The alarm goes off, and you sigh. Another day is here, and it's probably going to be just as busy as yesterday. You make a mental checklist of the appointments you have for the day and run through the logistics of making sure everyone else in the family gets to where they're supposed to be too. Yawning, you make your way to the kitchen to make coffee so you can be somewhat alert as you check things off your to-do list.

Many people like to stay busy. They want to feel as if they are contributing to the world and providing for their families. They want to have it all. There's nothing wrong with having a full life, but if you don't leave yourself time to enjoy it, even things that are important to you can start to lose their meaning. If you feel like you are always going in ten different directions at once, you may just need to release some of your commitments to regain a sense of peace.

Look for Symptoms of Overcommitment

Being busy isn't necessarily the same thing as being overcommitted. You can have a full schedule and still have room to breathe. There are certain warning signs, however, that indicate that you are trying to operate beyond your capacity:

• You feel irritated most of the time. 
• The people around you are frequently nervous or irritated.
• You rush between appointments, often arriving late when one runs past its allotted time.
• Your home is in disarray because you're hardly ever there.
• You forget responsibilities or miss important events.
• You're tired all the time.

If this sounds familiar, you have made the first (and for some, the most difficult) step toward a calmer life by identifying the problem. Next, you need to address it.

Evaluate Your Priorities

Once you realize the effect that your impractical schedule is having on you and your family, the temptation will be to just drop everything and start over. By doing this, though, you may inadvertently remove some of the things that bring you joy. Instead, examine your priorities before you make any decisions. Set aside an evening for a life checkup and see what it reveals about the things you value most.

List Your Commitments

One thing that overcommitted people tend to be really good at is making lists. Use this strength to your advantage. Grab your calendar or planner and make a list of all the things you do in a typical month. This will catch not only your daily routines and weekly schedule but also all those sneaky once-a-month meetings that may be siphoning away your time.

Choose Things To Drop

Keeping your priorities in mind, you should see a few things on your task list that don't fit. Mark them, but don't stop there. Give yourself a deadline for dropping them, and share this information with your spouse or a trusted friend who will keep you accountable.

Practice Holding Boundaries

When you see space open up in your calendar, your instinct may be to fill it with something else more meaningful. Fight the urge to do this. Like any unconstructive habit, overcommitting is a tendency that takes time and effort to overcome. When you intentionally leave blank space in your schedule for a few months, you learn the new habit of setting boundaries with your time. After a while, you'll find it easier to recognize and decline opportunities that may be good in general but don't fit your specific goals or values.

You deserve to have a life that is full without being overwhelming. By releasing some of your commitments, you give yourself the space to focus on what matters most to you.