Archive for overwhelm
Who Else Wants to End 2010 With a Bang?
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Summer has hardly settled into Autumn and already I’m starting to see Holiday advertisements long before I’m ready to even think about shopping, cooking, entertaining and decorating. Maybe it’s just me, but everything seems rushed and the weeks just seem to fly by.
I still have a lot to accomplish before year end and maybe you do too. And no matter how much you plan and organize, you are still adding to your to-do-list.
I don’t know about you but with a little over than 3 months left in 2010, I have many miles to go before I sleep!
So, who else wants to end 2010 with a bang?
I sure do.
And, here are some tips to give you a head start to end 2010 with a bang:
- Review your goals – Review the things you want to accomplish and If necessary, make adjustments to the goals you sent at the beginning on the year. Focus only on those goals that you can realistically achieve in the next fifty- three days.
- Create an action plan – An action plan is not your to do list! An action plan clearly details each step you will take to reach your goal. For example, you may want to finish your book before the end of year. So your plan would be to write 1-2 pages a day for an hour every day.
- Stay committed – If you are not committed to following your plan, you can easily be derailed by busy-ness, procrastination and intrusions.
- Get some rest – It’s difficult to follow your plan when you are overtired and frustrated. Don’t burn the candle at both ends or you will surely burnout and not have the energy to follow through.
- Organize – Clutter can easily cause you to be distracted and overwhelmed. Make sure your workspace is free of clutter so that you remain focused and clear.
As you approach the end of the year, keep in mind that it’s not too late to accomplish what you set out to do in January. Revise, review and reinvent how you want the last few months of the year to look. I’ll be doing the same and I would love for you to connect with me to share your progress.
Gladys M. Anderson Empowerment Specialist
Certified Life Coach, Family therapist and Group Coaching Specialist, Gladys M. Anderson, helps nurses, teachers, social workers, therapists and other care-giving women to set limits so they have more time, more joy and more energy for self-care. To get tips, start living out loud with more enthusiasm, energy, passion, and self-confidence now, get your FREE copy of Building Strong Boundaries to Create More Breathing Space in Your Hectic Life
Take a Power Hour to Stop Overwhelm
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According to the National Association of Professional Organizers, 60% of Americans feel they do not have enough time to get everything done.
This past week I certainly was part of that 60%! As I unsuccessfully attempted to check off everything I had on my to-do list, I felt like I was trying to fit a square peg in a round hole!
Maybe you’re also overwhelmed with the sheer volume of items on your to-do list! Or, perhaps, you underestimated the time needed, or fell prey to interruptions because you didn’t set strong time boundaries.
With a mountain of paperwork facing you, phone calls to make, tasks/chores to be done and all the other things you want to check off your to-do-list, you’re more than likely to procrastinate and shuffle mindlessly from one thing to another. And, at the end of the day, feel you have wasted time and accomplished little, if anything.
Well, I recommend you take a power hour to stop overwhelm so that you can take a step back, re-energize and reassess what’s really important now.
Here’s how you can quickly get from overwhelmed, foggy, and frustrated to seeing some astonishing results while renewing your energy source, gaining clarity and a sense of achievement.
- Set a timer for an hour to work on just one task. Setting a time to complete just one thing helps to manage your time and quickly gives you a sense of accomplishment. When the hour is up, take a 10-minute break – get something to drink or go for a short walk. When you return, you will feel mentally and physically alert and ready to take on the next power hour.
- Use part of your 10-minute break to take several some deep breaths. Breathing deeply gives you clarity, focus and renewed energy.
- If it fits into your day, take a power nap. A power nap is good way to refresh quickly. Researchers at NASA showed that a 30-minute power nap increased alertness by approximately 40 percent! I find taking just a 10-15 minute nap refreshing.
- Realign your expectations with the reality of what is possible to accomplish within a given time frame. Rome wasn’t built in a day and you won’t accomplish everything on your schedule today. Prioritize your to-do-list based on what’s most important.
- If your workspace is cluttered, spend the first power hour clearing away all unnecessary papers, pens, etc. before you begin working on your first task. Note: This is not the time to rearrange files, clean out a drawer, sort books, etc. Instead, your main goal is to clear a space where your energy and creativity can flow freely.
- Turn off the ringer on your phone and let any phone calls you receive to go to voice mail so that your “power hour” is not interrupted. You can always check for messages when you take your next break.
Use the tips above to easily use your power hour to stop overwhelm, procrastination, mental drain, and frustration.
If this article resonates with you, please post your thoughts, insights and suggestions in the comment section.
And, to get more tips, start living out loud with more joy, more energy and more time for self-care, get your FREE copy of Building Strong Boundaries to Give You More Breathing Space in Your Hectic Life
Gladys Anderson - Life Coach, Therapist, Author
Certified Life Coach, Family therapist and Group Coaching Specialist, Gladys M. Anderson, helps nurses, teachers, social workers, therapists and other care-giving women to set limits so they have more time, more joy and more energy for self-care.