Cancer has helped me slow down -- a little. I am more patient in the moment without racing to the next task I think is waiting for me. I can better manage my priorities and can offer the most important things the majority of my time. I am better at passing on opportunities that are low on my wish list. And I can typically say "no" if I don't have the time or energy to devote to a request. I know that I have to be healthy and happy and fulfilled in order to operate effectively and joyfully in this world. So I try to enjoy peaceful moments and put priorities first and not overextend myself and slow down. I'm not completely there -- yet. But I plan to keep practicing. And I'm going to try these seven strategies -- offered by a freelance writer, wife, mother of two, and reformed over-committer -- in an article I stumbled across in a local family magazine I picked up this week.


Meet your physical needs first. This means sleeping and eating right and exercising. They are all essential for ensuring you are efficient and focused on extra tasks.

Take time to check your calendar. Requesting time to review your schedule before committing to a task allows you time to ask yourself if you can comfortably fit the activity -- and complete it -- into your life. If you determine it does fit, you can enthusiastically commit. If it doesn't fit, you can confidently decline due to prior committments.

Overestimate. Try to overestimate the amount of time a task will take and then ask yourself if you're still willing to do it.

Try to under promise and over deliver. Instead a promising a task in two days, commit to one week. When you finish in four days, the requester will be thrilled -- and you will feel less stress.

Seek comfort. Make sure you are comfortable with what you are giving up to commit to the request.

Take care of you. Consciously fill the time you would otherwise spend overcommitting with your own self care. Once you realize that saying "no" could allow you time to go to the gym or take a long walk, declining becomes easier.

Let go of guilt. Only you can define what contributes to your unique and necessary life balance. Do what is right for you so you can be happy doing what you choose to do.

Practice makes perfect -- or maybe perfection is not all the important. But striving for sanity is. And feeling sane is one of my top goals. So I intend to step in the right direction by practicing these seven strategies.