Want to listen to this blog instead?
Listen in the Horse Happening Podcast, with Lindsey Partridge
We all lead busy lives and have lots on our plate. Like me, I am sure you hear comments like, how can you do all that, how do you have the time for that, how do you make it all work? For some, it is as easy as, if there’s a will, there is a way, and if you set your mind to something, you will find a way to accomplish it.
The most important trick I have learned is to pick my priorities, let go of certain things, and let go of things that are not time-sensitive or less important. For example, is it more important to keep a clean house, work more hours at your job, or spend more time doing something you love like riding horses? For me, a clean home is less important than spending time with my family, getting my horses ready for competition or bettering my business. Another way to stay focused is finding different ways to keep track of your priorities; I live on my phone and calendar, so if the day is full of appointments like calling the vet, picking up documents or teaching a lesson. I can plan and check things off as I go.
Even if you don’t complete all the tasks, you have set out that day, you can always move those in your calendar to the next day or on a day you have an opening. Having these little appointment times for tasks makes it much more manageable and helps to prioritize and get things done.
It is vital to choose things to let go, and not be hard on yourself for not completing everything on the specific day and time you have set. Stressing and worrying about the little things will only hinder your productivity on the more significant, more important task. Not having everything all together is ok. You don’t have to have a spotless house all the time; quick meals are ok and taking care of yourself first should always be a priority.
I decided to start riding two weeks after having my baby. I found I have lost a lot of body strength, so I am making a point to set aside just a few minutes a day to do some exercises to start building up my core strength again, and a little bit of running because being strong for riding is important to me. It is better to do a little than do nothing at all. So, if you set aside five minutes to do something, you will start to change and create good habits.
Another great way to get things done is not to be afraid to ask for help because we can’t do everything by ourselves no matter how hard we try. We need people there to support us, so surrounding yourself with people who support us is very important. And if you don’t have people that you can reach out to, there is nothing wrong with reaching out to a group on Facebook or someone you know in your community. Harmony Horsemanship has a Students of Harmony Horsemanship Facebook group where people can support you through social media and encourage you on your Horsemanship journey. That is what Harmony Horsemanship is all about, supporting each other.
So, to recap, let go of less important things, prioritize and set appointments, ask for help, make time for you and people you love, don’t stress if you don’t get everything done, make minor changes and create new/better habits. All of this will help you stay focused, reduce stress so that you can get back to doing the things you love, like spending time with your horses.
Remember, you can always check out more great free resources and other information at https://harmonyhorsemanship.com/ or check me out on my personal website https://www.lindseypartridge.com/.
Thanks so much, bye for now.
