Have you ever gotten so bogged down by your work week that you feel overwhelmed or just exhausted? It can be hard in those moments to remember the things that make you happy. The phone won’t stop ringing, people are knocking on your door, you have reports to get done and you haven’t even gotten to your coffee yet. Does this ring any bells? Often people forget that happiness is not an end goal, but the moments worth stopping for. We understand that life is a balancing act, and it can get exhausting. So, we always try to appreciate the things that bring us joy and make us happy.

Try and take some time to slow down and enjoy your life. Here are some ways to stop and appreciate what you have.

5 Ways to Stop and Smell the Roses  

1.) Compartmentalize

In our society there is so much information to process and tasks to complete, it can be very difficult to focus on one thing at a time. When you multitask to stay on top, your brain can become like a plate of spaghetti; just a big mess. Not only are you getting less done than you normally would, but you also don’t give yourself the chance to slow down. It is hard to find happiness when you are always playing catch up. Take some time and organize your day and tasks to get some things off your plate. When you do this, make sure you block off some “You” time; not tv time while you check your emails and eat your dinner time. Take time doing something that will recharge your battery. Once you are refreshed, then you will be able to see the finer things in life.

2.) Do something you love

What do you like doing? Spending time outside, a hot cup of coffee first thing in the morning or giving a gift to someone else? We love taking the time to serve people to the best of our ability, which is why we do it every day. What is it that you love to do? Not everyone can do what they love for a living but try and take some time to do what you love. Is it watching a movie while knitting, or a small road trip with a friend? Could it even be going to a sporting event of your favourite team? Whatever it is that gets your juices flowing, take some time and do it. It is important to surround ourselves with the things that make us happy, so we can appreciate life and not dread it.

3.) Take a break

It can be hard to put down all the tasks when we have a full workload. You’re saying, “But the phone is ringing, and there is a knock at my door, and this report is due to my boss, and I need coffee, and I need to…” (breath). Sometimes you just need to put it all down. We have so many things going on that we forget to just breathe. When the load is heavy, we need to put down what we are carrying and take a break. It is important that we don’t try to handle too much at one time or we will burn out. The report can wait for five minutes while you take a break and regroup.

4.) Do something out of your routine

Have you ever noticed how a small change can make all the difference? Whenever a writer gets writers' block, they are told to leave it for a bit and come back later with fresh eyes. It is the same with happiness. Go to work a different way one day or get your morning coffee from a different place; go somewhere new and absorb a different atmosphere. Doing something different than your routine will help you see from a different perspective. It is easier to find happiness when you change your environment.

5.) Do something to make someone else happy.

When we live in an ongoing state of stress our focus is on ourselves and our problems. Living in this state will east away at you and make finding joy in life difficult. So, shift your focus; take time to notice and appreciate the positives around you and in others. When you shift the focus from your stress and worries and onto the positive things you have in your life, you will find it easier to find joy. At The Gift Designers, we have found the joy that comes from giving something to others, and we want to encourage you to do something for someone else to find the joys in shifting your focus.

Don’t let happiness be an end goal of your life journey, let it be all the stops you make on the way there. Make one of your stops The Gift Designers and spread the joy to someone else.