My kids were starting school the next day, and I found myself with a list of 100 things to do, both for them, for my work, and for my other commitments. As I was mentally going through THE LIST, I kept remembering another thing to add. . .and another. . and another! Sound familiar?
Luckily, I am well-rehearsed in these feelings, and have had a lot of practice in recognizing them as they creep up, and then figuring out what to do with them (also, since I tend to attract busy and overwhelmed women as clients, I have learned a lot about what works and what doesn't!). As I sit here today (6 days later), I still have a long to-do list, but I feel much more calm, centered and in control.
Luckily, I am well-rehearsed in these feelings, and have had a lot of practice in recognizing them as they creep up, and then figuring out what to do with them (also, since I tend to attract busy and overwhelmed women as clients, I have learned a lot about what works and what doesn't!). As I sit here today (6 days later), I still have a long to-do list, but I feel much more calm, centered and in control.
One of the most helpful things for me and for many of my busy clients is to establish some kind of routine. Although the idea of a routine may initially feels confining and suffocating, you may find that it actually creates more freedom and flexibility in the long run. And here's the best part: having a routine ensures that you actually fit the things that are important to you into your schedule, rather than spending your days "putting out fires" and putting your priorities on the back burner.
"How does this relate to food and health," you may be asking. Interestingly - and sadly - for many of us, it is the aspects of self-care that are the first to fall off the schedule and out of our days when we are busy. By creating a routine that makes self-care a priority (rather than an afterthought), you are more likely to be living in a state of satisfaction and health, rather than stress, frustration and disappointment.
As you go through your own to-do list this week and find yourself feeling daunted and overwhelmed, try to take a deep breath and see if any of these strategies might be helpful:
1) Notice what unessential tasks or activities are sucking up your time (and find a way to limit them). For me, it's email, hands down. I could spend an entire day reading and responding to emails! When I limit my email checking and responding to certain times of the day and for a specific period of time, I clear out chunks of time to do other important things. It may be different for you: it may be too much tv, reading mindless magazines, chatting on the phone to someone who you are going to see in an hour, answering the phone when you are in the middle of something you want to finish. . .I am not advocating a "no down time" approach, but I am suggesting that some of these "time suckers" are not even experienced as down time and relaxing - we know they are just distracting us from doing what we really want to do!
2) Get a calendar that you will use. Look ahead to the next month and write down EVERY single scheduled meeting, event, or commitment that you have, blocking out the amount of time it will take.
3) Make a list of the top 3 things you would really LIKE to do this month (these are those important self-care things that will enhance your wellbeing, but you often feel "too busy" to do). This can be anything from going to a yoga class, to meditating 3 days a week, to getting your hair highlighted, to eating more salads. Put these in your schedule, blocking out the amount of time they will take. If your schedule allows, you may choose to do these activities at the same time each day, so that they can really become part of your routine. Also, by writing them down, you are valuing yourself and what is important to you. (Do not wait to see if you have time for them and then schedule them - by putting them in your calendar now, you are ensuring that you have the time).
4) Create a routine for your everyday things, like making and eating breakfast, packing lunches, making and eating dinner. It has helped our family to make a list of breakfast choices that the children can pick from each morning; to have a list of lunch options that we can mix and match; and to plan our weekly dinners in advance (For my favorite dinner-planning resource, check out www.sixoclockscramble.com). Our routines shift a little according to what's going on that day, but when we have a plan, things tend to go much more smoothly.
5) Now comes your daily/weekly to-do list (all those things that come up in the course of our lives, that tend to take over our days, like: returning a phone call, going to the grocery store, signing your child up for gymnastics, buying a birthday present, etc.) Write your to-do list down, rather than keeping it in your head. Keep a little notebook with you at all times, even next to your bed, so you can jot things down as they come up rather than having to remember everything. Once it's on paper, you can relax your mind, knowing that you won't forget (although I sometimes use yellow sticky paper for these tasks, I find it much more effective to have everything written down in one place).
6) Label the things on your list A, B, or C depending on how important each task is. Then, give each task a time frame (and a time limit), depending on how long you think it will take (and how long you want it to take). PUT IT ON YOUR CALENDAR, where they "fit." Sometimes when we do this, we realize that some tasks don't take as long as we imagine they will.
7) Take another deep breath and realize that you will get just as much done whether you are stressed or calm. . .and if you don't check it off the to-do list today, there is always tomorrow.
Do something that feeds your SOUL every single day. Yes, I know that may sound outrageous (who has the time??!! J) but the things that FEED your soul are the things that will help keep stress at bay, and keep you happy and sane. (If you're looking for ways to add inspiration and passion in your life, check out my friend and colleague, Natalie Matushenko's Passion and Purpose group programs at www.passionandpurposeinstitute.com). 
