I vowed that after my vacay I’d be at my personal best. Re-energized and full of gusto.
“Bring it on world. I’ll make this the most incredible month yet.”
And then it happened.
It took me by surprise, slowly lurking on the sidelines. And then BAM…right in my face.
Everywhere I turned, “it” was there.
- Dozens of unopened emails.
- A suitcase or backpack to be unpacked.
- Countless texts and calls.
- Piles of mail swarming my kitchen counter.
Overwhelm literally rose up in my body. I could feel it from my gut to my lungs to a big, no, massive lump in my throat.
How would I reach my big goals when I could barely stay afloat in the moment?
Maybe you’ve been there.
Pumped to make epic changes, internalizing the fierce power you know you have inside you – to then get bogged down by all the “stuff.”
Trust me, no matter how good your intentions, it happens.
And you know what? It’s OKAY.
In fact, it’s what makes you your loving, overachieving, nurturing self.
What’s NOT okay is to get stuck in this type of crippling thinking.
To let it take control of your actions, paralyze you, or stunt your growth.
So here’s what to do instead. (And yes, it’s a 3-step easy peasy process because that’s what I do). 😉
STEP ONE: Acknowledge the overwhelm.
Yup, that’s right. Take it in. Let it settle. Acknowledge what’s happening.
But limit this time to 5 minutes. Yes, five minutes.
—> Not three hours of wallowing.
—> Not two days of procrastinating.
—> Not one week of denial.
Five minutes to recognize you got a lot of shizzle going on and you need a plan to get out from under it.
STEP TWO: Do a brain dump.
Get a piece of paper (or open a word doc). And write like a crazy person.
Write every thought that comes to mind about what you need to get done.
Releasing the anxiety swirling around your brain is so cathartic.
Writing down everything also helps you ‘SEE’ priorities.
Like, when I wrote “return prospect call” and “go through mail” – I immediately ‘SAW’ the call was more important.
With a million thoughts spinning, I didn’t know what to focus on first.
But as soon as I saw it on a list, it was clear to me.
STEP THREE: Look at your list and prioritize next steps.
Here’s a question I constantly ask myself:
“If there were only three things I could get done today, what would they be?”
Of course there about 87,000 things you’d like to get done in a day.
But what are your TOP 3? What are the completed tasks that you would make you feel the best before your head hits the pillow at night?
Answering these questions guides your focus and builds momentum.
Okay, so those are the steps I go through when I’m drowning in overwhelm, and I know you can do these too.
Quick Recap:
1) Acknowledge the overwhelm (but don’t wallow more than 5 minutes)
2) Do a brain dump (write it ALL down)
3) Prioritize and focus on your TOP 3 most important tasks
Now your turn: What will your TOP 3 actions be for tomorrow? (The most important tasks you MUST get done).
Leave a comment and let me know.
My accountability promise:
I will personally check in on you the next day to see how it went. So be sure to reply now.
Every day of your gorgeous life is precious. There’s no time to get stuck anxiety or in putting things off.
P.S. If you’d love to make better use of your time and wake up with a plan you’ll actually stick to, let’s chat. Schedule a time here.
P.P.S. Check out my latest podcast: Choose Your Overwhelm will help you get the results you want. Get your ears on it here: Apple | Spotify| My Site
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