How to avoid overwhelm as a busy entrepreneur and mom:
It’s that time of year again, fall is in the air, and it seems like life becomes a world wind through the end of the year. As Moms and Entrepreneurs we are focused on so many things this time of year; back to school, fall sports and activities, holidays, growing our business and so much more…
With so much on your plate, it is challenging to stay centered and avoid overwhelm and stress. That is why I want to share these three mindfulness practices to help you destress on the spot.
3 easy mindfulness practices to help you avoid overwhelm and reduce stress
1) Focus on ONE thing at a time!
Studies have shown that multitasking is an illusion….That it is humanly impossible to do more than one thing at a time well and save time in the process. Each time you have to switch gears and enter into a new task, you are exerting energy, time, and brain power. This leaves you feeling stressed out and exhausted by the end of the day.
When you can give a task your full and undivided attention, not only are you more productive, you make far less mistakes. You develop a habit of walking, not running, through life accomplishing one thing at a time to completion and then moving onto the next.
How to do one thing at a time:
Set the intention to do one thing at a time throughout the day. When you feel yourself starting to spread too thin, STOP, reel it in and go back to one thing at a time. This will take discipline for a while so write it on your bathroom mirror or a sticky note in your car, whatever it takes….write it out: ONE THING AT A TIME.
The more you practice this discipline, the more focused you are, the less drained you feel, and the more enjoyment you get out of your day.
2) Stay in the present moment
I know we hear this ALL the time, but it is true, starting a meditation and mindfulness practice helps you be more present.
As you go about your day you are thinking about what you need to do next or what you did yesterday and not enjoying where you are in the moment…
Replaying a tense conversation in your head, that took place days ago, while you should be focusing on your workout or trying to relax and enjoy family time, while obsessing over tomorrow’s “to do” list, creates anxiety.
Does this sound familiar?
I caught myself in yoga class, making plans and worrying about when I was going to be able to do a yoga class again. Just be in this yoga class NOW, Jana!!!
This is the silliness we must catch ourselves in and bring ourselves back to the present moment. The amount of energy it takes us to have our body in one moment and the mind in another is exactly why so many of us are SO tired at the end of the day…our energy and thoughts are scattered all over the place, off in the future (anxiety) or obsessing over the past (depression)…
How to be more present:
This practice is very similar to focusing on one thing at a time. Focus on catching yourself when you are off thinking about something other than where you are and what you are doing at that moment.
Decide to dedicate yourself just to that moment. Make peace with the present moment and the task at hand. The practice will be CONTINUOUSLY reminding yourself of this goal throughout the day.
When you surrender to the present moment, not only will your mundane tasks seem to be more enjoyable, time seems to slow down when we need it to, and fly by when we want it to. It really does feel magical.
3) The person in front of you is the most important person, give them your undivided attention
As working moms and entrepreneurs we are pulled in many different directions. However, Work time is work time, mom time is mom time. There should be no gray area.
If it is time to spend quality time with your family, put the phone away and be super present with them. Listen and engage and do the things you know are meaningful to them with your whole heart, you know, ALL IN.
When approaching time this way, you will feel good about your choices. You will no longer feel guilty about “half assing” one thing or another. When it is work time, you give your undivided attention to your customers. Giving more focus to them results in more big present energy with them, which is priceless.
Trust me this works!
I know what you’re thinking, “Ummm, Jana, it isn’t really that easy, I work from home sooo…”
Here is the thing, be honest with yourself, maybe you cannot do this 100% of the time, but I am sure you have plenty of times that are within your control to practice this right?
The practices I have outlined here have changed my life. If you are suffering from anxiety, overwhelm, and stress, I can promise you, try one of these suggestions, for a week, you will see the effects right away.
As I began to be more intentional with my time, I found if I practiced these 3 mindfulness techniques, it helped me accomplish so much more. Time seems to magically expand and my overwhelm just melts away.
I hope you enjoyed these mindfulness tips. If you would like to connect and receive more information about how you can practice good self care around your life and business, consider joining my inner circle mailing list today!