Have you ever had those moments when the things you needed to do literally could look like a swarm of bees above your head? Whether it’s family obligations, school assignments, or work projects, life can get busy. That’s really an understatement. Life can get CRAZY busy sometimes! One thing that can happen to me in times like these is I feel paralyzed. Until I take steps to move forward, I feel like I literally could look above my head and see all of my “to-do’s” swarming above me like an ominous cloud. Once I get going, though, there’s no stopping me.
Here’s how I move forward and past the paralyzed feeling:
1. Take a deep breath! It’s amazing how much a few deep breaths can help. Also, I try to do things like walking my dog outside or doing yoga (even for a few minutes). I’ve discovered doyogawithme.com this year and it’s an awesome resource if you can’t get in a class somewhere.
2. Check it off the list! I am perpetually making lists. Always. I carry around two main things in my purse at all times for work: my notebook and my pocket calendar. Yes, I’m a little old school because I like to write things down, but there’s something about my mind thinking of my task and then my hand physically writing it down that lets me “let go” of it.
3. Prioritize! Once I can see everything I need to do, I often will take a highlighter out and highlight what I need to do today. Then, if I get to other tasks, great. If not, I know I got done the essentials.
4. Reward myself when I’m done. I can get into work mode and not stop. When you love your job, it’s hard to shut it off sometimes. I know my limits and that I need to force myself to take a break and celebrate that I completed the necessary to-do’s.
Life is busy. There are seasons where we cannot always control how busy our life gets. In those times, it is important to not get discouraged when you feel paralyzed by the tasks ahead. Embrace the chaos!