Overwhelmed? 2 Tips to Keep You Going

​​I’m an introvert but even that hasn’t kept me from feeling a bit untethered by the “safer at home” order in my county. I’m used to working from home, but last week I started to lose my sense of accomplishment and direction, with all of my time suddenly unstructured. I’ve got a million things I “should” be doing, but I felt like I wasn’t getting anything done.
 
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the many demands of spending all your time at home – whether you’re alone or with your whole family – I have 2 ways to help relieve your stress and make the most of this time of isolation:
 

1. Good enough is good enough.
2. Small projects are big wins.

 
Let me explain how these strategies work. 

1. Good enough is good enough. Don’t strive for perfection in homeschooling your children, being the most productive at-home worker, or a “Becky Home-Ec-y.” Figure out what the minimum is that you need to do to get by, and do that. What does that look like? If you’ve lost an income, figure out which bills to pay and which can wait. (Note: Many utility companies are allowing missed payments without the threat of shutoffs.) Then look at discretionary items, and decide what’s essential, for example, coffee and creamer are, croissants and Milky Ways are not. That’s just me – for you, chocolate might be as essential as air. 
   
   Around the house, what chores are essential and which are just good to get done? Making beds, cleaning bathrooms, doing laundry? Or maybe making the bed once a week is okay. No one will know and it’s not really worth the frustration to get your partner or kids to do this ‘dreaded’ task. Eliminating unrealistic expectations of yourself and others will automatically reduce stress.
   
   
2. Small projects are big wins. If you’re like me and need to have something to show for your day, break down big “to-do’s” into their smallest components. Want to clean and reorganize your kitchen? Start by tackling only your silverware drawer. Pull out those clean knives, forks, and spoons, and wash out the drawer (and divider, if you use one). Then marvel at how a place for clean things can get so many crumbs (but that was before diligent hand washing, right?!). Have your kids go through their sock drawer and pull out those without a mate or with holes. That eliminates a morning frustration for you and them. Double win! And don’t forget to toot your own horn – let everyone know what you got done (cue the applause) and give them a pat on the back for their small project that represents a big win!

Give these tips a try – even if only one works for you, that’s good enough. Be kind to yourself and live in the moment. If we start reframing this experience in a positive way, we will be looking back on this time with more fondness than regret.
 
Remember, too, that I offer free consultations. If you want to discuss how you can address organization or clutter now, strategies to make it from day to day, or on-line tidying coaching, contact me for your complimentary 30-minute consultation.
 
More tips next week.
 
Stay well and be kind to yourself!
 
Mrg
605-929-1493
[email protected]