Live a stress free life, who’re you kidding— 80/20-(A)wayougo-Rule

Go to google, type in stress free life, read the quotes and this is, among other self-proclaimed “stress free experts”, what you get:

#1. Take a deep breath. It’s not a bad life, just a bad day.

#2. Just enjoy where you are now.

#3. Remember, most of your stress comes from the way you respond, not the way your life is. Adjust your attitude and all that extra stress is gone.

#4. The people in your life should be a source of reducing stress, not causing it.

#5. This is only temporary.

Guess what, these quotes don’t help anyone. In my case they freak me out even more. I might be a bit of cynic but lets be honest:

#1. I breath everyday normal and breathing does not solve problems.

#2. C’mon, who are you kidding — hearing the neighbours shouting 24h during “home office” times at each other — go home with quote.

#3. Bruh, coming from point 2 — how would you react if you can’t sleep?

#4. Guess what, telling them did not change anything.

#5. Well, neighbors don’t move out.

So, all of you, stay home with these quotes and “self-thought” stress relief experts. Now, the question, how I did solve this problem?

Guess what, I did not because it can’t be solved. It can only be mitigated. And that’s what I realized and want to share with you: Mitigation through my own developed life rule: 80/20 — (a)wayougo.

Well, when you ask an economist about 80/20, he/she directly let you know about the pareto principle — that is 80% of consequences come roughly from 20% of the causes. And guess what, they are right. So from the stress perspective I translate that into 20% of the things around cause 80% of your stress. How to identify the 20% — make a list every time you feel stressed. Write down the point, the situation and you guess what it caused it. That can look like that (contact me if you want more info or the list):

Now how to solve it?

Here is where I’m adding the terminology (a)wayougo, through which I add further meaning to it. Wayougo sounds like made up, right? Guess what, it’s not. It’s a terminology I faced during my travels in Somalia and it simply means in Somali “because”. And that exactly is the thing you need to think about when you apply the 80/20 rule. Because. BeCause. BE CAUSE. BE THE CAUSE. Be the cause for the 20% to gain the 80% - Simple as that. Let me give you some examples:

(A)wayougo sounds like made up, right? Guess what, it’s not.

1. Stressfull homework from the teacher: Create your own homework (or download it online) with the solution you already have and give it to the teacher so he should use it for the class (meaning you get a good impression, possibly a good mark and you already finished the work as you have the solution).
2. Stressfull neighbours: Turn up the music even louder so they freek out of you and become the cause for their own restless sleep so they realize and start listening to you.
3. Stressfull task in the job: Make your own tasks, put them in your calender or (if possible) give them to other persons — so you have more time for yourself.
4. …….

Well that’s it and finally, if all these things do not work — well that is where the (a) comes in and you have to just leave - AWAY YOU GO.