Tis the season for overwhelm and that busy feeling increasing exponentially, so let’s dive into some simple ways to head overwhelm off at the pass. You can read and click through below, or listen in to this week’s episode of That What She Said!
Make space.
You can make space physically, by clearing your desk or processing orders. You can also make space mentally, by choosing to pursue one task at a time.
Turn off allll the notifications on your phone and desktop. If you need help breaking your phone addiction, Space will help. Find out more here.
Delete all the stuff in your Downloads folder. It’s mostly stuff you don’t know what to do with, and now you can take it off your plate entirely.
Delete programs, PDFs, books, freebies, or downloads you don’t want, are never going to use, or no longer need. Yes, you paid money for that online Bobsledding course, but you still live in Florida, so maybe it’s best to admit defeat and move on.
Prioritize.
If you’re constantly running around and asking yourself what to do when, it’s probably time to get yourself some priorities. Namely: if you run a business, you want to keep business coming in.
Write up your six-month marketing calendar. I’ll show you how.
Send an email to your list. (No shame, no matter how long it’s been or if it’s been never! Check out How to F*&(ing Communicate if you don’t know what to say or where to start! Here’s how to start an email list if you don’t yet have one.
Whittle.
You can’t work for 12 hours and be at home taking care of your family for 12 hours and and run a casual marathon and write your book and listen to 48 podcasts today, because there are only 24 hours in a day.
What’s most important about your work day, and how can you best get that work done?
If this is your biggest struggle, check out The Quietly Subversive 3-Hour Work Day, episode 204 of the podcast!
It can also help to clear up your desktop by organizing folders and deleting what’s not necessary in this moment. If you’re one of those people with 4,822 unread messages — it might be time to declare email bankruptcy by deleting everything and sending a quick note to your contacts saying that you’re starting over.
Schedule.
Schedule recurring tasks. Yes, you really can schedule time to check email or write posts or edit your work or…whatever! Here’s everything I know about time management.
Keep a calendar instead of a to-do list. A to-do list means you’ll knock off the easy stuff and move the gross stuff to tomorrow. A calendar means you’ve got it on lockdown and it will get done, no matter how much you don’t want to do it.
Finally, step away from the screen when your job is done. Find out more about the quietly subversive 3-hour work day.
Make space.
Prioritize.
Whittle.
Schedule.
You got this.
P.S. Breathwork for Overachievers might be helpful, too! This active meditation will help you move through overwhelm within sacred space.