Overcommitting is a sin we’ve all… committed at one time or another. It’s human nature to want to do all the things, attend every cool event and not miss out on anything. But when you cancel on your friends last minute or miss your grandma’s birthday party, you’ll not only look like a flake, but the stress of letting people down can also get pretty overwhelming. I’m sure reading this is bringing up all sorts of repressed memories of forgotten second dates and missed early morning airport drop-offs. So here are some ways to prevent burnout from overcommitting and to save your sanity.
Being Picky
Your time is precious and shouldn’t be spent racing from one end of the city to the other than back again. So, instead of trying to cram three events into one night, focus on the one most important to you. Dividing your nights into thirds and overcommitting is a sure-fire way to not truly enjoy any of the events, anyway.
Figure Out What You Won’t Be Sad to Miss
As someone who suffers from pretty bad FOMO, I understand that it sometimes feels like all events have equal importance. A good rule I’ve developed is only attending events I know I’ll wake up the next day and regret not going to. Weddings, funerals and baby showers are all something I’ll be bummed to have not attended. But let’s face it, my cousin’s house party or half priced cocktails at my favourite bar won’t cost me a wink of sleep.
Pay Your Way
If you’re really hell-bent on making it to all your commitments, you’ll probably have to break out the wallet. You can go to all the salsa nights and movie marathons you want, but at some point, something will have to give. So, if you don’t want to start saying no, maybe think about paying your way out of it. Think about getting your meals through a delivery service or catching an uber instead of public transport. Desperate times call for desperate measures, right?
Skipping the Drink
Alcohol and partying may seem like they go hand in hand, but hangovers and Monday morning meetings definitely don’t. We all know that when alcohol is involved, a late night can seriously affect your ability to function the next day. Slowing down on the booze might be the difference between following through with all your commitments, or missing that morning meeting because you can’t get out of bed.
Maximising Your Schedule
Crossing over events is a great alternative to saying no. Instead of scheduling cocktails with the girls, and then dinner with your sister, think about how you can mix the things together. Forge your friendship groups! Maybe you could have everyone over to watch the latest episode of The Bachelor. You know you were going to watch it anyway.
