By Suann Bidwell, Owner of the Bidwell Group.
We hear people say it all the time, “If I only had another 8 hours in my day”, “If I just had another “me” I could get everything done”. Our lives have become more and more fast paced. People are working more hours, spending less time with their friends and family, and this is resulting in more stress, health problems, and overall people are less satisfied with their lives and lack of free time.
Here are some strategies to help you get back some balance in your life.
1. Get enough sleep – Ok yes I know what you are thinking, “I don’t have time for 8 hours of sleep!” Here is just one reason (of many) why you must fit “sleep” into your schedule. Sacrificing your sleep is self -defeating. Did you know that just sacrificing one (1) single hour of necessary sleep to feel rested will take a huge toll on your ability to think clearly and logically when you are awake. This fatigue will cause you to make more mistakes, you are less efficient and will take a toll on your general well being.
2. Doing it all yourself – Do you feel that if you don’t do everything yourself it just won’t be done correctly? In order to obtain some balance in your life, you must delegate! Whether at home or work, let go of some of the lower priority tasks that are weighing you down, this will free you up to concentrate on what is really important in your job and at home. This will also free up some time to do the things you love and enjoy.
3. Simple ways to reduce stress – We already mentioned the importance of sleep, aim for 7-8 hours a night (and no you can’t catch up on weekends!), exercise regularly – it reduces stress and helps you sleep! Cut out the caffeine & smoking – both are short acting stimulants that disrupt sleep. Turn off the TV – while it numbs your mind, it just postpones the stressful thoughts until later in the evening. Put your “To Do List” together earlier in the evening, don’t wait until you are ready to go to bed, the worry of all you have to do will keep you up at night!
4. Are you surrounded by people who drain the life out of you? You know, the Energy Suckers, they can find a dark cloud in every situation, they are always sad, down in the dumps, or just plain negative all the time! If you can’t cut these people out of your life, try to limit your interactions. If you can’t then try to turn their negative comments around into positive ones.
5. Do you feel nervous all the time? Have constant anxiety? – First, it’s ok to acknowledge that your are nervous or having some anxiety. Just take a deep breath and focus on the task you are doing, not everything you have on your plate for the entire day or week. For example, if you are in a big meeting, just focus on the meeting, when it is done move forward to your next task. If you are at your desk, focus on clearing your inbox for your email account, don’t try to do 2 other projects at the same time. You will feel a sense of accomplishment taking one task at a time, and your anxiety & nervousness will lesson. Same thing for tasks at home, overwhelmed by all the chores? Make a list and just do one at a time, and cross them off as you complete them. Can’t handle everything on your plate, get someone to help and lighten your load.
6. Just say NO – Do you find yourself always saying yes to everything asked of you, even when you know you really can’t handle another project? We don’t want to disappoint people, particularly those we love, or say no to a co-worker or the boss. But when you are feeling stressed and overwhelmed, this is the time to tactfully say, “sorry I would love to help, but my schedule is already overbooked. Maybe I can help on the next project.” While this may feel uncomfortable to do at first, it will take the pressure off you, and when you are feeling more relaxed you can go back and help. You will feel better, and do a better job on what was asked of you!
7. Finally, Prioritize – We all have times, some of us more than others, when we are overwhelmed. Try to prioritize what are the most important and time sensitive things you need to do, and put them at the top of the list. Getting them done first will relieve some of the pressure, then you can go on to the next task. Remember your brain can only really focus on one task at a time, so slow down, take one task at a time, and cut yourself a break!
Hope these tips helped you. The Bidwell Group offers a wide variety of helpful services that can reduce your stress, save you time & money, and get you back time to enjoy your life. Visit us on the web: www.thebidwellgroup.com