March 9, 2015

Feeling Overwhelmed? Do One of These Simple Tasks

Ever have a day (or week) where it feels like you just can’t get anything accomplished or like you’re chasing around not really getting anything done? Everyone feels like that from time to time and some seasons feel more like that’s just how it is. If you WANT to feel like you’re checking things off your list and getting out from under the frustration of clutter and mess, I have a couple SIMPLE things you can do today to jumpstart your productivity.

Choose one thing or do them all, either way you’ll be on your way to clearing some space and balancing your brain. If you don’t think that making some progress and getting something (even the littlest thing) done, isn’t going to make a difference, I am here to tell you that you’ll be surprised to see what a difference these little steps will make. These brain balancers will help you balance that mental register – the one that keeps track of all the things you have to do. The one that looks around at all there is to do and gets frustrated with how long all these things could potentially take to complete and quits before starting. Even the simplest and smallest to do goes a long way to getting things done.

MAKE A LIST – Quickly write down all the things that you have swirling around in your head. Or make a menu plan for the next week (you can find the featured notepad in my shop). Doing something that makes you FEEL productive can propel you to BEING productive. You don’t need to do everything, but sometimes just making a list is a great way to move toward getting something done.

COUNTERS – Cluttered counters overwhelming you? Clear one off. Maybe it’s a bathroom counter, maybe it’s your kitchen counters, completely clear the space, wipe it clean and return only the necessities. This 10-15 minute task will alleviate that stressed feeling you get when you see the messy counter in front of you.

LAUNDRY – Don’t worry about any unfinished laundry right now, just do ONE load of laundry from start to folded to put away. Then do that again tomorrow and the next day and if you like the routine, add it to your daily routine. I am someone that is easily overwhelmed by piles of laundry. Instead of having laundry baskets loom, I started doing at least a load a day years ago and have never looked back.

SINK – Empty your kitchen sink. Complete this simple task, wipe it clean. This simple task helps get you to the next meal and it also just helps you feel less overwhelmed in the kitchen. Again, a simple task that is overlooked or neglected yet can make a difference.

PAPER PILE – That paper pile or mail pile on the counter, your desk, kitchen table….take care of it. Toss what isn’t needed, file what needs to be filed and deal with any bills or mail that need to be dealt with.

INBOX –  If you’re at work or at home and have a couple minutes and feel stuck, try zeroing out your email inbox. Use files in your email program to separate emails that you still need and get them out of your inbox. I create a file for any company or business or bill and just put those emails in that corresponding box. That way if I need to locate the email in the future I just search by the company name and can easily locate any pertinent information.

There you have it, six small things that you can do (one, some, or all) right now, today that will add up to big steps in your productivity.

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