This is a different sort of habit. Often habits we develop with intention are something we establish to make us better or to help us do more. This month's habit for me is to do less!
I love, love, love planning - almost to a fault. When I get in planning mode, I can very quickly develop a plan that is so big or involved that putting it into action is difficult at best or impossible and stressful at worst. So for this month my habit is to take a step back and strike something from the plan - just bring it down a notch.
- If I plan to run four errands today - move one to next week.
- When we get together to bake with Grandma, instead of making four types of cookies, maybe do two.
- If I wake expecting (planning) to accomplish five things from my project list - bring that down to two or three.
My reasoning for the unusual habit - simply to reduce the stress and pressure I can put on myself and my family to accomplish more than is reasonable or possible while tending to all the routine things of life. If I am able to accomplish more great! Or maybe enjoy a few minutes of relaxation, go for a walk, play an extra game with the kids, etc. The idea is to just reduce the pressure and stress trying to cram more into the minutes of my day, just because I planned more than was reasonable.
Going into the holdiays of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's it is easy to get over busy. Running around and stressed so much I am not enjoying the moments is not what I want for this Season. So for this month I am practicing cutting out something(s) and slowing down just to enjoy some simple moments.
