You know how when you turn on a fan at its highest setting and it starts to whirl and whine? It almost feels like the fan is out of control. As if it’s totally unfamiliar to this setting and it won’t be able to maintain the pace for much longer. Like at any moment, it may become unhinged, decapitate you and cut your dog in half. That’s how I feel about my schedule at the moment.
These last few months have been incredibly busy. I’m not sure if I mean busy for the old me or the pandemic me. I spent so much time during the pandemic working from one area of my house or at an empty lake house. My mind forgot about the need to move around, to get on planes, to interact with people, to be in crowds and to make small talk with people you see IRL. I have been hearing similar sentiments from almost everyone I talk to. Everyone seems to be trying to figure out their new relationship with busy.
Busy is a relative term. I look at some of the biggest CEOs, mothers, dignitaries and celebrities and think, how do they do it? How do they keep the pace and appear to have it all figured out? Half the time I am struggling to take care of myself and my husband (for anyone who knows me, knows he basically takes care of me).
To be clear, my busy schedule is also a well-earned busy, and I take pride in what I’ve created. We have been launching advertising campaigns and producing experiences all over the country. From photoshoots to pop-up events, to producing activations inside large festivals to launching online mentorship platforms, to opening retail stores to building strategy for a major luxury auto tour, we are doing it all.
And with the increase in travel, I have been reconnecting with friends and making time for social events in the cities I visit. But nonetheless, all of this involves lots of moving around, big crowds, deadlines, managing emotions, politics, making sure we’re documenting everything on social media, and of course, a shit ton of packing and unpacking. All things I haven’t really experienced in a year and as it turns I am not particularly fond of!
What’s interesting about being busy these days is that it’s not fashionable anymore. Anti-busy is the new success. Being a master of your calendar, mid-day workouts, taking off Friday, working from the pool or the beach — basically prioritizing yourself and your well-being over a breakneck schedule is en Vogue. I’m all about it, but that doesn’t mean I know how to do it. As an entrepreneur, I pride myself on figuring shit out and making it happen. But, for me, that comes at the cost of a brain that doesn’t shut off and with this floodgate of work, travel, and life events ramping up it feels like I have added fuel to a fire. As an example, I wrote this newsletter in my head while I should have been relaxing during a massage.
I notice I spend a lot of unnecessary time “should-ing” myself. I should work out six days a week. I should pull back on alcohol during the work week. I should organize my outfits for that wedding coming up. I should update our website. I should finish writing the outline for my book. I should call that friend. I should redo my estate plan. I “should” until I completely “should” the bed. LOL. But seriously, I can should myself into an overwhelming mental state. So what I have resolved to do now is to stop should-ing and start committing to taking realistic steps rather than try and be the master of it all at once.
I have never been one of those people who can’t wait to get to the gym or will commit to 20–60 minutes to transcendental meditation. Not me. But when I spend 10 minutes with Headspace and get in some form of a workout at least three times a week, I start to feel pretty badass. This is doable.
I will also stick to my list-making, but moving forward I will not put 100 things on it that all seem to have equal priority. I am using a focus planner (see post) and putting my to-do list in color categories based on time sensitivity with deadlines that are also doable.
As my schedule continues to bust at the seams, I, as a person, will make every effort to not. I am so happy to be this busy but I like many of you just need to find my new (post-pandemic) groove. Part of that process will be to delve deeper into the trend of prioritizing my well-being over the busyness so I do not forget to enjoy this new (well-earned) era of life.
Would love to hear how you are managing as the world continues to accelerate like a fan ramping up to its highest setting.
Brook Jay
