The most important thing we keep throwing away (and how to get it back)

The most important thing we keep throwing away (and how to get it back)The most important thing we keep throwing away (and how to get it back)Im grounded today, like a jet ready for takeoff, but out of fuel. The worst part is, I have only myself to blame.Last Sunday, after a week away from the gym, I decided to dive in and hit the weights. I spent 45 minutes pumping and straining and then cooled down on the treadmill for a 30 minute, incline run.Artwork by John P. WeissProud of myself, I came home, showered, made some coffee, and settled into a good book.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreAn injection ofToradolThe next morning, a dull headache slowly enveloped my skull. As the day progressed, so did the pain. A few Advil mid-day blunted the intensity, but it came back full force at bedtime.I crawled out of bed, took more Advil and wrapped an icepack around my neck. I slumped onto t he couch, focused on my breathing, and eventually slipped into a fitful sleep.The headache stayed with me, at varying intensities, all week, until I finally visited the doctor. After an injection of Toradal, a prescription, a massage referral, and stretching suggestions, I welches sent home to ice my neck and back.My productivity and creative output suffered all week because I overdid it at the gym and failed to stretch.The wasted time got me thinking about how we spend time. Subtract roughly eight hours of sleep, and each of us has 16 hours a day. Some people seem to accomplish amazing stuff in those 16 hours. Others, not so much.Busy has become the newfineIt seemswe all get wrapped up in lifes minutia, like gum in our hair.Our crazy schedules, commitments, and appointments monopolize much of our time.Add to that the unforced errors, like forgetting to stretch before a workout, and soon we feel totally time-starved.Whats worse, a lot of people confuse busyness with effectiveness. T hey view a hectic schedule and rush-rush lifestyle as a sign of success and status.Theres a video by social entrepreneurJeff Shinabargerthat captures perfectly todays glorification of busy (watch it below). In fact, Shinabarger points out that busy has become the new fine.In other words, when we used to ask people how they were, theyd say, Fine. Now, people say, Busy Im really busy.At some point toward the end of my law enforcement career, I started to figure out the value of slowing down. I paid more attention to my calendar and commitments.I couldnt predict every time waster, but I employed strategies (laid out below) that bought me some peace and sanity. I learned the value of slowing down, in order to get more out of life.Lucius Annaeus Seneca was a Roman, stoic philosopher who shared some wisdom about slowing down and living better.It is not that we have a short time to live, but that we waste a lot of it. Life is long enough, and a sufficiently generous amount has been given t o us for the highest achievements if it were all well invested. But when it is wasted in heedless luxury and spent on no good activity, we are forced at last by deaths final constraint to realize that it has passed away before we knew it was passing. So it is we are not given a short life but we make it short, and we are not ill-supplied but wasteful of it Life is long if you know how to useit.Seneca also shared the following observation.Finally, everybody agrees that no one pursuit can be successfully followed by a man who is preoccupied with many things?- ?eloquence cannot, nor the liberal studies?- ?since the mind, when distracted, takes in nothing very deeply, but rejects everything that is, as it were, crammed into it. There is nothing the busy man is less busied with than living there is nothing that is harder tolearn.Five ways tosimplifyWe all have different lives and professions but anliegen into similar traps in how we manage our time. To that end, here are five ways to sim plify your life and get more out of it. None of these suggestions are earth-shattering revelations, but they are often overlooked and/or neglected.SleepGetting enough sleep pays huge dividends on your overall health and mental focus. Its easier to think when weve had enough sleep, and that means we can problem solve better.The sleep-deprived end up taking longer on tasks, which only cheats them from pursuing more enjoyable things.Digital vacationSocial media has its charms and its curses. Facebook, Instagram, and all the other digital rabbit holes can suck serious time out of your day. If youre wondering why you dont have six pack abs, or never wrote that novel, take a look at your social media use. Same goes for TV and smartphone use.More and more people are reevaluating their use of social media, television, and smartphones. Theyre removing apps, quitting social media, and rediscovering the gifts of face to face conversation, outdoor exercise, and passions like sports and the crea tive arts.Try taking a digital vacation, and replace all that online time doing family stuff, exercise, and neglected passions. Youll be surprised how much happier you might feel.MindfulnessLearning how to breath deeply and un-cluttering your mind will help you become more mindful and at peace.So much of our thoughts dwell on the past or what might happen in the future, at the expense of enjoying the present.Ever notice how we miss out on savoring experiences because were so busy documenting them with our smartphones?What on earth are we going to do with all those digital images and videos? How often do we ever really review all those images? Sure, some special moments deserve a photo, but not every waking hour. And what makes you think posting your chicken sandwich on Instagram will fascinate others?Turn off the devices, clear a smidgen of your schedule, and work on being present. When I was a police chief, I used to take my lunch in a local park. Id go somewhere quiet, enjoy my lu nch, and listen to the birds and wind in the trees. The experience was a welcome refuge from my hectic schedule. It grounded and re-energized me.Nowadays, I take long walks with my dogs to clear my mind, enjoy the fresh air and be mindful of the peaceful moments.SolitudeIve written often about the power ofsolitudeand quiet time. Were all social creatures to varying degrees, but spending time with ourselves is important. Its how we reconnect with our inner being.I love my solitude but struggled with the need to be doing something important. It took me a while to change habits, and realize that quiet time is important, too.In the past, whenever I went to a coffee shop by myself, Id pull out my iPhone and sink into the Internet quicksand. Now I sip my latte and take in the sights, sounds, conversations, and life around me. Ive become a quiet observer, and notice so much more.I enjoy my friends and some social engagements, but solitude is what recharges my spirit and creative energy. Ev en if youre an extrovert who needs social interaction to energize, a degree of solitude will quiet your mind and offer some balance.Say noThere will always be people willing to spend your time for you if you let them. Learn to politely say no to commitments and obligations that make your life unnecessarily busy.Take the time to add me time into your calendar. Add cushions of time between appointments and meetings, if you can. Use that time to slow down. Maybe grab a cup of tea, or read in your car for half an hour.I used to fear disappointing people and often said yes to things. Then later, I regretted it and resented the commitment. I learned to gently thank people but tell them, No, Im sorry, but I cant commit to that. I appreciate the kind offer, but I need to focus on my work.Today is agiftOne of the most important things we have is time, and we have the power to manage how we spend a lot of it. Sometimes it takes discipline, but wise time management pays huge dividends.Yesterda ys the past, tomorrows the future, but today is a gift. Thats why its called the present.- BilKeaneWith some thought and effort, we can change our habits and make more time for family, exercise, our passions, and quiet reflection. Do this, and you can significantly change your life for the betterBefore yougoImJohn P. Weiss.I draw cartoons, paint landscapes, and write about life. Thanks for readingThis article first appeared on Medium.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will ersatzdarsteller your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people