Leaving Space
Posted on April 5, 2010 by LJ Earnest
Categories: Life Design
This week I am bringing over more articles from LauraEarnest.com.
When I was first studying music, one teacher told me that music was what happened in the spaces between the notes. This thought changed the way I looked at the music, giving the spaces as much importance as the notes themselves.
Life is also like this: we need to give as much weight to the spaces between activities as we do the activities.
We face burnout daily. It is so tempting to keep on going forward with our never-ending to-do lists, never taking the breaks to give meaning to our tasks.
One important concept in getting to a more peaceful state is to slow down and allow those periods of space to occur. Here are some ways to accomplish this:
Creating Space At Work
Instead of immediately plunging headlong into a new task after completing one, take ten seconds to close your eyes and breathe, focusing on what you have just accomplished. This will give you a better sense of completion, plus allow you to recall what exactly you did during the day.
Creating Space At Home
Limit your to-do list. Choose what you will accomplish at home, and do no more. Take the extra time to either have time with yourself, play with the kids, or talk to your spouse. Use this time to give meaning to your usual pace of work.
Creating Space on Weekends
If at all possible, get away from the to-do list. Instead of spending the weekends cleaning, see if you can do it during the week; use the freed-up time to have fun with your family.
All of these ideas are just starters to get you moving in the direction of creating space in your life. What are your favorite methods?
Photo by Tal Bright
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