Life is busy! The relentless pace of daily routines and the constant whirlwind of work deadlines, social events and family life leaves little room for rest. In fact, a recent poll revealed that 6 out of 10 adults don't even believe that there are enough hours in the day to get through their to-do lists, let alone find spaces in their calendars for any moments of peace.
But as we all try to navigate the relentless pace of our lives, Mandy Teefey, CEO of mental health organization, Wondermind and mother of actress and pop star Selena Gomez, shares invaluable insights on the significance of doing less in 2024.
"We live in a culture that is non-stop productivity,” Mandy explains exclusively to HELLO! “And then the more you do, the more you're applauded for, and it's like you're not living for you or your moments anymore. And I don’t think people realize that staying in touch with who you are is a lot healthier than avoiding it and just filling your time with duties. ”
Mandy believes that the constant glorification of being on the go needs to stop and she says that we should be taking a more mindful approach to life instead. One that prioritizes self-care, setting boundaries, and embracing moments of stillness. "We need to give ourselves permission to just be in moments and then relax and still know that that's okay,” she explains. “Constantly emailing, DMing or staying connected shouldn’t mean that you're winning at life. because you're not."
Mandy and Wondermind are so passionate about the art of doing less, that they have set up the Wondermind 7 Day Challenge which is a 7-day newsletter filled with tips from therapists helping you to simplify your life, stop overthinking, and actually celebrate where you are at right now. To give you a taster, Mandy shares 5 of her most valuable lessons on how we can all do less everyday, yet still get through that to-do list, even when life is extra busy.
1. Don’t be so reactive, especially with emails
Ever found yourself receiving an email that makes you really mad and the first thing that you do is react? Mandy believes that those spontaneous reactions, especially when they come from anger or disappointment, can drain your energy and time, and make you less productive in the long run.
"It's definitely better to always take a step back before you react to things,” Mandy explains. “This also sets boundaries, because if you always answer right away, they always expect that. But if you start the behaviour of taking an hour out of your day to answer all of your emails, you will then have time to think about your replies, while also saving time and energy stressing about them too."
2. Learn how to delegate
"Delegation has always been hard for me, especially because I had Selena when I was 16, and so being a young mum, I was always responsible for other people while also having to take care of myself,” Mandy explains. “But something has to give, so you can find time for yourself. You need to seek a support system - whether that’s through friends, family or work colleagues. Then you’ll be able to plan your day a lot more efficiently.”
3. Be realistic about your to-do lists
“We’re never going to complete our to-do list as long as we live, so why let it control your life? You need to take personal accountability of prioritizing - just make sure that you get to the top priority of that day. And then if it can go to the next day, don’t stress about it. It’s OK not to complete 30 tasks in one day!”
READ: I spent the whole of January offline. Here's what I learned
4. Wake up earlier to fit in some me-time
"My top advice to anybody wanting to free up some space in their day is to learn how to have an efficient morning routine. Ever since I started organising my morning routine and began waking up earlier, my life has been so much better.
"It's paced better; it’s controlled better and I feel better. The house is quiet and peaceful. I have time to make my coffee, do my face routine and read. And it is not until then that I look at my to-do list and schedule my whole day so there’s no surprises.”
DISCOVER: This 2-minute trick will turn your morning around
5. Put your phone down
“The phone is a huge deterrent because there are so many social platforms that you can waste time on and they can give you anxiety. Everybody's bragging about everything that they are doing. I used to sleep with my phone underneath my pillow until I realised how much time I was wasting because having it there, I was more likely to start scrolling, I mean when you think about it - what earth-shattering thing could possibly be happening at three in the morning? Now I don’t look at my phone until 45 minutes after I wake up, and even then I sometimes forget.
"If there’s an emergency, I’ll see it on there, but I’m not scrolling through Instagram - which will make me even more stressed - seeing everyone living their perfect lives, in their perfect houses with their perfect kids."
Find out more about Wondermind and visit HELLO!'s Happiness Hub for more inspiration on living a happier life