Spread to Thin
Lately have you noticed your conversations are sprinkled with phrases like “crazy busy” or “I’m swamped" or "I am just feeling overwhelmed?” Many of us can relate. That feeling of being stretched too thin. We all want our days to be rich, productive and purposeful and at the same time we we all have obligations that need to be met.
When our load is heavy, we end up immersed in daily stress. Some stress is unavoidable, but when you start tipping over into a frantic, panicky feeling on a regular basis, it's time to take something off your plate.
Stress triggers cortisol levels to spike which includes your blood pressure and heart rate. It can also cause physical symptoms, dietary issues, as well as anxiety, depression, and irritability. Here’s how to take control and regain balance in your life.
Prioritize effectively: when your slammed with a tidal wave of to-dos, we follow the rule of three. First, that’s asking yourself what is the most important thing you need to accomplish today? Second, staying focused = staying productive not accomplishing more and more…faster and faster. Third, go with your energy times, so if you’re an earlier riser or night owl – use those times of alertness and efficiency to get stuff done!
Accept you're not superhuman: a lot of us feel we have to say yes to anything asked by anyone. However, you need to protect your own bandwidth - and your free time. All of us deserve time for ourselves, that includes self-care, enjoying yummy food, getting enough sleep, and giving ourselves a little compassion. You deserve all that right now, just as you are, without needing to earn it or prove it.
Mastering the art of saying no: one of the main reasons people find themselves spread too thin is the inability to say no. Getting comfortable with declining requests without feeling like you're letting others down can be a challenge. But it’s more important to listen and protect yourself by setting up boundaries and politely declining commitments that you genuinely cannot take on.
Breathe, breathe, breathe: next time someone asks you to volunteer, pitch in on a rush project, or do the dessert board for a party, you may feel you have to answer right then and there. Try taking the time to think things through and stall a little and plan on how you will get this done without pushing your self to the limit. Take the time to to review your schedule and check in with yourself about how much you have going on, and this will help you assess whether you can do it or not.
Give yourself a break: if you find yourself feeling over extended, after making a commitment, you're no good to anyone in your life. If you’re running on fumes, you can't be the best version of yourself and take of the others around you. Don’t be afraid to let someone down (because you aren't) and explain to them that you are feeling overextended right now. If the person is reasonable (and worth your support), they’ll understand. No one wants you to feel burnout and it's ok to guard your time, you are doing a responsible thing.
When our load is heavy, we end up immersed in daily stress. Some stress is unavoidable, but when you start tipping over into a frantic, panicky feeling on a regular basis, it's time to take something off your plate.
Stress triggers cortisol levels to spike which includes your blood pressure and heart rate. It can also cause physical symptoms, dietary issues, as well as anxiety, depression, and irritability. Here’s how to take control and regain balance in your life.
Prioritize effectively: when your slammed with a tidal wave of to-dos, we follow the rule of three. First, that’s asking yourself what is the most important thing you need to accomplish today? Second, staying focused = staying productive not accomplishing more and more…faster and faster. Third, go with your energy times, so if you’re an earlier riser or night owl – use those times of alertness and efficiency to get stuff done!
Accept you're not superhuman: a lot of us feel we have to say yes to anything asked by anyone. However, you need to protect your own bandwidth - and your free time. All of us deserve time for ourselves, that includes self-care, enjoying yummy food, getting enough sleep, and giving ourselves a little compassion. You deserve all that right now, just as you are, without needing to earn it or prove it.
Mastering the art of saying no: one of the main reasons people find themselves spread too thin is the inability to say no. Getting comfortable with declining requests without feeling like you're letting others down can be a challenge. But it’s more important to listen and protect yourself by setting up boundaries and politely declining commitments that you genuinely cannot take on.
Breathe, breathe, breathe: next time someone asks you to volunteer, pitch in on a rush project, or do the dessert board for a party, you may feel you have to answer right then and there. Try taking the time to think things through and stall a little and plan on how you will get this done without pushing your self to the limit. Take the time to to review your schedule and check in with yourself about how much you have going on, and this will help you assess whether you can do it or not.
Give yourself a break: if you find yourself feeling over extended, after making a commitment, you're no good to anyone in your life. If you’re running on fumes, you can't be the best version of yourself and take of the others around you. Don’t be afraid to let someone down (because you aren't) and explain to them that you are feeling overextended right now. If the person is reasonable (and worth your support), they’ll understand. No one wants you to feel burnout and it's ok to guard your time, you are doing a responsible thing.
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