When there is too much to do

Sometimes there is simply too much to do and no amount of mindset work is going to make that "just a thought..."

Deliverables at work

Meetings to attend

Children to care for

Errands to run

Caregiving to provide

Birthdays to celebrate

Conversations to have

Dogs to walk

One on ones to conduct

Letters to send

Volunteer work to do

Reports to research

Presentations to prepare

Travel to schedule

Meals to make or order

Household chores to do

Lawns to mow

People to call

Invoices to send

Yards to weed

Training the new team member

Calls to return

Medical care to schedule

Exercise to fit in

And on and on and on.... And acknowledging this can create overwhelm.

This list racing in your brain prevents sleep, or rest. It creates worry, resentment, exhaustion.  And probably does not lay the path to calmly take action. 

There is a lot of thought work that can reduce overwhelm, but today I am sharing an action.  Just one.  Ready for it? 

MAKE A DECISION. Overwhelm is often created by unmade decisions that swim around in your brain as questions like: 

• When can I do this?
• Who can do this?
• Why do I always get myself in these situations?
• When will I learn to say No? 
• When will I have time to do this?
• What should I do next?
• What is most important?
• What shall we eat?
• How should I approach this report?
• Who needs to be included in this meeting?
• When will there be time for that conversation? 
• and so on and so on.

First, breathe. Just breathe. Then acknowledge that you are able to breathe. Wow. And you didn't have to make a decision about that. That's how incredible your body is. She just breathes without needing you to make a decision.  Love her. 

Next try this idea: Write everything down that you think you need to do.  Everything.  Then, put an E beside those things that will be easy. And, put an H beside those things that will be hard.  Then, go over the entire list and put an L beside what will have a low impact. And, a B beside what will have a big impact.  Then... Sequence your list

#1. Highlight in green all that are easy with an big impact

#2. Highlight in pink all that are hard with a big impact.

#3. Highlight in yellow all that are easy with a low impact.

#4. Highlight in orange all that are hard with a low impact. 

And just like that the decisions have been made about what to do next.  And, then take this next crucial step..

Delete or delegate the hard low impact items on the list.  And assign the remaining, each one, a day and time on your calendar. Then obey your calendar. 

No more spinning. 

No more negotiating with yourself about what to do next.

You've decided.

It's on your calendar.

And, when you get pop ins or phone calls or urgent texts... Stop. Pause. Breathe. Be present with the person, call or text, and then add it to the sequence.  Or, assign a time each day when you are open to interruptions and train others to honor the red velvet rope you have created around your non-interruption hours.  (including children!)  This prevents you from changing the laundry and watering the plants (easy, low impact) when you know making that phone call to that person will move the needle more in your life (hard, big impact)

Let me know how it goes.