Essentialism: You Can’t Do it All, So Do the Best Things

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You are busy.  I know, I am, too.  We all have so much on our plates. As moms, we think we have to do everything. There is so much pressure to do is all.  So, I have little piece of advice for you:

You can’t do it all, so do the best things.

I have been reading this book that has changed so much of my thinking. It’s called Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown. Have you read it?  If not, I highly recommend it. It is a very business-focused book, however it applies to all areas of life.

We have little saying in our home: Good, Better, Best. There are so many things that fill our time. Most of the things we do are Good things. There are some things that are Better than others, and then there are the Best things. We should focus our time on the BEST things. These are the things that are most important, that improve our lives and that we cannot live or do without.

There are more good things in this world than we could ever possibly accomplish. You cannot do all of the things you want to do. You cannot say yes to every activity, and opportunity that comes along. You have to pass up good things for the best things.

What is most important in your life? 

You have to decide that. Make a list of the tasks that are most essential and stick to those before anything else. Then, do the hardest things first!  I have started in the mornings doing my hardest things and getting them out of the way first (if possible). It makes my day a lot less stressful.

Say No. 

In the book Essentialism, it teaches that you can’t be afraid to say no. We get asked to do things all of the time. Often we say yes to things out of obligation. Do not be afraid to say no to things that you really do not have time for, or things that you do not want to do. People will respect you for being honest. Plus, if you only stick to things that you can really accomplish WELL you will be able to do all things to the best of your ability. When you have too many things on your plate, everything is done poorly and your life feels out of control.

I am sure you have probably heard of minimalism (living with less stuff). Essentialism is like minimalism, but for your life. The less you fill your life with unnecessary things, the more full your life can actually become. 

Are you feeling like your life is too full?  Sit down and take a few minutes to cut out the non-essential things, even if they are good things.

Have you joined the Essentialism bandwagon already?

Share your tips in the comments.

Join us for the “How to Organize your Life in 30 Days” Challenge!

Do you feel like you are drowning in to do lists, laundry, and dishes? Does lack of organization cause you to lose your patience or avoid having people over? Are you often late because you can’t find what you are looking for? As mom’s, we all have a lot on our minds and life is busy. In some seasons our mind becomes so full that we become less productive.

I am teaming up with some amazing bloggers to bring you 30 days to an organized life! All you need to do to join the challenge is check out the landing page HERE and start working through the challenges. You can join in at any point, there are no rules! Share your before or after pictures on Instagram and use the hashtag ‪#‎30dayorganize‬ for a chance to win a $10 gift card to Hobby Lobby (3 winners)! The more your engage on social media, share the graphic below, etc. the more entries you’ll have! The winners will be announced on Instagram so stay tuned!