Trying new things: learning to drop the workload
Trying new things pushes your boundaries and is a great way to achieve a fulfilling life. For some, just learning to drop the workload is trying enough.
What do bungee-jumping, swimming with sharks and outsourcing your to-do list have in common? They’re freaking scary (at least for most folks)! You know what’s even scarier? Missing out on a happy life because you’re too stressed out.
I believe that one of the surest ways to living a fulfilling and joyous life is to constantly try new things. There are lots of amazing, exciting things to do in one lifetime. Before diving into the millions of possibilities, I want to take a moment and speak to those who are so busy and so overwhelmed with life’s demands that the prospect of taking an afternoon off to go hiking seems unrealistic. For some, trying new things means letting go of the workload.
I meet a lot of people who are quick to say that they’ve got too much going on and it stresses them out. Their lives are so crammed that spontaneity seems impossible, and perhaps it truly is. When help is offered, I notice that it’s not usually accepted. The reasons for the denial range from “I feel bad accepting help” to “no one else can do it right”. If you’re thinking, “gee, that sounds a lot like me” then listen up. Let’s be honest, this lifestyle is not sustainable. No one can do everything alone.
The exercise of trying new things is all about breaking out of your comfort zone. Letting go of the workload can be hard but at a certain point it’s necessary if you hope to achieve work-life balance. The longterm effects of a stressful lifestyle are not pretty. Learn to subdue the ego and outsource whatever doesn’t need your direct attention.
There are lots of solutions for passing the workload to others. Have virtual tasks completed by folks on Fiverr, find someone local to help with odd jobs on Task Rabbit, or, better yet, build a relationship with me through Pursuit Concierge. Getting to know the person who’s helping you tackle your never-ending to-do list helps you get over the fears of letting go.
Funny story: recently, a very busy accountant, wife and mother of a 6 year old brought me in to help with her daunting list of to-dos. She passed over a list of items that had been growing for months. In the first few days I started knocking them off one by one, eager to help her stay on track. By the 4th day she called me to thank me for doing a very good job but that I was actually going a little too fast for her and was hoping I might be able to slow down. It was a huge step for her to pass her list off to someone else, but a step she knew was necessary. I felt awful for stressing her out by taking care of too much too quickly. But of course I could slow down! From there I checked an item off every few days so the pace fit for her.
The truth is, you can’t expect to break out of the cycle of stress if you don’t take necessary steps to fix the situation. So much of what we take on on a daily basis needs to get done, but not necessarily by us. If you feel like you could use a hand in keeping up with personal to-dos or just want to take the work out of your social life, let me know. This is exactly why I started my business. I want to help people feel in control of their lives and their happiness. I get why there is fear around letting go, so just let me know when you’ve had enough. Consider it a practice in self-care.
Be brave and learn to let go of what doesn’t need your direct attention so you can put more time into exploring the offerings of this world.
