Sometimes life gets busy and things begin to feel a bit chaotic. We don’t want to let anyone down, so we overcommit and continue pushing through in order to fulfill our obligations, but in the meantime, our own energy is on a sharp decline and so is our motivation.
Whenever I realize that this is happening in my life, I begin to try to make a few changes to get myself out of burn out mode and back to a more motivated place.
I DECLUTTER MY TIME.
I’m all about decluttering…decluttering not only my living space but my time as well. Believe it or not, I used to be a people pleaser. I’d hate to tell anybody “no,” which of course means that I typically end up with too many things on my plate. Often times, they end up as just extra tasks that keep me overly busy, which equates to becoming stressed out.
As hard is it was, I learned the power of “no” and I promise you that it was one of the best things I’ve ever done.
Whenever I say “yes” to someone else, more than likely, I’m saying no to something that I could be accomplishing. I decided to be more careful of what I dedicated myself to.
I COMMIT TO GETTING ENOUGH SLEEP.
I’ve said it before — I’m a night owl. Sure, I get a lot of things completed but I also find that when I don’t catch enough ZZZs, I have problems focusing on the next day anyway. I’ve committed to getting at least 7 hours of sleep; that way, I’m more energetic, focused, and overall, more productive.
I ALLOW MYSELF TO HAVE SOME DOWN TIME WITHOUT FEELING BAD ABOUT IT.
My guilt trip is my worst critic sometimes — to the point to where if I feel like I’m not doing anything productive, I’d verbally slap myself on the wrist and force myself to get up and work. Because of that habit, I became a good ol’ workaholic. The reality is, though, when I really take a good look at the tasks that aren’t completed, very few of the items are actually urgent. If I were to push them back for a day or even a few hours, would not be the end of the world at all.
I have learned to stop trying to force it. I will chill on my couch, pick up my favorite book, and get lost within the pages — guilt free. It’s heaven on my couch ? Sometimes it’s okay to take a break…the world is not going to stop.
I EAT THE BIGGEST FROG FIRST.
This idea behind this is simple — if I can start right in on my hardest task, I will have gotten it out of the way and won’t spend my entire day dreading it. Also, once I complete that tougher task, I’m motivated to complete the rest of the things on my to-do list.
I SET A TIMER.
It’s something about that time that helps me to get things done more efficiently. I set a timer and commit to focusing only on the task at hand for that amount of time; no checking social media, watching television, or indulging in any other distractions. When that timer goes off, I take a break and jump back in game mode for another chunk of time.
I GIVE MYSELF A REWARD.
You love rewards, your friends love them, and guess what? I love them too! I’m not above bribing myself with a reward if it will help me get those dreaded tasks out of the way. I’m careful with this though; a reward is something that you actually enjoy.
AREA OF OPPORTUNITY: I NEED TO GET MOVING.
Ok, so I’m about to be really transparent with you. One thing that I need to do is get to moving. I could totally step outside and go for a job, run to the gym, ride a bike—SOMETHING! I have a ton of workout equipment here and I’m so inconsistent with using it. Getting some exercise in does help you feel more refreshed and gain more clarity…I should know better. Anyone willing to be my accountability partner?!
Adulting is hard…I’m first that can admit it. You know what makes it even harder? Hitting a productivity slump. Yes, there will be times when you’ll have to literally force yourself to get up and work to hit that deadline. In that case, I imagine how great the end result will be and push through until I’m able to say, “I’m done. It’s completed!”
I’m not a robot and neither are you. Give yourself a little grace, take a deep breath, and learn how to implement a pace that will be healthy for you in the long term. It’s not always easy, but we’ll be thanking ourselves later!
With Love,
Dana Reese
CEO | The Buddy Effect