Are you having one of those days where you’re so SCATTERED and have SO MUCH to do that you don’t get ANYTHING done?
Ouch! I feel your pain!
It’s not easy running a home and a business. You’ve got kids’ schedules, list-building and food prep; laundry and client calls; networking, banking and just trying to squeeze in a few minutes of exercise and alone time.
Not to mention staying focused, and confident, and know what you’re doing.
Even if it’s 4 pm and you’re cursing yourself up and down for wasting another day, try one of these fail-safe cures.
1. Take your Wonder Woman pose and breathe.
Stand with feet apart, chest tall, eyes to the ceiling, and hands on your hips. Take 5 very deep breaths. By getting your energy moving and breathing, you move out of your head and back into your body. You get that circulatory energy flowing.
Assuming this power pose for just 2 minutes has been found to increase testosterone and cortisol levels—super helpful hormones that likely aren’t high when you’re in paralysis or overwhelm and looking at Facebook feeling terrible about yourself. (Check out Amy Cuddy’s fantastic Ted Talk if you’re interested in learning more about body language and power.)
2. Complete just ONE small action
What happens in overwhelm is that the brain cannot distinguish the importance of one task over another. Everything is equivalent. That’s why you might find yourself out raking leaves when you have a really crucial phone call to return.
And right now, you only want to take one single, small action.
So…
What’s one thing you could do to move forward toward your goal—even a tiny bit?
What’s the first thing that has to happen on a key project?
What is one small thing you could do to feel successful today?
Do that one thing.
- Make one call.
- Spend five minutes writing your blog.
- Answer that email.
- Check your bank balance.
Remember: Action is the ONLY antidote for overwhelm.
Download your Save the Day Cheat Sheet here so you have these tips handy!
3. Ask Questions to CONNECT Back to Your WHY.
Here’s where asking yourself GOOD questions is so important.
(Asking yourself, “Why am I such a loser?” is not going to help. Your mind just scans for evidence—and evidence of your loser-hood won’t move you forward…Trust me on this!)
Opt for questions like these:
- What’s most important about this business to me?
- What made me want to do this?
- Who do I need to BE to have the business I know I can have?
- What would a successful person do with their time right now?
- How will I feel when this business is successful?
- What values am I honoring by creating this successful business?
Jot down your answers. Feel the feelings of success, accomplishment, and desire. Now, take action from this very powerful place.
4. Focus on how AMAZING, PSYCHED + RELIEVED you will feel when you get that one thing done.
For me, this is sometimes the only way to motivate my action forward. I imagine how I’m going to feel as I’m climbing into bed knowing that blog is written, the invoices are sent, the bank balance is checked. Sweet, satisfied relief. Whatever the task is in front of you, the feeling of having it BEHIND you is incredibly compelling.
5. Turn off the computer.
I know, I know. This one feels counterintuitive. It is way too easy to get locked in what I Call “Screen Land.” And when you’re there, it’s just about impossible to have any healthy perspective. It’s hard to escape the rabbit hole of all things screen-related. Because as long as that computer is open, you’re going to sit and stare at it.
When I start to feel that screen-land grip, I’ve trained myself to close the computer and just step away. As soon as I do so, the screen stops compelling my attention. My stress level drops tenfold.
So turn it off. Go fold laundry, walk outside, play with the dog… anything that doesn’t involve looking at a screen.
And, remember, that this just one day—take the 30,000-foot perspective. You are going to regroup and get back on track. I promise!
Really helpful post!