30 Ways to Widen the Margins of Our Lives

This is the "normal" world we live in:  Wall-to-wall traffic, appointments, work duties, too many possessions.  We fill everything to the brim, because we believe that happiness is found in having it all.

And then we burn out, or simply tire, and long for more peace and space, or even just a short break.  We try to pare things back so we can have a little respite.

But stuff has a way of creeping back.  Like weeds, like the Greek Hydra, you remove one thing and two more raise their heads.  It's a losing battle unless you can get to the root.

How to widen the margins

How can we widen the margins of our days, leaving ourselves more time and energy for the things we love?  Simply pick one or two of these ideas and try them today.

*  This is just a reminder that your purchases may provide a commission that helps support this blog.  Thank you.

1.  Leave one day on the weekly calendar that's mostly white space.

2.  Get up just 15 minutes earlier and take time to enjoy your first cup of coffee or tea, maybe while reading something inspirational.

3.  Stop trying to get "just one more thing" done.

4.  Say no to anything that's not "hell yes."

5.  Box up duplicates and experiment with having just one of something.

 
6.  Consider your purpose.  What do you want to accomplish with your one life?  Set aside the also-rans.

7.  Read more poetry.

8.  Leave room for the unexpected.  You know things don't always go as planned!  Leave space between each appointment so you don't have to panic when stuff happens.

9.  Stop going to bed with your laptop or phone, and stop reaching for tech first thing in the morning.

10.  Look inward to figure out what really matters to you instead of looking to peers and influencers for guidance.  They can't tell you what you care about.

11.  Create rituals that make you slow down and take time, such as a 3:00 tea break or a scheduled weekly phone chat with a friend.

12.  Reclaim hours of your life every day by making your phone a useful tool rather than a constant distraction.

13.  Making mistakes is human.  It's what you do next that matters.

14.  Plan to arrive everywhere a few minutes early.  Give yourself time to settle and look around.

15.  Remind yourself often of how rich you are.  Your body works (for the most part).  You have people who love you.  You have a home, food, transportation, books, something you're looking forward to.  Make a list of the things that make you rich.

16.  Release perfectionism and focus on doing the best you can.

17.  Set a time limit for any job.  Work expands to fill the time we allow for it, but limits force us to become more focused, creative, and innovative.  Plus, putting a boundary on work leaves time for the rest of life!

18.  Deal with incoming paper every day – don't just let it pile up.

19.  Take the first parking spot you see instead of driving around seeking something better that may not come.

20.  Under-react.  Instead of letting every small bump put you into crisis mode, take time to respond thoughtfully.  Put little difficulties into perspective so you can save energy to deal with real problems when they occur.

21.  Remember that you can't buy something that will make you happy for the long term.

22.  When you're facing a large task or one that scares you, take time to make a list of tiny steps.  Design a roadmap for going forward.  It will give you confidence.

23.  Stop now and take three minutes to drink a full glass of water and stretch your muscles.

24.  Take just five minutes to declutter every day.

25.  Fix little problems before they become big ones.  A little effort now can save a lot of trouble later.

26.  Single-task.  It's better to focus on one thing at a time than it is to split your attention and your effectiveness.

27.  Comfort yourself.  When a baby is upset, you don't tell her to tough it out.  Consider what you need right now.  Food?  Water?  Gentle motion?  Support and reassurance?  A nap?

28.  Provide time and opportunity to access your creativity.  When we're in a rush, we can't enter "flow" – the state of full involvement that allows us to achieve our peak performance.

29.  Remember that kindness is something you can do today to make the world better.  Take time to be kind.

30.  Sleep.  Far from being the enemy of productivity, sleep is when the body repairs itself and the brain makes long-term memories.  Try a slightly earlier bedtime.