Embrace a Fresh Start This Fall: Why Under-committing to Activities Leads to Balance and Peace of Mind

Fall brings a whirlwind of activities for school,  home, church, and other areas. You may already be feeling a bit anxious about all that coming up. This fall set the stage for more intentional living by reassessing commitments and having less to do. Now is the time for understanding overcommitment and the negative impacts of overcommitting on mental health and productivity.

Signs of overcommitment

There are many signs that you are overcommitting. For you, looking at your calendar you see no white space. There are no time blocks for preparation for meetings. You feel irritable attending a meeting because you have too much to do. Your home has become a drop zone, with many filled bags waiting for items to be put away. For your kiddos, they are resistant to activities because they are tired. Their rooms have become cluttered. They go to bed late because activities fill their days to the brim.  Overcommitment has an impact on mental health and getting stuff done.

Benefits of under-committing

To begin to reassess,  you must first know the benefits of this change. The most beneficial aspect of under-committing is the increase in focus and well-being. With less to do on any day, there is always less stress. You will feel more balanced by having time to do what you love, as well as what you are required to do. You will be able to concentrate more without having to get so much completed. Having a better work-life balance comes from having unscheduled time. Jot down a few of your reasons for why to undercommit this year and clear out your schedule.

Getting started

First, it is best to evaluate your current commitments.  What are the essential and non-essential activities you are committed to? What is essential to your values? Are your commitments supporting what you know to be best for you and your family? What is the true impact and what is required? Are your commitments bringing in funds that support your family’s values? Answering these questions allows you to weigh in on your commitments. Write out this list and prioritize. There are no right or wrong answers, but you will know what is best for you and your family.  There are many great activities but at times we have to stagger commitments to keep our time better balanced.

Strategies for under committing

Now that you have evaluated and prioritized your commitments, it is time to learn and reinforce what you know to be true about commitments. Now that you are working toward your priorities, it is time for you to set boundaries for yourself. It is easy to over-commit without this. A boundary for yourself might be creating rules about how many activities you or your kiddos are in at any given time. For some families that is one sport for each kiddo for each season. Other parents choose to take a large volunteer role instead of many small commitments. You know best what works for yourself and your family. Find a rule that works well for saying “no” such as, “I have to check my calendar first.” Creating a pause before saying yes helps you assess. Your goal is a realistic, manageable schedule that incorporates self-care.

Maintaining balance

The key to consistent balance is regularly assessing and re-assessing commitments. As commitments change throughout the year, be mindful of your new rules for commitment. It is crucial to your schedule to regularly assess your commitments in order to stay in balance. Assess your commitments during your weekly planning time.

Take time before the fall to be mindful of this year’s commitments. You will have more joy in the responsibilities you choose by prioritizing and under-committing.