| If you are feeling overwhelmed you aren't alone. | | | | as a way of understanding what is truly important |
| Hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people | | | | in your life and where you should be focusing |
| are overwhelmed each and every day. People | | | | your energies. After you know what is truly |
| who are entrepreneurs, management personnel, | | | | important you must let go of the rest. |
| people who work at jobs, throw papers, or those | | | | You can ask for help from your family, barter |
| who stay home to take care of the children and | | | | services, pay for a weekend helper or just let it |
| the home; all of these people suffer from stress | | | | go. About 9 months ago we developed a leak in |
| and becoming overwhelmed with their lives. | | | | the pipes behind the shower head in the master |
| The cause of being overwhelmed is two-fold. The | | | | bathroom. I cut a small hole in the ceiling in the |
| first is having a list of things to do without priority | | | | kitchen to allow the drywall to dry out and the |
| and the second is to have a list that is well out of | | | | plumber to determine where the leak really was. |
| reach of being accomplished. And, before you can | | | | It was another 3 months before I could muster |
| conquer your feelings and progress to success, | | | | up the energy to look for someone to do the |
| you have to understand and conquer these | | | | repair work. And it was that evening when we |
| feelings of being overwhelmed. Want to get over | | | | had a blowing rainstorm. On the floor was a small |
| these feelings and move toward your goal instead | | | | puddle of water. Turns out there is a small leak in |
| of being mired in confusion, fear and | | | | the roof directly over the hole in the kitchen |
| procrastination? | | | | ceiling. So now I need to find a roofer before I |
| Let's get started - | | | | find a drywaller to fix the kitchen ceiling. |
| 1. Write down those things you want to | | | | BUT, none of this is on my radar because there |
| accomplish. These can be things you want to get | | | | are other more important things that have to be |
| done around the house, your business, your | | | | attended to - such as getting the kids school |
| children, relationships, finances - anything that | | | | books in order, letters to the school system, test |
| continues to plague you and keep you feeling | | | | results, college visits for my daughter and product |
| overwhelmed. You know what they are. | | | | creation and marketing. It doesn't hurt that the |
| For me, I am stressed out when the yard is a | | | | hole is in an area I can't see. |
| mess because my desk faces the window. The | | | | So - what's most important to you? Where do |
| kitchen, yard, dry wall work in the kitchen, painting | | | | your priorities lie? |
| the family room, painting all the trim upstairs, | | | | Make your list items that can realistically be |
| spending time with the children, my business plan, | | | | accomplished and put the rest of it on your |
| finances, relationships, and the pile of mess in the | | | | calendar to be addressed at a later date. Knowing |
| basement all combine to make my life miserable - | | | | that you have a plan to address them later will |
| when I let it. | | | | help decrease your feelings of being overwhelmed |
| 2. Now that you know what is overwhelming it's | | | | and improve your chances that you'll stay |
| time to prioritize. Do NOT mistake this process | | | | focused and productive. |
| for goal setting and accomplishing tasks but rather | | | | |