I just had a great conversation with one of my practice members. She was stressed (with a smile) about always running late and taking too much on. It's not a rare story, in fact I'm sure all of us have felt that way at one time or another. The truth is, if we do not make and take the time for self care, our body will create a reason for us to slow down. OK, so what do we do when we have 25 hrs of "stuff" to cram into 24 hours? I don't know that there is one easy answer. Everyone is different, so what works for one person, won't necessarily work for another. And like any new habits, it can take time to get used to any new system. 

 If you have a smart phone, there are a number of different organizational apps you could try. I've checked out a few, and often they remained a pretty icon on my phone and didn't get much use. Recently however, I found one that works for me. It was free (even better!), and synced with my iphone calendar, so if events got added to one, they would show up in the other. My favourite feature though, was the "healthy habits" section. I could decide how many times a week I wanted to do a given habit, and then schedule it to track if I'm doing what I intended to. If I don't have a specific time to schedule, the app will suggest different times that do not have anything currently scheduled. Any time in the week I can have a quick look to see the progress I've made through the week. What I like about this, is not only in the tracking, but that the habits are set by the user. So you could set weights/ yoga/ run frequencies, but you could also put in "daily vitamin", or "8 glasses of water/ day" to track how closely you are actually following a healthy plan. The app is called "Timeful", but like I said, for it to be effective it has to be something you will work with. 

 Aside from finding systems to organize you, one of the most powerful tools to use is our own mind....sometimes our worst enemy. How we perceive our schedule and demands of the day can affect how we prioritize things. Often we feel like we are scrambling for time, because we have prioritized things that can wait. Tony Robbins has a system he uses called RPM. If you are willing to complete the exercises in the program, it can highlight not only where you are spending your time, but where you may be able to find extra time. 

 These are just two of many things you can do to reduce stress around time. If any point is worth making, it is likely that our health is worth prioritizing. Small, incremental steps go a long way!