I was going to name this post ‘What To Do When You Can’t Cope With Life’, however I thought that might be a little dramatic! On a serious note – this post comes at a very fitting time for me (as I’m sure many of you guys out there have experienced at one time another) – with experiencing fairly frequent feelings of ‘How the hell do I manage to get done what I need to get done for a) My day job b) My business c) My life and ever get any sleep?!‘
But fear not! I’ve realised that stress is a state of mind, not reality, so with some creative thinking we can overcome the overwhelming feeling of busy-ness and start slashing our way through those to do lists.
The thing about stress is that once it’s weaseled its way into your head it’s very hard to stop yourself from running for the proverbial hills to hide away, hoping that your list of things to do will somehow magically disappear. Therefore, the first step is acceptance, and action.
I’ve managed to get my head around my lack of time at the moment, so here’s what I’ve learnt – Here are my tips for getting back in control of your time and on top of your goals once again.
Accept You’re Not Perfect
This is definitely a hard one for me, but it’s so important. Making yourself even more stressed out when you already feel zapped isn’t going to help, so think about all the other people out there who find it tough too. It’s OK! We’re all snowed-under at one time or another, so just remember to breathe and stop yelling at yourself because you didn’t get everything done today. Tomorrow is here soon enough, and have faith that eventually, you’ll be on top of it.
Don’t Think About What You Need To Do
I know this contradicts earlier posts about planning and list making, but sometimes a list can stress me out even more if I’m feeling particularly against the clock. Some days I trick myself and say ‘Ok, you don’t have to do this today…just relax and do some other things‘…sure enough, by the end of the day I’ll have done that thing I’ve been putting off! Reverse Psychology – god love it!
Take Time Out To Exercise
What, you’re telling me to make more room in my schedule?! Yep, I’m telling you. Get up an hour earlier to do yoga, go for a walk or do a gym class (or CrossFit, for those bad-asses out there) and within a week a promise you will feel a whole lot calmer than you do now. Endorphins = stress relief, so get the blood pumping to help deal with your day. I personally like exercising in the morning as it helps to still my thoughts and gives me the confidence to know I can handle whatever the day throws at me.
Do Nothing
If you’re feeling really burnt out, then honestly the best thing you can do is just to do nothing. Nothing is more important than your health and sanity, so if your motivation level is at an all time low and you feel like throwing it in, just give yourself a day, week or whatever you need and get back on the horse when you’re ready.
Plan And Prioritize
Once you feel your batteries starting to charge up again then think of your most important tasks and focus only on them – forget the rest for now. You’ll feel great ticking things off the list, and you’ll probably find with a bit of momentum you’ll soon have everything you need to get done, done. Too easy!
Photo Credit – Thanks to Wolfgang Staudt (Attribution License)
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Thanks for the great list! It contains both reminders and interesting new stuff for me.
On your point about perfection: I thought just this morning, when travelling back to my little home business from the school run, that I personally don’t thrive on perfection, but on growing things. I love trying out new things and growing big projects, like my website. I usually apply the 80:20 rule (80% right, 20% to improve) when doing new things, and then improving them step by step. This creates faster and better results than holding off on a new project until it’s 100% right.
My big weaknesses – and I am very aware of them! – are not taking time to exercise and doing nothing. Your post made me think them over again, thanks!
Barbara
I find the suggestion to exercise particularly useful and beneficial. Regular exercise helps keep my mind sharp, productive, and creative!
I agree Daniel, if you have a healthy body you have a healthy mind better able to cope with stress!
Hi Barbara, thanks so much for taking the time to comment. Its great that you know ‘how you tick’ and what you strive for, that way you know exactly what you need to do in times of stress. Good luck with working on your exercise and relaxation time – let me know how you get on!