Make This the Year of Doing Less (and Being More…Present)
Make This the Year of Doing Less (and Being More…Present)
Every January, as a professional organizer and productivity expert, I’ve encouraged my clients (and myself) to do more in less time. Every year I get better and better at doing more! But lately, especially as a wife & mom, I’ve realized that even when I’m ticking off every box on my list, I’m left feeling like I’m missing out on the good stuff. I have been feeling resentful of my husband for not doing as much as I and unappreciated by my kids when my work felt invisible. At the same time I am scared by how much I worry about life speeding by and the moments that matter most slipping through my fingers.
Our oldest son is in his first year of high school and our youngest is in middle school. I feel a profound sense that our time with them at home is careening forward at an uncontrollable rate. In a blink, these days will be memories and I don’t want to miss a single moment.
This year, I am encouraging myself, and other moms that feel my overwhelm, to do LESS! My goal in making this the year of doing less: I want to BE more.
5 Recommendations for Doing Less (to BE More)
1: Say no—even to things that sound fun or feel like the “right” thing to do.
And don’t feel guilty about making time for yourself and your family. Protecting your time is an act of love. I think about my new goals and if a new demand on my time doesn’t directly help achieve my goals, I will say no. My most recent example was saying no to coaching the school tennis team. I have loved the job for the past three years. I love mentoring and supporting young girls in sport. The job is both fun and the right thing to do. BUT, my sons are no longer attending that school and my goal is to be more present with them. That means saying no.
2: Be thoughtful about what’s most important right now, and calendar those things first.
For me, that means showing up for my kids’ tennis and baseball games, making time for my marriage, prioritizing my health, and playing tennis (bonus: that one checks two boxes!). I put those things on my calendar and then arrange, work and other commitments around those things.
3: If your calendar is too tight, look for responsibilities you can eliminate.
Ask: What must be done by me? What can be delegated? What can be deleted altogether? Letting go of long-held responsibilities can be hard, but sometimes it’s exactly what you need.
4: Let go of perfectionism.
Sometimes “good enough” really is enough. Releasing the pressure to do everything perfectly opens up time and energy for what matters most and lets you be more present and joyful in the moment. This has been a really hard one for me. I have always held myself to such high standards that it is hard to see myself differently. It is challenging for us to recognize our own worth outside of what we do or accomplish but we need to keep reminding ourselves WHY we are doing what we are doing. If I am spending hours away from my kids to plan something for them, have I created the perfect party but missed the whole point entirely?
5: Set boundaries around technology.
I recently set a 5-minute daily limit on Facebook and 20 minutes for Instagram. Small changes like this protect my family time and help me be more present with the people I love.
If you are feeling overwhelmed and underappreciated, I hope you will take this moment to determine what LESS you can do so you feel better and connect more. If Imagine can be a small part of helping you reach those goals, I will feel deeply honored.
We can organize your home so you don’t feel that burden, we can keep it refreshed so you always feel organized and NEW in 2026, we can manage your entire home so your laundry, groceries, tidy up and errands don’t drain your energies.
Let’s make this the year we all do less, so we can be more.
