By Jane A Malkoff MSN RN NP
The anticipated Indiana summer months are meant to be a time for more relaxation and for pleasurable outdoor activities. Afterall, we wait all winter for the warmth to return. However, when you or someone you know are caring for a loved one or you are someone requiring care for yourself, summers are not like they used to be. For our clients at Clarity Care Givers, the ability to find more time for anything is especially difficult.
We know there are no easy solutions but sometimes a quick “reset” to prioritize and reduce stress might help to capture at least a few rays of sunshine and rest. I thought I would share the 5 X 5 rule in case it is just the right and simple trick to provide even a few wonderful summer moments.
According to simple living expert Shannon Torren, we can choose what to fret over and by doing so improve our sanity and quality of life. It will only cost you the effort it takes to practice a very simple technique she calls the 5 x 5 Rule.
It goes like this:
When presented with a situation where you feel a sudden rush of frustration often accompanied by a tendency for an abrupt response, immediately remind yourself to stop momentarily and before reacting go through these 5 simple questions in your mind.
- Will this matter in 5 minutes?
- Will this matter in 5 days?
- Will this matter in 5 weeks?
- Will this matter in 5 months?
- Will this matter in 5 years?
If the upsetting event is not going to matter to you in 5 years, do not give it a great deal of your time and attention. Spend 5 minutes on it and move along. In a nutshell, if it is not going to matter in five years do not spend more than five minutes on it. While it is not a panacea, it is certainly one easy way to give yourself a frame work for how to get the most of what time and energy you do have.
Maybe, just maybe, this summer can be a time to capture whatever inspires you about this time of year. It could be as simple as a few minutes watching fireflies in a field or the trip of a lifetime overseas. It is nice to know we do not have to give ourselves over to the worry and stress about things that will not matter to us in five minutes, five days, five weeks, or five months. I know I will be working on this! How about you?