What’s getting in the way between you and an “Untucked” life?

Does this idea of LifeUntucked sound nice, but seem unrealistic?

What kind of barriers get in the way?

It might be helpful to kick around some strategies for surviving, or even thriving in this go, go, go… more, more, more… now, now, now, culture of ours.

The idea isn’t to pretend that doing the ten latest life hacks is going to fix it all. Maybe we can start by making a few things 10% better.

Let’s take a look at three areas that cause many of us problems.

The first one is saying yes too often, to too many “opportunities.”

This is that more, more, more thing. A yes to one thing becomes a no to something else. But did you think about that no when you said yes? Once your cup is full…. it’s full.

The key is to recognize that you have the option to choose. And don’t let that choice default to “Select All.” Choose yes or no, this one or that one. Better yet, choose “None of the above” as often as possible.

Go for “Less, but better.” The go-to manual is Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown. It’s one of those books that could change your life.

This is one of my favorite quotes from the book…

If the problem is the undisciplined pursuit of more, then the answer is the disciplined pursuit of less, but better.” – Greg McKeown

What do most of us try when the “busy” gets piled on? Sleep less, of course!

Why is sleep so important? The best metaphor I’ve heard is that sleep is defragmentation for your brain. Some studies have even shown that sacrificing sleep now may lead to dementia in the future.

Sleep is not only for your body’s recovery. It’s the process by which your brain keeps house, puts everything in order, secures memory, and discards the junk. (Well, most of the junk).

Sacrificing your sleep only works for a very, very short time before it starts to catch up. Then, whether we admit it or not, we’re even less productive. It may not feel like it, but rest assured… you are.

We allow too much “fast” in our lives.

This is that go, go, go thing again.

Then we create stress. Yes, you’re creating it. I’m creating it (I’m no yogi here either). We create stress. Not all of it, but much of it. We create it by stirring in that now, now, now component into too much of what we do

How many “to-dos” have you said, “I need to get that done now,” then not actually get to it for a week or longer? But it turned out fine?

“Everyone else is busy, so I should be too.” This is a lie we tell ourselves. I’m too busy. The world is moving too fast and I’m falling behind. There is too much to get done. No, there’s not. You don’t have to do it all.

Try this special forces endurance strategy…

Stop looking beyond the horizon. Stop worrying about what you can’t even see yet. Focus on what lies just ahead… only the next hundred yards or so.

Awareness of what’s over the rise is one thing. Living it now is another. One that doesn’t serve the present well.

We create stress. It may be 10% or it may be 50%. Sure, you may not be able to change your boss’s methods, but you can work on your own. How nice would 10% less stress be?

The issues we are facing are very complex and can feel impossible to solve. There are too many problems. We’re overwhelmed. Start by dialing it back a little.

Take a do-nothing day. Schedule it. Stick to it. Plan a day off just for yourself to do whatever you want. Then take it (yes, you actually have to take it).

Bring a notebook, or at least a couple pieces of paper folded up in your pocket. You’ll want to capture the thoughts and ideas that come to you. Hey, it may be the next big thing! At least for you… and that’s the idea. Clear the head cache, hit the reset button. Reboot.

Do this twice a year. Commit to it. It’s your reward for all the time you have to do what others want from you. Get out of familiar territory. It can be a favorite place, but one you don’t get to visit often. You want it to give you a sense of something new and different. You should go this one alone. So you can savor the experience at your own pace, in your own time.

Learn to single-task again. The word is out… multi-tasking was a big lie.

Ease up on the go, go, go… more, more, more… now, now, now. That’s the fantasy world everyone else is caught up in.

Choose less. Do less. Do it better instead.

Go for 10% less and see how it feels.

What are your tactics for dealing with the go, go, go… more, more, more… now, now, now?

Share one in the comments. I’d love to hear.

Until next time. Be untucked.

Thanks for visiting this week.