Every week, I sit down and write out my priorities. The things I need to get done during the week and create a plan for how and when. Since I’ve started doing this, I’ve avoided a lot of overwhelm or feeling out of control with work, because I always know exactly when and how something is getting done…until lately. As the list grows, I’ve avoided putting times and dates because there is so little room on my calendar, so week after week, the list continues to build and so does my anxiety about all of it. Largely because instead of using the short amounts of time I do have, I allow it to close in on me. I stare at my computer mindlessly, scroll through email without any real direction, indulge in thoughts of exhaustion, and convince myself that I just don’t have the energy. I create the reality I am trying so hard to resist. And that, in and of itself, is exhausting.
Can you relate?
It’s a habit my brain actually has. Triggered by long lists and busy calendars, it just goes numb and tries to muddle through it. Clear focused action requires presence, but this is anything but. My brain just simply dims the lights. What things I do get done, take forever, because I’m working at 20% capacity, if I’m lucky.
I get that work will always serve up a never ending list of tasks needing to be done, but there has to be a better way, right?! It’s kind of like a computer that you leave on for weeks at a time and don’t reboot. It gets to a point where certain functions don’t work, you can’t attach documents, the fan runs constantly and loudly, Zoom freezes out and reboots every meeting you have…totally not speaking from the experience of someone who doesn’t turn their computer off regularly.
Even your brain needs a reboot once in a while.
I let the overwhelm be an indicator. I need something I am not getting, so here’s how I’m handling it:
I start with a few deep breaths, bringing myself back into the present situation. Then, I take stock of what’s going on. What am I feeling? What thoughts are creating that for me? Are they even true? Most of the time, my overwhelm is caused less by the things on my growing list and more by the anticipated anxiety of something not going right when I get it done. That’s why many of us can feel so accomplished when we knock things off the list. Doing the work itself is not what causes our anxiety about it.
From there, it’s all about decision making. What is most important and where does it go on my calendar? It’s so easy to worry about having the time to do things when you just don’t know. But once you schedule it, you can see the error of your thoughts when your brain is stuck on believing you don’t have time but you can see it scheduled in an open slot. Of course, there is the possibility that you will get interrupted, but it’s a lot easier to make decisions in the moment when you know what you are deciding between. When you simply have a to-do list in front of you and an interruption happens, you are deciding between something right in front of you or a list of things that requires work just to prioritize. Your brain is naturally going to move towards the item that requires less energy, thus choosing what’s right in front of you. When you have it scheduled and you still choose the disruption, you just find a new slot on the calendar and move it over.
Finally, I am prioritizing self-care. When I have a busy schedule, my body needs sleep, healthy food, and exercise. My mind needs coaching, a reminder to pull myself back into the present and retain my own self-awareness. They are always the first things I let slide when busy and yet, I know they are the anchors that keep me energized and my mind clear. So when all the mental chatter starts to build up, it’s my indicator that each of these items go on the calendar first.
So how do you reboot when the work starts to pile up? I would love to hear!