Featured expert post by Maimah Karmo

I've been called the "B" word before, and I'm sure you have, too -- likewise, we've probably all called ourselves this word.

You hear people say it all the time. "I'm so busy." The curse word that is overused, abused and embraced by way too many entrepreneurs.

Can you count the number of times you've heard it -- or variations of it? "I'm slammed." "I'm underwater." Everyone seems so frenetically busy, piling and piling and piling on more things to do. Now, when I'm told I'm "so busy," I smile because, though I used to be one of those always busy people running a nonprofit and being a mother, these days, I'm living on purpose. I've found a difference between being busy and living on purpose. I believe two words separate these ideas: discipline and intention.

"Busy" often translates into overwhelmed, stressed, not being able to breathe, feeling harried or pressured -- and can even cause high cortisol levels. Yet, people wear this "busy" status as a badge of honor, feeling as if the more they have to do, the more important it will make them appear. When you're so busy all the time, however, you can't see the forest for the trees and your way of life can become skewed. Instead, choose to live on purpose for the following five reasons.

1. Feel the joy of why you started.

Whether you're in the corporate or nonprofit world, you got into your work for a reason. You felt a passion that compelled you to launch a venture and create something out of nothing. You felt driven, excited, inspired and full of energy and hope.

As your business grows, you might find yourself overwhelmed and with too much to do. You may have meetings back to back, not enough time to do everything that needs to be done, not enough resources and not enough you. At some point, if you're not careful, you'll find that you lose the joy in your work -- the thing that got you started becomes an albatross of sorts. You may even begin to resent your "why."

It's important to remember why you started and, as you grow your business, to stay intentional and enjoy the manifestation of your dream. There were several points in time when I asked myself, "Why am I doing this?" While I loved my work, it eventually took so much away from my personal life and I found I wasn’t happy. I was tired, stressed and felt obligated to my work all of the time. Once I started to pull back and became strategic in my approach to my calendar, I began having more fun in my life, which led to a renewed joy toward my work.

2. Regain focus.

Does this sound familiar? You started out your day with five to seven key things you want to accomplish, but somewhere along the way, you end up with more on your list and don't accomplish what you originally set out to do. Your plate got so full that you couldn’t finish eating the first serving before two more servings piled on. So, you end up over-stuffed, uncomfortable and frustrated.

Observe your life as it is happening. Focus on key goals and complete those first. Now that I’ve learned to say "no" to things that come up, I’m able to say "yes" to myself and to my priorities. I’m valuing these things and creating the space to honor what I want to manifest.

3. Live your life on purpose.

When we allow life to become a frantic rat race, we are not living on purpose but on a prayer that something magical will happen in our lives to relieve us of all this work -- someone will someday take some work off our plates or it’ll all get done one day and things will change. That something, someone or one day will likely never come.

Set your vision for your day and take your life back. I now set time on my calendar between meetings to meditate, go for a walk, lay down or put on some music and dance. I make time for self-care and mental health moments -- I journal, use essential oils, get a massage or meditate. Sometimes, I schedule time to do nothing, and when people ask me if I’m busy, I say "yes," because I'm purposefully taking time for me.

4. Keep your boundaries.

When we are so busy all of the time and can’t seem to keep up, the lines begin to blur between work, home life and "me time." You may begin to bring work into parts of your home life where you shouldn’t -- like during mealtimes, bedtime hours and even when you’re with your spouse, family and friends. If you can’t find a healthy balance and your personal life starts to suffer, you might need to step back and assess your pace.

Look at where the pressure is coming from and try to alleviate it. Often, as purpose-driven leaders, we tend to sacrifice self for passion and while that is admirable, it is not sustainable, nor does it allow us to nurture other important parts of our lives.

5. Maintain good health.

In my experience, people who are chronically busy often forget to take care of themselves. They’ll sacrifice a workout to answer a few more emails. They’ll grab something unhealthy to eat because their body craves comfort food. They don’t get enough sleep, and when they do sleep, they don’t rest. They may drink too much, eat too much sugar and carry on an illicit, unhealthy affair with their electronics because they can’t quite disconnect.

The truth is, your body is where you live. Without your health, there is nothing else. Take care of yourself, mentally and physically, to continue working towards your mission.Learn to stop, breathe, prioritize and put yourself and your goals first. There is power in the pause -- claim that power and don’t allow yourself to be so busy that you lose your passion, purpose and the promise of life.

Meet the Unicorn, Maimah. She is a best-selling author, speaker transformational coach and cancer survivor. She is also a soul-purpose seeker, philanthropist, mother and bad ass. She has faced every challenge in her life with faith and used them as catalysts for transformation. Having escaped from her native country of Liberia alone, at 15 years old, Maimah is the definition of a warrior. She has survived three wars, being held at gunpoint and being hit by lightning. At 32 years old, she was diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer, and founded Tigerlily Foundation while undergoing chemotherapy treatment.. She is a Zen Hustlers guest contributor: Maimah Karmo.

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