What happens when you have to multi-task, or you have multiple things you are passionate about and can’t fully do them all? Here are some quick tips to getting back on track.
From September to May, I'm a “boss.” I manage it all-running my business, coaching, counseling, social media posts, webpage design, blogging/journaling, marketing, networking, etc. etc. (and parenting, but my kids are in school during the day!) But during these summer months…I’m a mom first. Does that mean I’m not passionate about working with each of you? God no! It just means that I can’t do all the behind-the-scenes work that I normally love doing as well.
Do you ever find yourself wishing you could do it all? Like truly giving everything you love your 100%. I’m sure you have, whether it’s work, parenting, hobbies, sports, social life, etc. How do you manage? For me, when I feel the strain of not fulfilling all my roles, obligations, passions, I have to take a day to slow down.
A few steps that can help you get back on track:
1. Take inventory on what’s important: label the things in life that are important to you. You may have to go back to square one and label the really obvious things i.e. my health, family, job, relationships, etc. But also include the simple, less obvious things like a clean home, down time, time with friends, a morning coffee, an afternoon walk, etc. I ask myself simple questions to help me get clear on this.
2. Be clear about what’s missing: has it been a while since you had lunch with your best friend, or maybe your room is an absolute mess? Maybe what you’ve been missing is support from others in your home or possibly taking the time to just slow down. Once you label what’s important to you, the missing pieces should come quite naturally. Note: this step is just acknowledging what's missing, no judgements or action needed yet!
3. Put a plan into place: I’m happy to help with this part so you can take ACTION asap! Coming up with a plan may look like scheduling more frequent “off” days from your normal routine, or setting up daily habits that add peace or productivity. It may also require a full overhaul of how you spend your day to day. You can absolutely do this on your own but it's helpful to process through either verbally (i.e. talk it out with someone) or written (i.e. either following a journal/guide template or free flow journal).
4. Now here comes the simplest but usually the hardest part: JUST DO IT! Nike is on to something here, we have to just get in there and do it. We can come up with all the plans in the world but until we actually start making changes, results will not follow. In keeping with the idea of managing your to-do's and limiting tasks, I encourage you to follow your plan (suggested in step 3) and make changes along the way. For example if you realized that what's most important to you is to socialize more, you might text a friend to schedule a lunch date.<--- That's the action part, the follow-through is just showing up.
I created an activity that supports adding balance to your life. If you are interested, send me an email to get your free download of that activity. Info@GinnyKappel.com
Simple questions to ask yourself:
What do I want to do more of?
What do I want to do less of?
What do I need?
There are so many reasons that multi-tasking may not serve you well. Stay tuned to learn more about how it impacts our nervous system!