As the year comes screeching to an end, I find myself in a constant state of overwhelm. It feels like I have hundreds of unfinished tasks and a mounting to-do list. I'm not working late or at weekends, and I'm still spending quality time with my family. But boy am I overwhelmed.
I believe I handle stress quite well, and this state of overwhelm is not something I experience often. So what is it? It's this constant feeling of having too much on my plate. I have too much to do, and people expect too much. Quite frankly, it's all too much to handle. I'm feeling anxious, irritable and helpless.
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The answer? I think it's time to get back down to basics.
Step one, taking the time to examine my thoughts. Are they overly negative? Unrealistic or unreasonable? What am I telling myself? We are what we think! If I'm always telling myself "I'm not going to get to everything", then that's pretty likely going to be the case.
So, out with the negative, resentful thoughts and in with the positive, helpful ones. (I'm open to suggestions!)
Step two, is a continuation from step one. I am good enough. My value and worth as a human being is not indicative of the number of tasks I complete, and how perfectly they are done. I'm allowed to say no, and celebrate completing a job (as opposed to reworking it a 100 times in an unrelenting quest for perfection).
Step three, being busy is a blessing. A full workload and a list of family chores mean I have a challenging, engaging job. It means I have a family who needs me. A never-ending to-do list means that my life is full. And that my friend is worth being grateful.
However, if it feels like too much, it probably is too much. Time to stop jumping from one demand to the next without stopping for air.
My feeling overwhelmed is a signal to make some changes. Watch this space.