamin Franklin
+ Try to Protect Your Plan.
When you have a new demand for your time, consider if changing your plan is really necessary. Many things are not as urgent or important as they feel when first presented to us. Not to mention, in the light of Covid-19 things that once felt pressing, now somehow don’t.
+ Plan for Change.
Sometimes your plan simply can’t be protected. To best prepare for this, don’t schedule your days too tight. Leave buffer space in each day so you are ready for the inevitable changes.
+ Ask for Help.
We are all going through this together and we will only get through it together! We may be 6 feet away, but we are still here for each other.
Whether the world around us is good or bad, time passing is a constant you cannot change, and how you spend each day is how you spend our life. Therefore, making the most of this time is critically important. Perhaps this becomes a time that you not only survive, but thrive in your planning and time management skills. In case you need help finding the silver lining, the skills developed now apply to many seasons of life and should withstand the current landscape. Please keep them with you as you shape your time for a life of better balance.
Samantha Lane is a reformed workaholic and the creator of Origami Day. She now uses her passion for efficiency to help others shape their time for true work-life balance. Follow her at @myorigmaiday or try a free weekly planning sheet at origamiday.com.