Don't procrastinate

My stress busting advice for today is this: Don’t procrastinate!

I am definitely guilty of putting things off until the last minute, especially when I have a lot of other things to do and even more especially if those other things are more fun. But this inevitably results in me getting stressed out about all of the things that I haven’t finished. So if you have some tasks on your list that you just keep putting off until later, first consider if you really need to do them or if they can be handed off to someone else. If these tasks must be handled by you, then, instead of procrastinating, break the task into small pieces and get a little bit done at a time. This way you are continually making progress on it so it won’t be left until the last minute. This will also make the task seem much less overwhelming.

This tip can really be used for any big project that you have. Rather than getting anxious about how much you have to do, just focus on finishing one small piece at a time. Before you know it, you will be finished!

Do something everyday that you enjoy!

I recently sent out a survey to some friends and yoga students asking about their health. One of the questions on the survey was “Do you have enough time and energy for all of the activities that you enjoy?” The answer to this question on every single survey was no! I know that when things get busy, often the first thing that we tend to give up are our favorite extracurricular activities. And while it seems like giving up these activities are the obvious choice when we are time crunched, this is actually the worst thing you can do. Because when you give up the things that you enjoy for another obligation, you will eventually grow to resent the thing which is keeping you from doing what you enjoy. Additionally, doing fun things, like getting in your exercise and/or relaxation time, are essential for maintaining your overall well-being. Therefore, when you give these things up, you are actually more likely to get overwhelmed and stressed out than if you had found a way to keep your favorite activity a part of your day.

So your action item for today is to make sure that you do at least one thing everyday that you enjoy. And if you are in a rush, instead of skipping your run or your favorite yoga class, just shorten the amount of time allotted to that activity. That way you still get to have some me time and get your work done too.

Everyone should practice yoga.

I truly believe that everyone should practice yoga!

First of all, yoga really is for everyone. Whether you are super flexible, stiff as a board, love to sweat, hate to sweat, need to lose some weight, want to gain muscle, need to heal an injury, love to try new things, or just want to relax, there is a yoga class out there for you! Some of the benefits of yoga are greater flexibility and strength, mental focus, mental calm, increased self-esteem, better sleep, stress relief, deeper breathing, deeper connection to yourself, and many more. If you know me, you know that I came to yoga because I was super stiff from years of running marathons. The yoga definitely helped me loosen up but I also realized that yoga class was the only time during my day that I slowed down, my mind began to get quiet, and I could stop obsessing over whatever was overwhelming me at the time. It was awesome! So I have kept at it and I have found that yoga is the one thing that I can consistently count on to give me some relief from the stress. We are so blessed here in Austin to have tons of yoga studios and gyms that offer yoga. So check out a few classes and a few different teachers to decide what style of yoga is best for you. And if you don’t have access to public yoga classes, get a DVD from Amazon and practice at home.

Oh and full disclosure, I am a yoga teacher so I am a bit biased about how wonderful yoga is for everyone. But really, try it out, I think you will agree with me. And if you would like to practice with me, check out my webpage (www.bethmarek.com/public.php) for my current class schedule or contact me to set up a private lesson.

Sometimes you just have to say no!

Ok, this week's tip is a big one. Do you find yourself continuing to take on more and more responsibilities even after your schedule is already full? This is one of my biggest faults. I tend to go in cycles where I take on way more than I can actually handle, I tough it out for a few months until I end up completely overwhelmed, and then I have to cut my schedule way back out of necessity. When I finally get caught up on my rest and move out of overwhelm, I begin to take on more and more responsibilities again until I am right back in overscheduled mode. And the cycle continues.

So today’s tip is to practice saying no. This tip is obviously one that I need to hear often. And I do mean practice, especially when we are used to saying yes to every favor, activity, task, and new responsibility that is offered. The problem is that when we say yes to everything, then nothing gets done well and we end up totally burned out and exhausted. Therefore, when you are asked to take on something new, pause. And this is where the practice comes in, because if you are like me then you automatically say yes without thinking. So make an effort to practice pausing. During this pause, really consider whether or not you have time to take this on. If the answer is no then speak up and be honest. Say no! And if you are gracious and clear that you don’t have the time to do it well then everyone involved should understand. And even if they don’t, you will feel so grateful that you put your best interest first.