5 Ways to Accomplish More By Doing Less

Until just over two years ago, the Joyous Health ship had one captain – moi. I often felt that I could use an 8th day of the week to get everything done, but because I'm so passionate about what I do at Joyous Health, I never felt like "ugh I have to go to work" so I just kept on chugging.

I will admit that some weeks I felt like a chicken with my head cut off, which I’m sure may be familiar to you as well, and if I didn’t know about the healing power of food and supplementation, the last 5 years would have definitely taken a toll on my health.

That is until Nov. 2013, when Joyous Health officially became a two person show (now it's three!!) when my husband Walker quit his secure paying job working at Mercedes Benz to join the team full time. Turns out, I was actually able to accomplish more by doing less. It can be really scary sharing the responsibility of running a company with someone else when you've been used to doing everything yourself for so long, but it was the best thing to ever happen at Joyous Health (and to me personally).

Whether you are a busy mom, a successful business owner, or a student juggling a part-time job and countless hours of homework, you will benefit from doing less. It might seem like an impossibility to do less when the demands of your personal life and work life seem so high, but I'm here to share with you exactly how you can do this.

Here are 5 way to accomplish more by doing less:

I used to have a “yes” problem. Every social opportunity that came up I would say yes and over-commit myself. Even if I was completely exhausted I would say yes otherwise I would feel bad saying no - my own silly guilt. I don't have this problem anymore because I don't say yes to everyone. I realized that by saying yes all the time I was only hurting myself. Just say no! Even if it means you are at home by yourself on a Saturday night reading a book.

Doing everything yourself all the time, from your home life to your business life, day after day will exhaust you mentally and physically if there is no one to share these responsibilities with. Whether it's hiring someone to mow your lawn, design a website for your business, get a grocery delivery or even ask family to look after your kids for an evening - just do it. I've leaned on many people to help me, in fact my mom edited all my recipes for joyous health - thank you Ma McCarthy! What do you have to lose if you ask someone for help? Nothing. You have everything to gain -- your sanity!

This may not mean you do less, but this will allow you to do what you need and to do with ease. Many people live their lives with nutritional deficiencies and have no idea that the nutrients they are missing could be promoting anxiety - or on the flip side, that the meal they just ate is promoting their mid afternoon fatigue. Food is fuel for your body. Fill your body with the wrong fuel such as processed foods, refined carbs, sugars and this is like filling a car that takes gasoline with diesel -- forget it! Your car will cease to work. Instead of accepting that dragging your heals in exhaustion is just the way life is, or that anxiety levels will always prevent you from living your life to the fullest, realize that food and proper nutrition is your most powerful tool to feel, think and be amazing!

I'm always shocked at the number of clients I see who are workaholics and don't take their vacation time! Vacations once per year or more often are absolutely essential to your well-being. I'm sure you don't need me to tell you this because you know how amazing you feel after a week or two off work and away from your computer. Everything will be fine while you are away so please, take that vacation and you'll be completely rejuvenated, more productive and a happier person when you return.

Finally and probably the most important point here is this one...

The healthiest people I've known over the years are not excessive exercisers, they move their body moderately. Just like Michael Pollan says, "eat food, not too much, mostly plants", the same applies to exercise. Move your body, not too much, not too little - just enough to feel invigorated every day. This may mean 1 hour at the gym for some, 45 minutes of yoga for another and a 30 minute power-walk for another. Just like there is no one size fits all approach for diet, the same applies to your exercise prescription.