Have you ever felt this way?
Overwhelmed. I do. I did this afternoon as I walked into my home after taking my kids to the movies for our Spring Break activity.
I walk in and everything that is awaiting my attention springs at me . . .
- the huge piles of laundry that I still need to do - I did a ton yesterday but I am still not finished
- the sticky note reminding me I need to pickup toothpaste and bars and weedeater line
- several sessions that are in various stages of editing that need to be wrapped up and posted
- a card order that was printed and messed up AGAIN that I need to find a new printer for
- floors that need to be deep-cleaned
- running shoes reminding me I need to put in my miles today
- stuff that needs to be picked up and put away
- a quilt that needs to be finished
- dust that needs to be wiped away
and I can go on and on. And did I mention it is spring break? I need to keep my kids busy, having fun, and not lamenting "I'm bored! What can we do now? Where can we go?"
I'd like to think I multi-task like the best of them. However, it seems I sometimes come up short, and many things are started but so many things are needing to be completed. Does this not sound familiar to anyone?
I feel compelled to be like this . . .
However, I often find that although I have my hands in many things, I feel like I am getting less done.
Getting less done frustrates me, especially when there is so much to do!
The other day, when I was finding myself counting to 10, trying not to expel screams of frustration, I received an e-mail from Aby Garvey of SImplify 101 that included a solution to my recurring problem which I want to share with you.
First, I am going to preface it with an excerpt from a movie. In the scene in the movie, a youth minister is sharing with her kids that it is very hard to see things when you are close to them. Isn't it hard to see a light at the end of the tunnel "TO-DO" when your view is blocked? Sometimes I think we just need to kind of go off somewhere and take a "time-out", Step out of the mess or situation and regroup.
By stepping away from things, we have the opportunity to think and re-focus and get back on track which is the purpose of the exercise Aby shared in the e-mail.
She told us to write on a piece of paper "I will get more done if I focus on one thing at a time." Below this reminder - which should be written BIG across the top, we make a list of all the items that are vying for our attention right now. And then you ask yourself "What is the one most important thing for me to work on right now?" You select the task and then you focus all your energy on getting that one task done. Completely. Not half-done so you can start something else. ALL THE WAY DONE. And then you can move onto the next thing. And keep moving forward ONE task at a time.
I started working on this this afternoon, and you know something crazy? It actually works. You see PROGRESS. You get the satisfaction of putting slashes through those things on your list of to-dos instead of standing in a circle of things that are only half-done.
So next time you feel buried or defeated or overwhelmed, go take a time-out.
I am glad I did.
