Are you making yourself a priority? I’m too busy vs. It’s not a priority right now…
How many times have you told yourself, “I’m too busy to….
It makes it easy to say no to these things, right? We value business, busy-ness- it sounds productive. This time of year, we are tackling the return to school, and business is ramping up with the holidays coming, adding even more to our workload.
But is it a true statement? Are you really too busy? Are you living each day aligned with your values? Are you saying yes to caring for yourself? Are you saying yes to spending time with those you love? Or are you saying yes to scrolling social media? Flipping through channels? Wondering what it was you came into the kitchen for? What to eat for dinner? Working at a job that sucks the life out of you?
Stephen Covey isn’t as much of a household name as he once was. Still, years ago, as a very young Midshipman, I was forced not only to read his classic 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, but also to employ his planner, write out my goals, and create a schedule for not only each day and week, but also each month, quarter, and year.
It wasn’t always a fun process.
In the beginning, it was foreign and painful. Since then, I’ve explored bullet journaling, time blocking, various to-do list managers, both online and in analog paper planners—looking for what fits my style and brain best. But for all of those trends, the basics of the 7 habits still hold. If you prioritize the big things (big rocks), then the little stuff will be done in between (little rocks).
We all get the same 24 hours each day. Are you spending yours in the way you want? Are you valuing yourself as much as others? Do you plan your “big rocks” first, or do they get swept away by a flood of “little rocks”? If you haven’t read The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, you should.
When you put the big things first and those things are aligned with your values, life becomes richer. Each day has a path guiding you to the things that give you a sense of purpose and bring you closer to your goals.
I recently read Mel Robbins' Let Them, and while I read her 5 Second Rule a few years ago, it didn’t click that she spent 10 years building that “instant” success. Yes, there were some elements of luck in her story, but more than that—she had grit and focus.
When people come into our office weighed down by pain, anxiety, depression, or other health issues, the idea of creating healthier habits can seem overwhelming. Even the idea of making 1 meal a day can seem like a bridge too far! Part of this is simply navigating health challenges, but often, behind that, there is a wall of busyness that gets in the way. Taking little steps to move towards our goals builds that grit and focus. Part of healing often involves building these skills as much as taking herbs or getting acupuncture!
I have 2 phrases that are always at the front of my mind:
“You can’t serve from an empty cup”
This is a reminder that my self-care is not selfish. It is what allows me to be present for those who need my help.
“Momento Mori”
Literally, it means remember death. For me, it is a reminder that tomorrow is promised to any of us. This is my reminder to do the things that are important to me because “later” may not be there. I’ve been on this earth a little over half a century, which sounds long and yet has gone by so fast. For all of that, I have many friends who thought that they would have lots more time, but have been gone longer than I knew them. The rate at which they pass will only get faster as time goes by. Some people tell me this is morbid—but death is inevitable. Celebrate each day, greet each sunrise with gratitude.
So if you don’t create any goals or plans, why not? When you contemplate the challenge of adding in a healthy meal or taking a daily walk and the automatic “I would but I’m too busy…” pops up, will you be brave enough to ask yourself: Am I really? Am I really prioritizing the things that are important to me?
A first step I challenge people with when they say they are too busy is to commit to doing a time audit. Yes, this is a pain to do. Yes, it will bring out some ugly truths of habits we may not want that have crept in. Yes, you do have to actually write down the start and stop time of everything you do for a full week to get the most out of it. At the very least, Friday through Monday, if you work a Monday through Friday schedule with the weekend off. If you are brave enough to embark on this process, you can download my free Time Audit Form and Instructions.
The next step is to define what is really important to you. If you feel like this is a struggle, you are not alone. Many of us lose track of ourselves along the way. We end up in jobs and/or relationships that aren’t really aligned with our values.
For those of you who know you should be taking better care of yourselves but just can’t get out of old ruts—we have more of our ever-popular Equine Gestalt Groups coming up to wrap up 2025—one is for women only and the other is open to all.
$75 per session to drop in or $320 for all 5, and a confirmed space in the group. To take advantage of the group pricing, contact the office, or you can purchase your package through our app: rajawellness.repeatmd.app. Spaces will be first-come/first-served- group packages are not refundable, but you can transfer your spot to a friend or family member with group leader approval if you can’t make it. Min age for these groups is 18.
My recommended reading for this month?
Other Upcoming Events:
Coaching Opportunities
Tai Chi Classes
Women’s Retreat at White Stallion Ranch, May 5th-9th, 2026
Hosted by Hippie Cowgirl Retreats, it is a 5-day, 4-night women-only Empowerment Retreat in Arizona! Hosted by the legendary Jane Salko and Jenny-Marie Greenough—gain clarity, perspective, compassion, and wisdom. Visit teagestalt.com for more information!
