Lindsay Harle Kadatz

Organize

It’s that time of year when our calendars are once again filled with activities. However, a full calendar doesn’t mean we have to over-complicate our schedules in order to be productive. Take the time to simplify your life to reduce the stress that comes in September as we once again shift into GO mode. Below are a few ways to simplify as new routines take hold.

Declutter to organize. Rid your home and office of anything you no longer use or like. When surrounded by clutter, it takes much longer to get anything done, including driving change. With a designated place for everything, you’ll be able to get things done without the added stress of having to find something!

Plan your meals. Take time to plan healthy meals so you stick to eating them. Plus, your grocery shopping is more efficient as you know what you need and why. If time is a factor, there are great meal prep delivery companies to use that send you healthy ingredients and the recipe for making a delicious meal.

Enjoy calendar white space. As hard as this can be, do not schedule meetings back to back. Be sure to give yourself 10-15 minutes between each meeting to pause, reset, and then start the next meeting calm, focused, and with the right energy.

Use NO as a power word. The problem with busyness is that we tend to overcommit ourselves to things we want to do. From volunteering at our kids’ school, agreeing to be on committees, or taking on clients we simply don’t have the bandwidth for, we need to be mindful of what we’re saying yes to. The question we Badass Women must ask is can we do everything we want to the level of quality we want? If the answer is no, then saying no is a must. This gives more meaning (and joy) to your yes.

Stay focused on gratitude. By focusing on gratitude for what you have, where you’re at in life, and who you’re surrounded by, you reduce the need to add things to your life that aren’t necessary. This gives you a greater sense of satisfaction simply because you appreciate what is good and of real value in your life today.

September is truly a great time of year to reflect, reset, and renew yourself. Simplifying is one of the best ways you can truly level up your badassery for driving change while ensuring that you care for yourself on the journey ahead.

Gratitude is one of the best things we can do to support our mental health, especially on those super trying days that all Badass Women experience. It goes deeper than simply writing out things that we’re grateful for. When we focus on being grateful, a wealth of benefits happen.

Increases your happy feelings. When we practice gratitude, we direct our thoughts towards what went well during the day, what lessons we learned, and how we can improve. This helps us focus on the good in our lives.

Allows for better sleep. When we finish our day by noting things we’re grateful for, we sleep better because we’re not ruminating on things that increase our stress levels. We’re able to relax and let our bodies naturally drift off.

Improves self-esteem. When we’re purposeful in looking for the positive things in the day, we tend to start thinking more positively about ourselves. In your list of things you’re thankful for, try and include a couple of things about yourself and what you’ve accomplished that you are grateful for.

Creates more fulfilling relationships. When you focus on the bright side of life, you tend to bring this out in those around you. Ultimately, this helps to develop deeper, stronger, and all around better relationships founded in trust.

Boosts resiliency. Life knocks us down. The key is to get back up when we encounter setbacks. When we’re grateful for the lessons and opportunities within these challenges, the more we’ll be able to rebound and continue on our journey to driving change.

Find ways to start practicing gratitude in your daily life and soon you’ll not only see the benefits it has in your life, but you’ll feel your overall mental health improve as well.