With communication simplified beyond our wildest dreams, travel made more affordable, and global information a few clicks away, we have become a world of multitaskers. To some, this might sound like the dream come true, but others will quickly realize the pitfalls of such a lifestyle. We watch movies and text, eat and work, and in an enthusiastic attempt to taste more of life, we cram as many experiences into a single time slot as possible.

Instead of enriching the moment, they end up making it deprived of any real substance, as we cannot devote our attention to a single event. This often leads to turning our time into a turmoil of mixed responsibilities, while we struggle to truly live – and this is where you take a moment and decide to add more quality instead of quantity into your life.

1. Ditch the comparison mindset

Have you ever caught yourself perusing the Instagram profile of your friend only to wish for their physique? Or taken a glance at the neighbors’ new care, and felt a fang of jealousy in the depth of your stomach? While it’s a noble quest to always strive to improve yourself and your life in general, doing so only in order to outshine someone else’s achievements will not allow you to enjoy your goals once you reach them.

Enjoy the lovely shade of your own green grass – you’ve worked hard to get there. There will always be someone who is a few steps ahead with some aspects of their life, so make them an inspiration, not a source of envy. Finally, nurturing an attitude of gratitude is the first needed step to determine where and how you want to devote your precious time – wishing for what you don’t have, or enjoying what you do?

2. Think minimal thoughts

Clutter in any shape or form is toxic to your wellbeing. Whether you keep collecting and cramming more items into your home, or you remain attached to every material possession you’ve ever had, letting things shape your behavior is one of the main culprits of inner clutter, as well. It’s no wonder you’d scatter your attention into dozens of different places if you constantly have to mend, clean, or maintain your possessions.

Take some time to declutter your space, and soon, mental focus will follow. This will free an incredible amount of time for you to spend on actual experiences and people that you love, whether it’s finally inviting your friends over, or booking a flight to see the pyramids.

3. Focus on wellbeing

Diluting our energy onto a multitude of different things in life often leads to stress, which then makes us neglect our own health. You’ll quickly find yourself feeling tired and annoyed, symptoms typically attributed to adrenal fatigue caused by stress, although some experts now believe that this might not be the case. That doesn’t mean that the feelings of exhaustion, anxiety, and various types of aches and pains aren’t a very real consequence of stress, however, with or without the label of this illness.

That is precisely why making time for healthy activities such as exercise and crafting a nutritious menu to boost your wellbeing is crucial. You may not always be able to escape the fast pace of life, but at least you can take better care of yourself to become much more resilient to its hardships and spend your invaluable energy where it matters most.

4. Choose your company wisely

The people you surround yourself with can be the cause of either stress or bliss. While it’s often a mix of both, those who tend to always make you feel bad about yourself, undermine your achievements, or only have negative things to say have no place in your life. It’s not always easy to cut ties with those who make us feel miserable, or even come to terms with the fact that a certain someone is doing just that.

Then again, devoting your time only to those who enrich your life will naturally lead to the other group to fall off over time, or at the very least, build strong boundaries among you. Assuming we only have this one life, why not spend it with those who remind you why you love being alive?

5. Determine your priorities

The world of grownups is laden with responsibilities. We have to work, dress appropriately, shop, cook, attend meetings, sleep a certain amount of time, and run a slew of errands in between. Yet the essence of life can boil down to a hug with your parents, a kiss with your spouse, or a lazy night in with the kids.

Of course, none of us mere mortals can afford to abandon all of our duties altogether, but you sure can spend more time doing these little things that make everything else worthwhile. Don’t just postpone the family gathering, skip a kiss goodnight or ditch that girls’ night in – the joy of existing hides precisely in these moments, and they are the ones that give meaning to all the responsibilities. Make the most of them, and let them be your priorities rather than exceptions.

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