One day at a time. One hour at a time. One minute at a time.

Life is so much better when you’re not wasting it away by worrying about what is going to happen next.

I’m a constant worrier. If I’m not worried about something, I’m worried about the fact that I’m not worried about anything. Worrying is just something that is in my nature. I can’t help it.

The other day I cam to the realization that I’m wasting away my life by worrying so much. I’ve stopped living in the moment because I’m always so caught up in what my next move is going to be. I’m tired of not living in the moment. I’m tired of spending all of my time thinking about what could go wrong. Worrying doesn’t get you anywhere, and I’m glad that I was able to come to that conclusion.

People can tell you over and over again that worrying is a waste of time, but until you realize it yourself, you’re not going to do anything about it. However, when you do decide that you’re tired of being a chronic worrier, try to think of life in small fragments instead of constantly looking at the big picture.

One day at a time. One hour at a time. One minute at a time. Say that to yourself. Say it over and over until it sticks with you and becomes a part of your daily mantra.

Focus on what you are doing right now. Make a list of your plans for the day and accomplish everything on that list, one thing at a time. At the end of the day you will realize that all of the small things on that list added up to a really productive day.

Everything always seems more stressful when you look at the big picture. If you start off your day by thinking about every single thing that you have to do and wondering how you’ll have time for it all, you’ll overwhelm yourself. Breaking your day down into small tasks is the best way to make life seem less overwhelming.

Honestly, my planner is my best friend. That probably makes the list of the top ten nerdiest things I’ve ever said, but it’s true. I write everything down in my planner and I try my best to stick to the plan throughout the week. I set a certain number of “tasks” to accomplish each day, and if I don’t accomplish one of them that day then it’s the first thing I do the next morning. It’s so satisfying to be able to cross out everything on my “to-do” list, and the list really makes everything seem more manageable.

I’m no longer going to let myself get worked up and overwhelmed by the amount of things that I have to do. Everyone is busy and everyone feels stressed sometimes, but it’s all about how you handle that stress. Instead of letting my crazy schedule get the best of me, I’m going to channel that energy into productivity. I’ve learned that the key to productivity is to take life one minute at a time.

There is no point in worrying about what you have to do next week or even tomorrow. Focus on right now. Be present and don’t dwell on the past or the future. Living in the moment is the only way to make life enjoyable. The happiest people are the ones who choose to take life one minute at a time.

I urge you all to take your life one minute at a time. Enjoy right now and focus on one task at a time. Your future self will thank you for it.