At any stage of life, things can get a little overwhelming, but particularly as we enter perimenopause. Many of us are juggling young children or teenagers, ageing parents, full-time jobs, households, relationships and all the little things that seem to fill every spare minute of the day. Before we know it, we’re running on empty, constantly putting everyone else first and wondering where the time has gone.

Sound familiar?

This is exactly the time when we need to take a step back and look at how we can simplify our lives. Not by doing more, becoming more organised or adding another thing to our to-do list, but by looking at what is taking our energy and what is actually bringing us joy.

Sometimes, simplifying your life isn’t about doing more with your time. It’s about giving yourself permission to do less.

A Simple Exercise to Help You Reclaim Your Energy

All you need is a piece of paper and a few quiet minutes to yourself. Draw three columns.

Column 1: Things That Drain Your Energy

Write down everything that leaves you feeling exhausted, frustrated or overwhelmed. It might be a friend who regularly calls to talk through her problems when you simply don’t have the capacity to listen. It could be cooking dinner seven nights a week, certain aspects of your job, commitments you no longer enjoy or feeling responsible for keeping everyone else happy.

Be honest with yourself. This isn’t about judging anyone or anything; it’s about recognising where your energy is going.

Column 2: The Neutral Things

These are the everyday tasks and responsibilities that aren’t necessarily positive or negative. Perhaps it’s picking up the kids from school, doing the groceries, paying bills or keeping the house ticking along.

Some of these things simply need to be done, but there may be ways to make them easier, share the load or take a little pressure off yourself.

Column 3: Things You Love or Want More Of

Now, this is the fun column! Write down the things that make you feel good, bring you joy or help you feel more like yourself. Perhaps it’s walking in nature, catching up with a friend who lifts you up, reading a book, gardening, having a slow morning, getting creative or simply sitting quietly with a cup of tea.

Don’t worry about whether you have time for these things right now. Just write them down. You might be surprised by how many things you’ve been putting aside.

What Can You Change?

Once you’ve filled in your columns, let’s look at the first one: the things that drain your energy.

For each item, you have three options to consider: change it, adapt to it or leave it.

Let’s take the example of a friend who regularly calls with her problems, leaving you feeling emotionally exhausted.

1. Change the situation.

Have an honest, kind conversation with her. Explain that you’re going through a busy time and don’t always have the emotional capacity for lengthy conversations. You can still care about her while encouraging her to seek support from other people or appropriate support networks.

2. Adapt to the situation.

You may not want to change the friendship, but you can change how you respond. You don’t have to answer every call or reply to every message immediately. You could return the call when you have more energy and let her know you only have ten minutes to chat.

Remember, having boundaries doesn’t mean you don’t care. It means you’re recognising your own needs, too.

3. Leave the situation.

Sometimes, we need to take a closer look at a relationship and ask ourselves whether it is still healthy and balanced. Is there give and take? Do you feel supported, or do you consistently feel drained? Is this a relationship you genuinely want to maintain?

If the relationship is no longer right for you, it may be time to gradually reduce contact or step away, depending on the circumstances.

Now, work your way through the rest of your first column. You might not be able to change everything, but even small adjustments can make a difference.

What About the Neutral Column?

Look at those everyday responsibilities and ask yourself whether there is a way to make them simpler.

Could you cook a few meals in advance, share household responsibilities, arrange a grocery delivery or ask for help with the school run? Perhaps dinner doesn’t need to be cooked from scratch every night, and the house doesn’t need to be perfectly tidy all the time.

We can put an enormous amount of pressure on ourselves to keep everything running smoothly, but sometimes we need to ask: Does this really need to be done by me, right now, and in this particular way?

You might find that some of your daily responsibilities become much easier when you give yourself permission to do things differently.

Now, Let’s Make More Room for the Good Stuff

Finally, take a look at your third column. These are the things you enjoy, the things that make you feel connected, relaxed, inspired and happy.

As you begin to reduce or adapt some of the things that drain your energy, think about how you can bring more of these positive experiences into your life.

Could you schedule a regular walk, make time for a friend who leaves you feeling uplifted, spend more time outside or finally return to a hobby you’ve been missing?

And remember, these don’t need to be grand gestures or expensive activities. Sometimes, it’s the smallest things that make the biggest difference.

Start Small, and Be Kind to Yourself

I don’t want you to finish reading this newsletter feeling that you now have another big project to tackle! The whole point is to simplify, not create another overwhelming task.

So, start with just two things that drain your energy and two positive things you’d like more of.

Choose two things you can change, adapt or let go of, and then deliberately make room for two things that nourish you.

You don’t have to overhaul your entire life overnight. Small, consistent changes can gradually help you feel less stretched, more present and more connected to yourself.

As we move through different stages of life, our needs change, too. What worked for us ten years ago might not work for us today, and that’s perfectly okay. We are allowed to reassess, reset our boundaries and decide what matters most to us now.

Your energy is precious. Spend it on the people, experiences and things that genuinely matter to you.

And perhaps the most important reminder of all: you don’t have to wait until you’re exhausted or running on empty before you give yourself permission to slow down.

Take a breath, grab that piece of paper and start making a little more room for you.

Namaste

Clare
Intuitive Nutrition