1.  The first step is to face the truth of the negative consequences of over-doing.  This assessment may be uncomfortable (the truth often is), but you're more likely to be motivated to make a shift if you are fully aware of the impact of your behavior.

 

Make a list of specific ways that over-doing is affecting you mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually.  How are the areas of health, family, friendships, fun/recreation and work being impacted?  If you decide that you want to integrate being into your life more.......

 

2.  Commit to small changes.  Small, attainable action steps add up and lead to lasting results.

 

Identify who, where and what connects you to being.  For example:

Looking out the window, listening to soothing music, swimming, walking, meditating, gardening, playing with your cat.

 

Gently and gradually include some of these items into your life.  After 2 hours of email and phone calls, pause for a minute and take 3 conscious breaths.  Two hours later, take a 10 minute walk in a quiet area.  At the end of the day, stretch, meditate or free write in your journal.  Doing and being can work together very nicely.

 

3.  Practice presence.  Being present means being fully engaged (body, mind, feelings, spirit) in the here and now, with whatever is in front of us, moment to moment.  Many of us are strong thinking types and we're in our heads more than our bodies or feelings.  Practicing presence can be a simple choice as you move through the day to notice from time to time if you're here or if you're lost in thought, fantasy or some other distraction.  When we open to experience just the way it is, we align with being, moving with the river of life rather than trying to shape events to conform to our needs and expectations.