Be Intentional with your Time and Effort.

 

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Ever been so busy doing a lot of nothing?

Okay, let's be honest...

Even during supposed “Alone time,” we're consuming so much content that we forget what stillness feels like. Seriously, no wonder our minds are tired even before the day starts. There is little to no balance at all, either with school, career, or relationships.

Listen, if you find yourself taking up tasks or responsibilities, you call this "burning the midnight oil" just so you can seem busy, to the point where you feel guilty for taking some time off to meditate or even rest. And after all that hustle, you end up feeling burnt out, unfulfilled, and even getting sick. Then definitely you're busy doing a lot of nothing!

But you know what the funny thing is? You'll still end up telling yourself, "As long as I did it, I didn't lie around doing nothing." Well, shock on thou, the irony is that you actually did worse, you were so busy doing a lot of nothing, that you are now burnt out, sick, and extremely sad.

Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with actually being busy getting that job done and handing in the due report. The kicker here is becoming intentional with how and what you invest your time and effort in.

One of the first things I had to learn was that rest is not something you “earn.” Rest is part of being human. You don’t need to finish a long to-do list to justify taking care of yourself. Once I stopped treating rest like a guilty pleasure and started seeing it as a basic need, life felt a little less chaotic. Bestie, you're allowed to rest simply because you exist and you feel exhausted.

Another thing that really opened my eyes was realizing the difference between being genuinely productive and just performing productivity. Sometimes we do things not because they matter but because we want to appear busy. I had to start asking myself, “Is this actually moving me towards something meaningful, or am I just trying to avoid feeling like I’m slacking?” Busy doesn’t always mean progress, and looking back, a lot of my “busy days” were honestly just me running in circles. It honestly drained me.

Learning to say no has also been a game-changer. And not the soft “maybe later” kind of no, but the firm, clear, and guilt-free no. Saying no to tasks, favors, or people that leave me drained has helped me protect my peace in ways I didn’t think were possible. It’s uncomfortable at first, especially if you’re used to people-pleasing. But with time, you realize you don’t have to be available for everything and everyone.

I also started scheduling slow days on purpose. Not because I finished everything on my list, but because I wanted to exist without rushing. I’d plan cozy afternoons with my journal, quiet evening walks, or even lazy evenings where I did absolutely nothing productive and honestly, it felt good. These slow moments help you tune out the outside noise and reconnect with what matters to you.

And finally, I check in with myself regularly. Every day or every other day, I ask myself, “How did I spend my day? How do I want to spend my day and does this feel like how I want to spend my time? Am I making choices that align with the version of me I’m growing into?” It’s not always a perfect answer, but that simple check-in with myself helps me avoid slipping back into autopilot mode.

Here are a few questions that I use to help me be more intentional with my time and effort;

Am I doing this to get applause from people? 

Am I doing this to prove myself to others that I have something going on? 

Am I doing this so that people can think I'm actually busy? 

Am I doing this just so that I can fit into a certain societal expectation?

Am I doing it for my own benefit?

Honestly, life is too short to be wasting your time and effort on things that you have no business doing or fighting for. Guard your energy, it's precious. Don't feel guilty for saying no to things that suck the life out of you rather than watering you.

What are you investing your energy in, this week that feels aligned with who you’re becoming?

I’d love to hear from you.

Thanks a bunch for sticking around.

See you next time, bye!🤎

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