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4 Ways Busy People Sabotage Themselves
Lack of prioritization
When we’re busy and stressed, we often default to working on whatever has the most imminent deadline, even if it’s not particularly important. Stress causes our focus to narrow to the point where we’re just keeping going.
The solution is to step back and work on tasks that are important but not urgent.
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Lack of prioritization
When we’re busy and stressed, we often default to working on whatever has the most imminent deadline, even if it’s not particularly important. Stress causes our focus to narrow to the point where we’re just keeping going.
The solution is to step back and work on tasks that are important but not urgent.
Overlooking easy solutions
When we’re stressed, our narrow focus blocks us from seeing easy solutions that are usually right in front of our eyes.
To get out of the trap of overlooking easy solutions, take a step back and question your assumptions. Taking breaks and letting your mind wander will also help.
Lack of effective systems
When we're burned out, we tend to keep doing something ourselves that we could delegate or outsource, because we don’t have the necessary energy we need to establish a system for recurring problems.
Remedies for recurring problems are often simple if you can step back enough to get perspective.
Coping mechanisms
People who are overloaded will have a strong impulse to avoid or escape anxiety:
- Avoidance could mean putting off a discussion with your boss.
- Escape could mean rushing into an important decision, because you want to escape needing to think about it further.
Take some time and space to work through your emotions and thoughts when your anxiety is set off.
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Self-sabotage
Understand self-sabotage
Self-destructive behaviors can become habits and can continually undermine your success and happiness.
Self-sabotage is when we want something, but somehow we never accomplish it, because somewhere deep in our subconscious we’re fighting against that goal:
- Our disorganization distracts us.
- We’re constantly overthinking all of our decisions.
Recognize self-sabotaging habits
- Procrastination. Start setting deadlines and mini-deadlines to work toward your objective.
- Negative self-talk/negative thinking. Be patient with yourself; be kind to yourself. Work to build yourself up.
- Perfectionism. It is an impossible standard that keeps you from moving forward.
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The news can bring negativity: our impotence to do anything about most of what we hear can lead to a sense of hopelessness. It saps mental energy and focus.
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Toxic comparison
To break free from the temptation to compare, audit your social media feeds.
If you find yourself thinking about how your life matches up to a friend’s when you’re not on social media, try to shift your perspective. Think about their human traits, vulnerabilities, and things that you have in common. When you change your mindset, you can move from a place of jealousy to a place of empathy.
2 types of comparisons
- Downward comparison (comparing ourselves to those less fortunate): It activates the brain’s “lack” network, emphasizing our insecurity and focuses on safeguarding the status quo at the expense of risk and adventure.
- Upward comparison (comparing ourselves to those we envy): it can excite feelings of envy and low self-esteem.
Both of these types of comparison can be bad for the brain
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Simplicity doesn't mean poverty
Poverty is involuntary and debilitating, whereas simplicity is voluntary and enabling.
It is very misleading to equate simplicity with poverty, even if some spiritual traditions have ...
Simplicity doesn't mean rural living
Adopting a simple life doesn't require moving into rural areas. In fact, the majority of persons choosing a life of conscious simplicity live in cities and suburbs.
It is much more accurate to describe this as a "make the most of wherever you are" movement, adapting ourselves creatively to a rapidly changing world in the context of big cities and suburbs.
Beauty in the simple life
The simple life is sometimes viewed as an approach to living that advocates a barren plainness and denies the value of beauty and aesthetics. But rather than a denial of beauty, simplicity liberates the aesthetic sense by freeing things from artificial burdens.