Finding Peace & Keeping Up In this Fast-Paced World

Rebecca Lewis July 07, 2014

There’s no wonder – people are busier these days than they were decades ago. Whether you’re working full-time or part-time, or you stay at home with your kids, life can feel so busy these days, leaving you stressed and unable to keep up. Alongside your daily obligations, you also feel the need to take care of other people, such as your friends and family, and provide them all kinds of support you could possibly give. All these put more weight on your shoulder, making things much harder to bear.

But if you ignore it (and the more you do), the stressful it gets and the more difficult things become for you. So before anything else, you may want to look after your well-being. Here are some things you can do to find peace amidst these busy days:

Avoid multitasking.

You may feel like the only way to keep up in these busy times is to multi-task. Unfortunately, it isn’t the answer. When you’re engaged in a task, give your full attention to it and forget about the rest. Shut down your worries, at least for the time being. Consider the task as if it is the only thing that matters to you now. Focusing on the here and now makes your life more enjoyable and less stressful. It also gives you the energy and mental agility you need to perform each task well. You will be surprised of how doing this can help you get the results you want without stressing yourself out.

Have a break.

Don’t consider this as a privilege. Make it your PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY. You are not a machine. You are a human who gets tired, and feels weak and drained from time to time. No matter how busy your life is, you will be more efficient, productive and have more peace if you allow yourself to enjoy guilt-free breaks. Come on, you’ve been working hard. You deserve to have some fun. Go dress up and attend a party, watch a movie with a friend or your special someone, play with the kids, eat at your favourite restaurant, or take a day-off and do nothing for the whole day but relax.

Love yourself.

Even though life requires you to think about others, especially when you are a parent or the breadwinner of the family, don’t forget to look after yourself. You have to think about your own needs and wants too. Make sure you are eating a balanced meal every day, staying physically active, and getting enough sleep and rest. No matter how busy your day is, never miss on these important routines.

Schedule a downtime, every day.

It doesn’t have to take an hour or two. A few minutes are fine as long as you really are into it. Practising mindfulness meditation is one great downtime strategy. Let yourself be just you. Forget the worries, the hurt of the past, and the responsibilities you have. Rather, focus on your body as you breathe in and out. Conduct a body check. Identify where the tension is, and release it through deep breathing. You can do this activity in the morning, before you get up from bed, or at night, before you sleep.

Sleep well.

Don’t ever sacrifice a good night sleep for any task you may have. You can’t replace lost sleep, remember that. You may be busy that you feel you can stretch the time by sleeping less, but it’s never a productive and efficient idea. You need sleep to fuel your body and remain energised to sustain your daily activities. Poor sleep quality can amp your risk of heart disease, cancer and other chronic illnesses.

Try these self-help tips to find peace and effectively keep up in this fast-paced world.