Do you ever feel like you’re going a bit crazy with all the things on your plate? I hate saying “I’m so busy” because we are all busy and when I feel overwhelmed, it probably means I’m not doing a great job of prioritizing. I fear that I am often doing many things (blogging! working! teaching!) but doing all of those things at a mediocre level. Maybe it’s because we can so readily compare ourselves to those around us and feel like we are doing a less than stellar job, when it’s not necessarily the case (let’s dive into this more at a later time, shall we?).
I’ve been feeling stretched thinner than normal with the layer of wedding planning on top of all the other things I’m doing, plus there is another big thing in the works which I will share with you later (sorry to be vague!) that adds to my list.
When we get this overwhelmed feeling, how do we get out of it? I’ve been thinking about this a lot and here’s where I’m at.
- Prioritize. Take a look at everything in your life and prioritize what you care about. Are there things on that list that you do out of routine but not out of passion or need? Perhaps it’s time to drop a few items from your to-do list (full disclosure, I haven’t done this yet but I hope to soon!).
- Just Say No. I used to feel bad saying no to plans, or telling someone that sure, I’d love to have dinner with them, but can it be in 3 weeks? I’ve learned that this is necessary in order to not overload your schedule, leading to exhaustion. Plans with friends are great, but I can’t have them every night, it’s not for me. I like being social but I also need nights at home to relax, cook and get things done and maybe sometimes that means laying on the couch doing nothing but cuddling with my dog (because honestly what is better than that?). If someone asks me to meet them for dinner but I already have dinner plans 3x that week, I no longer feel bad about scheduling the plans for a few weeks out. It gives us all a chance to better balance our commitments.
- Get Proper Sleep. How many times can I write about this before I actually do it? I’m not sure, but I’ll keep you posted. Seriously though, I know I need seven hours of sleep and sometimes it happens, and mostly it doesn’t. I’m working on it (and will be for the rest of time, get used to me repeating myself).
- Eat Nutritious Food. Because I’m healthy most of the time, when I’m not, boy do I feel it. Since I’m an all-or-nothing girl, when I decide to break my healthy habits, I go overboard. Don’t believe me? This weekend I was home in MD and had fries with 4 meals in two days. It was delicious but now I’m paying for it. I’ll never stray from indulging, but it’s key for me to quickly get myself back on track. I do this by eating clean and always having proper snacks on hand to get me through the day, favorites include That’s it bars, Premier Protein shakes, dried fruit with no added sugar and raw nuts.
- Hydration Nation. I’m weirdly obsessed with the filtered water system at my office, which happily keeps my H20 levels up. I do my best to chug a full glass of water with fresh lemon first thing in the morning to start my day off right. It can be a challenge when I’m rushing out the door for an early morning cycling class, but I’ve gotten into the habit and can feel the positive changes.
When I feel overwhelmed, I take a deep breath, refer to the above list and get myself back on track.
*Giveaway!*
When you’re feeling overwhelmed, how do you deal? Share your tips below and I’ll pick a winner to receive a $20 Starbucks gift card (my answer to a stressful afternoon at work: a coffee break stroll with coworkers) and a variety pack of products from Premier Protein.
