Every year we come home from our annual trip to Blue Spirit Retreat Center in Costa Rica, after spending time with Deva Premal, Miten, Manose and Raffia, filled with promises to take more time for ourselves. And yet, every year our level of busy only seems to ramp up as our calendar quickly fills with yoga classes to teach, teacher trainings to facilitate and people that call upon us to help them heal their body, mind and souls.

Now please don’t misunderstand — we feel honored and blessed to have these opportunities as part of our life’s work – it’s just that stepping away from doing and embracing the act of being is a dance we’re still working on.

Here are 3 favorite quick and easy strategies that I do - so I have more time to simply be:

1. Take some time on Sunday (and again during the week if need be) to prepare your foods and supplements for the week so they’re ready and waiting when you are. I LOVE this “Salad in a Jar” idea!

2. Do 3 to 5 Sun Salutations A and B each day. Did you know by doing this you’ll access nearly every joint and muscle in your body? That’s right – forward folds and backbends included!

{Click the image to watch a video tutorial of Sun Salutations A & B}

3. Give thanks before you chow down on breakfast, lunch and dinner (yup, good ol’ “Grace”). Now how does this create more time, you ask? When you take a few seconds to acknowledge the good in your life, almost miraculously, struggle and lack of anything (especially time) graciously steps aside and more good comes your way! Giving thanks doesn’t need to involve a lot of fanfare, in fact the act of simply saying “Thank you” (out loud works best) with sincere intention of directing those words to God, Goddess, All that Is, works beautifully!

Do you have some favorite strategies or routines that help you create the space to “be” in your life?