I’ve done it again. It happens…and I hate it every time it does. It doesn’t just impact me either. It involves my whole family as well. On the flip side, the good side, it does present the opportunity for me to reassess and start again. In fact, this is a good time of year to reassess and get back on track. Oh, I forgot to tell you what I’m talking about. I have become overcommitted and overwhelmed. There is too much going on in my life.

I have acquired too much stuff that clutters up my space. I collect papers, articles, ideas…too much stuff that requires my time to take care of, organize, find the right place to store, keep clean. Too much stuff.

I have too much to do cluttering up my time and my schedule. I’ve found myself involved in too many activities, with too many responsibilities. They are all worthy activities and causes (at least I think so), but there are too many. I just can’t do it all.

I’ve allowed too much time on social media and screens cluttering up my mind. They rob me of time, cluttering my mind with useless information. They flood my mind with so much information over which I have no control and no impact. It’s all too much.

Maybe you’ve felt overwhelmed by “too much” in the past too. Or maybe you’ve recognized your family in the prison of “too much,” rushing here and there, the pressure of “too much” increasing everyone’s anxiety and irritability. Maybe you’re there right now. If so, join me in stepping out of the prison of “too much” and into the fresh air of freedom.

First, begin with a simple assessment of priorities. Sit down for a moment and consider what your priorities are at this moment. I’ve identified three priorities I want to focus on right now:

• Family and relationships. Sometimes in the rush of “too much” I lose my connection with family and friends. I want to reestablish those connections and nurture them with face-to-face interactions.
• Commitments. We all have legitimate commitments in our lives. Commitments to relationships, organization. Of course, some commitments are a higher priority than others. With that in mind, it’s a good idea to look at our commitments and see how well our lived experience matches our true commitments, our true priorities. I’m going to move those commitments of lower priority to the back burner of my life where they will take less time and energy away from my family, friends, and those commitments I hold in higher priority. What are the commitments and activities in your life that hold the highest priority? Let the others go.
• Peace of mind. Hopefully, by focusing on the two bullets above I will experience less stress and greater peace of mind. I want to add to that peace of mind by taking care of my mental and physical health. I’m going to take the time to take a walk in nature, sit down for a cup of tea with a friend, and relax a little bit every day…to enjoy peace of mind.

Second, after I’ve assessed my priorities, I’m going to practice saying “no.” “No” is like the boundaries of an aquarium for a fish. It keeps us in a healthy environment where we can thrive and find our greatest joy. “No” is a beautiful word that opens up the door to heavenly possibilities of “yes.” Being able to say “no” to something of lesser priority allows us to give a heartier “yes” to those things of higher priority in our lives, like family.

Third, I’m going to learn to enjoy the quiet. Every day I plan to schedule “quiet time” in which I can read, walk, listen to music, have a simple conversation, and pray. During these quiet times I’m going to put all social media apps away, turn off the TV, close the computer…and simply enjoy the peace and quiet of calm interactions with family, friends, nature, a book, or music. It may take a little time to “detox” from the residual adrenaline rush of busy-ness. But I’ve done it before…and it’s well worth it.

Finally, I’m going to sleep. You might say, “Lucky you. I don’t have time for that.” Quite the contrary. We all need sleep. We work better on a good night’s sleep. We think better. We get more done. We are in a better mood. So, I’m going to make sure a good night’s sleep is part of the routine.

I believe…well, I know, that doing these four actions will strengthen my marriage and my family life. They will nurture healthier relationships with friends as well. And, based on past experience, I’ll get even more done. Do you care to join me in taking these four actions? Your family will be as glad as mine when you do.