Are you short on time ? Do you often find yourself saying "I don't have time for this", to yourself or others ?
If so, keep listening - this may be more serious than it appears, and knowing the problem is half the solution.
And even if you answered "yes, I do have plenty of time for everything" - it's better to be warned, if ever this starts to change - you'll know what to look out for.
The thing is, not having free time is a warning sign, and chances are, the problem is deeper than it seems.
Chances are, you actually have negative free time, and you haven't realized it yet.
What happens when you start not having enough time ?
You cut down on optional and low-priority things - such as rest, hobbies, maintenance, organizing.
So for a while, it might seem like you are doing ok, just barely, that you have just enough time.. but in reality, you might be falling behind.
Eventually you might find the list of low-priority things growing, hobby projects staying unfinished, maintenance overdue, and you just keep saying "I don't have time for that".
Or, you might find yourself giving up on proper rest, hobbies, optional projects.
Maintenance goes neglected, eventually turning into emergency repairs when things break down completely due to lack of timely maintenance.
If your attention is constantly demanded and you cannot afford to just sit back and relax or do whatever you choose, chances are good, you're in the negative territory.
This is especially relevant for keepers of unusually large amounts of stuff. If not handled as intended, it can quickly spiral into a dysfunctional state.
There needs to be a definite positive surplus of time for healthy functioning.
So, what can you do ? First, take a good look at everything that's going on, what's consuming all your time, and where you can possibly optimize or reduce commitments that aren't strictly necessary. I'm not suggesting you abandon any essential duties, but it's good to develop a better understanding of your situation. The rest is up to you.
There is another possible angle to consider - if you cannot afford to take enough time off various kinds of work - or at least, take an unpaid vacation or to hire help - your finances may be experiencing the same issue. This warrants another good hard look, which I'm not going into here - same concept applies - barely enough is likely to actually be not enough. You must have definite positive surplus.
And if you happen to regularly enjoy true spare time, good for you - I wish you to make the best of it, and to appreciate it even more.
I know this happened to me, and I know this can have a very serious impact on everything in one's life.
Ask yourself - if this continues, am I getting ahead, or am I standing in place, or am I falling behind, which is more likely..
What about you ? Please share your experience, challenges and solutions in the comments !
Take care, and I wish you to have enough time, or to rediscover it soon !