Self-care may sound like something in neverland for you right now and I get it.
It's hard to even think about relaxing and unwinding; when you barely even have enough time to get through your daily schedule.
Stress doesn't have to become your new normal. Even though the past 18 months may have thrown you into situations where you don't really have a choice.
Here are 3 tips to help you manage through the chaos and overwhelm.
1. Chunking out your day: make out a list of things you MUST do - and not everything on your never ending to-do list.
Then break out your day into 3 chunks, something like this:
- Mornings: 3-4 hours allocated to the most important things that need to get done.
- Afternoons: another 3-4 hours which includes allocating time for a break (yes, please take breaks!). Then allocate another set to moderate/light tasks that need to be completed. Throw in any extra's on your list you think you might still have some energy left for.
- Evenings: 2-3 hours allocated to domestic work and planning the next day. Family time, cooking or prepping meals etc.
2. Get ruthless with your list: Do your intense, brain draining tasks in the mornings. Something I call being "top heavy" with your day.
Where you tackle your most unappealing tasks in the mornings, from zoom meeting on zoom meetings, to replying to pesky emails, writing reports, completing course work, grocery shopping, meal prep, name it!
Doing these first frees up your mental and emotional energy to take on the smaller less overwhelming tasks, making them feel like a breeze as you get through them later in the day.
You'll also feel motivated and accomplished since you have big things to check off your to do list half way through the day.
3. Carve out a TO DON'T list: Take any left overs from your daily task list, which don't have to be done by you or anytime in the near future and delegate them or plan them in to another day.
Certain chores or tasks could be sucking the life out of you so get some paid help if you can afford to do so. Or enlist the kiddo's or other members of your family, or friends to help out.
While this may not be a one size fits all approach, it's a good start.
Create your own variation of what you think will work best for you and get ruthless with your schedule.
The bottomline is to remain in control of your day and iff you don't set boundaries around your schedule, no one else will.
How have you been coping through stressful days lately? Let us know in the comments.