Do We Really Need to Do It All?

Do We Really Need to Do It All? 
Author: Rand Diab

Over the years, many people have asked me how I do it all. My answer is simple: I don’t and I can’t. And do we really need to do it all?

Great question.

So, can any one person do it all? Of course not. We shouldn’t expect that of ourselves or others as it sets us up for disappointment and feelings of inadequacy.

I know that in reality what people mean when they ask me that is: how do you balance your many responsibilities and activities, as a mother, physician, and community volunteer?

There are many answers to this question but prioritizing, delegating responsibilities, and conscious use of time helps a lot.

Read more on the truths and challenges of being a doctor mom.

1. Setting Priorities
We have to actively consider our priorities and make that the basis of how we allocate our time and energy.  We must also realize that priorities shift and change in different phases of life. We must be willing to change accordingly. Read more on living your life with intention.

Time does not exist in a vacuum and something will fill it.  If we are not actively choosing how we spend our time, we will find ourselves spending time on things that don’t promote our long term or short-term goals and/or don’t match our priorities.

This will in turn lead to lack of fulfillment and burn-out. 

When I find myself spending a lot of time on something, I periodically assess how it is affecting me in 3 key ways: spiritually, emotionally, and physically.  I also make sure it doesn’t negatively affect my top priorities at that time.  I am careful what I do with my time so it doesn’t just get sucked up elsewhere or wasted.

2. Organize Systems & Delegate Responsibilities

The challenge is often how to handle the obligatory and often unpleasant things that fill our lives.  For me, those are things like cleaning bathrooms, laundry, grocery shopping, cooking and mail.  I am sure each person has their own unique list.

When we develop systems that we can modify and tweak, chores will take less of our precious time.  This is more effective than just resigning to doing it the arduous way and hating every minute. Try different methods and see what works best for you.

Here are a few of my examples of ways to organize tasks and prioritize what is important to me.

Example 1: Organize Mail

So much mail!

I try not to bring the mail inside until I have gone through it once.  My garbage and recycling bins are outside so I can stop there and drop off the junk mail before coming in.  I also don’t empty my mailbox at times when I don’t have the energy to address what’s inside it.

When it comes to mail, a big challenge is determining what needs to be saved and how to save it. I have a desk drawer with hanging file folders and file away paper under certain subject headings. Sometimes I take pictures of documents and save them in a reference album in my phone.

Example 2: Delegate & Outsource Laundry

I delegate laundry which saves me a lot of time every week. I have a lady who helps clean my house and does the laundry. She gets it washed and folded. The kids do their part of their chores and put away their clothes.

Less laundry means a little more time for me to dedicate to something else. For me, this means fitness and exercise. Without the extra help, I would have a much harder time being able to fit these activities into my day.

If there are tasks you can delegate or outsource, do it. You can use the extra time towards activities you care about and improve your overall well-being.

Read more on self care ideas for busy moms and wellness tips for physicians.

3. Conscious Use of Time 

We must actively evaluate the way we use one of our most precious commodities: our time.  It is, after all, a finite resource.  We can’t rewind it, multiply it, or reuse it.

It behooves us to develop a process to evaluate where our time goes each day, each week, each month. By making sure it is filled with things that match our current priorities and goals, we can improve our spiritual, physical, and emotional well-being.

Do you believe in doing it all? How do you organize your time to make the most of your busy schedule? Share your tips!

 

Read the original article: Doing It All 

Author Bio:

Rand Diab, MD is a board-certified comprehensive ophthalmologist practicing for over 15 years. She lives in the Chicago area with her husband and 3 children. She loves family, friends, and fitness.  She shares her passion for patient education on her website and her life experiences on her blog and social media.

You can find her at Medicine, Musings, & More and @randdiabmd on Instagram and Twitter.