What do you do when you have too much to do? How do you focus when it’s all important? How do you function and stay productive when there is simply too much to get it all done? What about when you are overwhelmed but you have to keep going, know you need to simplify but aren’t sure how, or simply have too much on your plate?
These are questions I get asked all the time. These are issues that can constantly challenge and overwhelm busy women.
Here in part 3 of this blog series: Four Ways to Stop Stressing, Stop Doing Too Much, and Create Some Inner Peace.
1. The obvious: say No, delegate, and ask for help. You know these are important. We won’t dwell on these. I will ask you to ask yourself whether you are really using these skills competently. If these are your weak muscles, you know you need to strengthen them. From experience I will tell you that these skills are key. If you are floundering, consider whether a coach could be helpful to you (and yes, I realize the irony of challenging you to ask or help).
2. Don’t multitask. I know. When we are overloaded and way too busy, it is so tempting to dive in and do as many things at once as we can. While I have held phone conversations while returning emails and cooking dinner, it hasn’t gone well. Research shows that we do not perform nearly as well when we multitask. In fact, it stresses our brain. Not what you want to do when you already have enough stress. Instead . . .
3. Honor your time and energy. When you are overloaded, your time and energy are your most valuable commodities. Make deliberate choices about how you want to spend them. If you are feeling frazzled, make a list of everything that is flitting around in your mind—every to-do, every worry, every priority. Prioritize them. Now pick one to dedicate one hundred percent of your time and energy to over the next 15 minutes. One hundred percent. Move through your day in 15 minute chunks. The key is to know in every moment what you are devoting your time and energy to. Don’t move beyond that, but just keep moving forward.
4. Close your email. Just do it. If you really need to check it, set a timer to reopen it in 30 or 60 minutes. If you’ve never done this, you might just be blown away by how much more you get done.
5. Ligh
t a candle. No, I’m not going all woo-woo on you. Here’s what I’ve noticed. For many people, lighting a candle is a mindful act. It tends to take the edge off and create a more peaceful and focused atmosphere. For some, the act itself reduces the intensity and the stress of the situation. It’s also a nice thing that you can do for yourself during a tough time. While you are at it, consider brewing yourself a fragrant cup of tea.
We all hit busy times. However, if you are finding that your overload and stress are chronic or the norm for you, it is definitely time to seek a change. A quick, no-nonsense tool for adding more ease and flow to a busy life is the Success Soundtrack™ program.
Take good care,
Photo credited to Flikr.com/JonAshcroft
