4 Things I’m Saying NO to for the Rest of 2024
In my last post, I talked about things that I’m saying YES to for the rest of 2024. When you are busy and frazzled, NO can be the easy answer, especially if you have kids. Everything just feels like a lot and one more thing could be your tipping point. So let’s talk about the 4 things I have decided to say NO to for the rest of the year. Once again, I’m keeping our goals in mind when making these decisions. These three pillars are: Preserving Sanity, Embracing Community, and Supporting Family. So, here we go:
Overscheduling. Last year I was guilty of overscheduling myself. I’m not talking kids sports, as that is something that is predictable for the most part and easier to plan around. I’m talking work and other things on my schedule. I was a woman full of YES last year. You may visualize me rearranging a Pinterest-worthy pantry at each session (which I surely do sometimes), but most of the time, I’m covered in dust bunnies and moving heavy awkward items around. So this fall, I’m limiting my work availability a bit more from week to week so I don’t get burnt out. This means I’ll be able to give my clients my best when I’m with them, but also be able to have enough energy left to tend to my family in the evenings.
Screen Time. This is easier said than done. This summer we have allowed the kids to go a little rogue when it comes to screens. Some of it is admittedly out of laziness (exhaustion?) on our part, but some is just because it’s summer and the kids need to zone out just like we do. But once school is in session, this is going to change. Screens will be limited to weekends only. Our nights are busy enough that once we finally make it home after sports, the small amount of time before bed can be used for those quality games together or reading. Or, let’s be honest, sleeping. We all need more of it.
Buying things we don’t need. We have been doing great on our decluttering journey this summer and that is going to continue. When I am about to buy something that isn’t an obvious need, I give myself pause to make sure it’s a choice I really want to make. Sometimes it might be a small purchase like a nail polish (it’s a weakness for me - so many pretty colors!), or something bigger like a small appliance or piece of clothing. The journey is never done and keeping tabs on what is coming in, especially during the upcoming holidays, can make a huge impact on the state of your home.
Staying up Late. Sleep is easy to put on the back burner, especially when the house is finally quiet after the kids go to bed. Staying up late can really mess with my day, so I’m going to do my best to keep to a “bedtime” as much as I can in order to be the best I can be. This might mean I should lay off the coffee earlier in the day, which in itself will be a challenge. Perhaps switching to decaf after noon is the answer….time will tell.
Nothing is a guaranteed fix, but keeping these 4 things in mind will help keep me on track with our family priorities. We will have hard days but hopefully less of them knowing I’ve set these guidelines in place.
Do you have plans to say no to anything this season? Do you find that your default answer is “yes” or “no” when it comes to requests from your family, work, or external sources? Challenge yourself to declutter your calendar/time by deciding on what you can say NO to ahead of time. You can even use that as a response when asked a question “Thank you for the invitation, but our family is not making plans on Saturdays until after the New Year”. Good luck!
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