If you are like me, you like heaping lots of things onto your plate. At the buffet line or in life, you love the abundance of having many things going at once.
Then this crazy thing happens – when overwhelm approaches, we don’t let go of things. We add MORE! I don’t know why I pile more on.
What happened to the joyful abundance? We’ve gorged on possibility and now we’re the rushed, anxious, slightly crazy person we avoid at the grocery store.
The problem is, we can only digest so much. We can only DO so much. And we don’t realize we’ve gone too far until we’re cranky, sleep deprived and anxious. How to reel it in so we can enjoy life?
Here’s what I do to stay sane.
First, I look at the calendar. I’ve got all month, right? That should be plenty of time to get everything done, do everything.
But when I subtract travel days and days when visitors are here, I see the actual work days available. And there’s not that much time.
When I did this for October, instead of 31 days to get stuff done, I actually had 15 days. That was sobering.
Then I do step two. I make a large sign and hang it by the calendar. It’s made of three words:
This means nothing more. No more outings, no friend dates, no new projects, no more client calls. The door on possibility has shut for this month. It’s the month of inhabiting and enjoying what I have committed to.
This might also mean no more media. We become obsessed with the disasters happening and listen endlessly to news even when there is no new news.
Part of me pouts; she wants to do everything! She wants to read every newsletter and sign up for every new class. She wants to believe in the joy of infinite possibility.
But a bigger part of me draws a sigh of relief. She doesn’t have to do any more than she’s already committed to. Phew!
If you are feeling overwhelmed and not enjoying it, try this two-step process to creative sanity. It works great at holiday time, too.
Try this and let us know below how it worked for you. Share your strategies for coping with overwhelm.
I needed this, thanks
My pleasure, Alicia!
This is such a great 2-step system of getting really clear on what’s what for the work ahead. Once I did it, I knew the time I had to do the things I’d committed to and that made it easier to book the actual time needed for each project, based on deadlines.
Thank you, Cynthia! I love it when you help me get clear.
So glad, Linda! It’s great to feel the space and focus you described.
I love helping you get clear, too!
Thanks so much for this! So very, very much!
Oh My Cynthia! You nailed it!
Thank you Deb!
I love, “The door of possibility has shut for this month”! It makes me squirm, but also feel a weight lift. Thank you, Cynthia, for hitting a nerve in such a bold but generous way!
Jan,
Good to notice the squirm and the relief.
I love this: >>hitting a nerve in such a bold but generous way!<< Thank you for that. I would love to be bold and generous!
This is a godsend for me right now. Thank you! My favorite: “It’s the month of inhabiting and enjoying what I have committed to.” You put a positive, draw-me-to-it frame on what is otherwise anxiety about saying NO MORE.
SO so glad, Kelly! It was helpful for me to remember that I want to enjoy all the things in my life, and that this month is unusually busy.
Glad you are inspired by this. 🙂
Oh my Cynthia, this is simple, logical yet so powerful. I love knowing, at a glance, when to say no and move it to next month’s schedule. Thanks so much!