I hope that the last few posts have helped you feel a bit more in control – and a lot less stressed.
It’s easy to get overwhelmed by things, whether it’s actual stuff or stuff that needs to be done, and I’ve found that some of the things I’ve mentioned over the last couple of weeks have helped me deal with things.
I hope they’ve helped you too. Before I finish this series of posts, there are a few more things I’ve found useful…
Don’t over react
Don’t react to life; respond to it. If you’re constantly running around reacting to things, rather than responding to them in a way that works for you – you’ll end up stressed, tired and probably shouting at someone who doesn’t deserve it.
Focus most of your energy on the things that matter most or which are most rewarding (emotionally or financially). Apply the Pareto Law of doing the 20% of things that bring in 80% of the possible benefits.
Delegate
Don’t be afraid to delegate – and not just at work.
If you have children they can pitch in with simple chores (it not only saves you time and keeps them out of mischief, but it helps them develop useful life-skills, they may grumble now, but they’re likely to thank you later when they don’t end up living in squalor because they don’t know how a bottle of bathroom cleaner works).
If you have a partner they can – and should – help out with household tasks, after all it’s their home too.
The only reason to do everything yourself is if you actually live by yourself.
Unload…
De-cluttering isn’t just about a tidy house and saying good-bye to toxic people in your life.
You can de-clutter your brain as well, if you find yourself side-tracked by an idea or thought, write it down and focus on it later, when you have time and strength.
Making lists can also be helpful – many people find writing down the things they need to do the following day can help them relax and get a better night’s sleep.
Be realistic
I don’t mean admit that you’re probably never going to be Brad Pitt’s leading lady or that that unchecked lottery ticket in your wallet is going to be a winner – there’s nothing wrong with the occasional daydream. But in every day life, you need to set realistic goals and focus on the things you can achieve – not only is reaching those goals great motivation, it means you’re not spending time and energy on something that you know deep down is out of reach.
Stop putting things off
We’re all prone to procrastination, especially when it’s a task we’re not overly keen on.
But guess what? The sooner you start, the sooner you’ll finish and the dreaded tax return / ironing pile / whatever will be in the past, not looming over you.
You know it has to be done, so get it done, move on and focus on something more enjoyable. Focus on the thing in hand, even if it’s terrible and tedious, and don’t get distracted by other things (disclaimer: when dealing with utterly grim things like unclogging the loo, it’s perfectly OK to remind yourself that once you’ve finished you can have a nice hot shower and then reward yourself with one of the posh biscuits you usually save for visitors!).
Plan ahead
In an earlier post I mentioned the benefits of making lists if you’ve got a lot on. A good things-to-do list not only helps you make sure that nothing gets missed, but ticking off tasks can be a great motivator.
Plan not just for the day ahead, but for the week ahead – in my case, with three kids’ activities and appointments to keep track of, it’s essential to make sure that everyone (including me) is where they need to be on the right day.
I usually spend an hour or so on a Sunday reviewing the week ahead, noting down which days we have things on, listing things that need to be done (there’s always something that’s cropped up during the previous week) and making sure the usual weekly tasks (like ironing) are scheduled in somewhere.
It is helpful to rank tasks by how important they are, so that the things that NEED to be done get done – it can be incredibly easy to spend time on the less urgent stuff either because it’s more fun or because it’s at the front of your mind.
Review the list every evening and reprioritise things if need be, so stuff you didn’t manage to do today, goes onto tomorrow’s list and things that are less pressing can be dropped if need be.
You can do it!
It might all sound a bit daunting, but believe me, once you get into the habit of following these routines it becomes a piece of cake.
And don’t forget, research shows that it takes between two weeks and three months (depending which research you read) to develop new habits so don’t worry if it takes a little time to get into the groove!
If you want to know more on how to organise your time and life better contact me https://claudiaromerocoaching.com/contact/
