When Life Feels Like Too Much: A Gentle Productivity Reset

Hello friends. It has been a busy few weeks.

Scratch that, busy few months.

Of course, all the weeks and months are usually busy, but these last few - whew!

In complete transparency, I could say I was struggling to write an article for today but honestly I have not had an opportunity. I have ideas, I just have not had time. I am excited to get back to my regularly scheduled content calendar! I look forward to answering more of your questions, and I have a lot more to say about professional Communications before I move on to my content for clutter 2.0!

But this weekend wasn't much of a weekend - again! - and it's now a Monday of a very full week and while I want to share those content topics, my brain is in a million other places.  So, instead of fighting the process that I need to go through to get myself back on track, I thought I would actually document that process for you and for me, for when we again find ourselves in the same situation. or at least a similar situation.

Let’s look at today as a case study of how to take care of ourselves and also return to OUR productivity, what is important to YOU and to ME.  As with any case study, too - consider yourself in these situations and consider how to apply the learning to your own life!

First, take some deep breaths.  Close your eyes and practice square breathing for a minute or two. Inhale for a count of 4, hold for 4, exhale for a count of 4.

Now, let’s cut ourselves some slack.

I seem to be saying this a lot lately, but we need to cut ourselves some slack.  Show ourselves some grace. Be kind to ourselves.

I taught Time and Stress Management last week to the new cohort of students for the highway construction careers training program and one of the last things that we learn in Stress Management is about “I Am” statements. I introduce that topic with the discussion of how critically we speak to ourselves.  We often speak to ourselves far more critically than we would have spoken to anyone else.

So, cut ourselves some slack. Show ourselves some grace. Be kind to ourselves.

Next, tune out the noise.

I have found that this Summer, listening to the voices of social media or pop culture is affecting me even more negatively than it usually does. I recognize that my social media feed is a product of topics I have shown an interest in, of things that appeal to me, and yet it still seems too loud, too much. 

Part of getting myself back on track is stepping away from social media and the external voices that are telling me I need to have an epic summer, or do more and be more and buy a product and wear these clothes and eat this food and exercise more, blah, blah, blah.

The irony is not lost on me that I am an influencer in my own right and y'all are listening or reading this, so please know I am not trying to influence you in any way other than taking care of yourself, and work towards being your best self, whatever that means for you.

What is your noise?  And how can we turn it down a bit?

After we close our eyes and take a few breaths, show ourselves some grace, put down the phone or quiet the external voices, let’s tackle what's next:

Handle the essentials. Food, clothing, shelter, safety, warmth. 

I got home last night, Sunday night, after helping my family in Michigan. And I took care of many things like unpacking the car, unpacking all of my luggage and travel stuff, yes all the way unpacked! I put everything away, I started laundry, I went and got a car wash and filled up my gas tank for the week. I took care of myself.  I handled the essentials. 

This morning, even though I really need to get through two very full email inboxes, I made sure to drink a large glass of water, take my vitamins, take a shower, eat a healthy breakfast, drink another glass of water, make my bed, start more laundry and empty the dishwasher before sitting down to write.

What are your essentials?  And what routines do you have to address those essentials consistently every day and especially on days when you need the support? 

Next up, Brain dump. Or as my friend Jen calls it, A Cranial Cleanse.  Doesn’t that sound classy?  Regardless of what we call it, it needs to happen.

Are you familiar?  The purpose of a brain dump, or cranial cleanse, is getting all of the ideas, tasks, to-dos, or thoughts that occur to us out of our brains and on to paper.  Or post-it notes, or into our digital to do list. Sometimes it is all of those steps. 

The post-it note idea is to write one task or idea or thought on each post it note, and then sort them into different piles or line them up on your wall based on categories, and THEN add them to your to-do list.  I have heard of this strategy also using index cards - same idea, an thought per card and then sort them out.

I have had clients that will ask me to take notes for them while they verbally process their cranial cleanse. You can consider using voice to type or a voice memo, or having a friend take notes!

The point is, we have options.  

To get started, you might list all of your broad categories, your focus areas, and see what thoughts come to you under each of those categories. For example, for me, those could be planning an upcoming trip, medical issues we need to follow up on, tasks I need to complete with my mom, tasks I need to complete before the kids go back to school etc..

Sometimes that works for me at least to get me started. I would love to say that a cranial cleanse is a quick process for me but it typically is not. I know some people who will do this for half an hour, at least to get them started. My process will be in bits and pieces over the course of a day or two as ideas occur to me, but the end product remains the same. Fewer swirling thoughts, less overwhelm, and more specific action steps waiting to be taken.

Next, we need to plan the week and prioritize the work.  

What is already on the calendar this week?  What is the weather forecast?  What MUST get done?  (And I really try to not say MUST, but I do have some “MUSTS” this week.)

MUSTS are typically important to our work and also time specific.  Deadlines, appointments, work that is needed so someone else can do their work, etc.

What are the first smallest steps to take, on getting things done?  Once we have identified those first smallest steps, we can either do them, or dedicate an hour in the schedule today or tomorrow to take them, perhaps on more than one project.

And, in Time Management and Stress Management last week, I mentioned to my students that if, after ruling out actual procrastination - the willful choice, for no good reason, to NOT do something - if they are still feeling overwhelmed by a project, they haven’t yet broken the project down into small enough pieces.

Progress is hopeful. Progress in motivating. As mentioned in a recent episode and article, movement begets motivation which begets momentum, which all lead to success!  Win!

And on the other side of the MUSTS, you and I also need to identify and accept the things that probably won’t get to yet.

I may be alone in this, or at least part of only a small group of society - organizing in others homes makes me want to make updates in my own home, too.  And since I have spent a solid 2 months organizing with clients, sure, but also downsizing my Dad’s home and helping my mom get settled in her new apartment, I also am feeling the urge to tweak spaces in my own home.

Now, that could be because I have spent SO MUCH time not at home this summer, I really just want to stay and nurture my own personal spaces, especially as an exercise in self care and a way to nurture me.  HOWEVER, those aspirations need to wait just a little longer.

This is the anxiety that comes from wanting to act on something but not being able to, which is oddly similar to the anxiety that comes from procrastination.  But I digress.

But part of this process is also determining our Not Right Now list. We capture all the ideas and to-do’s in the Cranial Cleanse, but we also realize that our 168 hours this week (yes, we all have 168 hours every week) may be already accounted for. 

Let’s recap, friends:

• Some weeks and months are busier than others.  Whew.

• There are steps we can take when we’re feeling overwhelmed, that helps us care for ourselves and also get back to what is important to us, like productivity.

• Take a moment (or more than a moment) and some deep breaths.

• Show yourself some grace and kindness.

• Tune out the noise.

• Perform a Cranial cleanse

• Plan and prioritize the work, based on what MUST get done and what you already have going on this week.

• Start your Not Right Now list.

I hope this helps you, if you are getting back to productivity after getting off track. Thanks for letting me walk it through, I know it helped! me!