Finding Balance in an Overwhelmed Life
As women, so often we put pressure on ourselves to do it all – have a successful career, be present mothers, keep a beautiful home, nurture our relationships, follow our passions, stay fit and healthy…the list goes on!
In our quest to “have it all,” it’s easy to take on too much and lose our sense of balance, leaving us stressed out, overwhelmed and struggling to keep up.
I get it – I’ve been there too! As an organizing expert and mom of three, I know firsthand how hard it can be to keep all the plates spinning. Over the years I’ve learned strategies that have brought more simplicity, peace and purpose into my days. I’m excited to share what has worked for me in hopes it may help you too!
Step 1: Get Clear on Priorities
The first step to balancing everything without drowning in overwhelm is getting really clear on what your top priorities in life are. Make a list of what’s most important – whether it’s faith, family, health, career, creative outlets or causes you care about. Be really honest with yourself about what matters most.
Once you identify your top 5-7 priorities, use them as the filter to make decisions through moving forward. Getting clear on the right priorities for you gives you power over your time and schedule.
Step 2: Schedule Around Priorities
Now that you’re clear on priorities, let those key areas drive your schedule, rather than scheduling reactively each day. Actually schedule time for your top priorities first before filling in other tasks.
For example, if faith, family and health are your top three, schedule time for daily meditation and prayer, family dinners 3-4 nights a week, and morning workouts.
Planning ahead ensures you dedicate time for what matters most instead of only scheduling urgent tasks and getting to key areas when you can.
Step 3: Take Back Control with Lists
Do you ever feel like your to-do list owns you? So often we let our daily task lists drive our days which leaves us feeling out of control and like we’re constantly behind.
A simple shift that’s worked wonders for me is creating my daily to-do list AFTER I map out my most important priorities and appointments for that day. This allows me to build my task list around my actual time and capacity I have available so I don’t over-schedule myself into a frazzled state of being! I’m in control of my list versus it controlling me. Give it a try – it’s so freeing!
Step 4: Embrace Help When You Can
As capable women it’s easy to think we need to do everything ourselves all the time! But bravely embracing help when you can is key to balancing it all long term.
Make a list of tasks that feel depleting or just aren’t the best use of your time and energy. For example, house cleaning, lawn care, meal prep, errand running.
Then explore options to outsource what you can afford – whether hiring help or trading skills with a friend.
If your kids are young, trade childcare with a friend so you can each have dedicated work time. This is invaluable! Doing it all yourself doesn’t mean you’re superwoman, it just steals your much needed energy and balance. Know what’s worth outsourcing or delegating.
Step 5: Master the Art of No
As women, we so often say yes to everyone and everything until we’re overcommitted, overwhelmed and exhausted! Learning the art of no is essential for self care and sanity!
When asked to take something new on, pause and ask yourself if it aligns with your priorities before automatically saying yes. If not, decline gracefully rather than committing just to be nice or avoid discomfort. Save yes for what matters most to you. It gets easier over time and is so healthy!
I have a simple rule – if committing to something new means I have to sacrifice time/energy from a current priority, my answer is no. Protect your time and energy!
Step 6: Simplifying Brings Peace
In our fast paced, consumer culture, clutter easily invades our homes and schedules leaving us drained. Take time to regularly declutter your space and calendar.
Sort through physical items and pare down to only what you need and enjoy. Unsubscribe from emails that aren’t useful and delete apps off your phone that suck precious mental space. Protect blocks of blank space on your calendar to unwind, think and reset.
The simplicity, breathing room and margins that decluttering brings reduces stress and creates the peaceful mental space we all need to thrive!
Step 7: Make Self Care Non-Negotiable
Balancing a full life is next to impossible without regular self care! Carve out small pockets of time just for you to refill – whether it’s soaking in bubble baths, meeting a girlfriend for coffee, listening to a podcast on a lunchtime walk or turning off your phone to journal before bed.
I schedule my self care in advance so it actually happens and I guard this time fiercely! Self care is not selfish – it’s self preservation so you can pour into all those around you from a place of abundance versus burn out. Protect it unapologetically!
Want the journaling worksheet that accompanies this? I’m giving it away for free for a limited time! CLICK HERE to download.
I hope these tips help provide a starting place to creating more simplicity and breathing room within your days. Begin putting boundaries around your time and energy for what nourishes you most. You’ll be amazed how it reduces stress while allowing you to be fully present for those you love. You’ve got this!
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