It’s not always that we need to do more
But rather that we need to
focus on less.
Nathan W. Morris
And therein lies the rub. Sometimes, we feel overwhelmed because we look at a big project and just don’t know where to begin. The problem with big projects is just that….they are big. When it’s overwhelming, it’s time to just look at one small thing and start there.
You need to focus on less. If you’re cleaning out a cluttered room, start with a shelf. Pick up one item on that shelf and then decided what to do with it. Then pick up another item. If you start small, it’s easier to keep going and before you know it, the shelf is cleared off. Focus on less.
By focusing on less, you can also celebrate more. If you decide to declutter and focus on the whole room and only manage to get one shelf done, then you feel like nothing has been accomplished. But if you want to declutter by starting with just one shelf in that room, when you’re done with your one shelf, you met your goal. At that point, you can decide to do another shelf today or come back tomorrow and do another shelf.
You need to focus on less so you won’t feel overwhelmed.
Oh boy I need this! I was so overwhelmed today (just laying in bed thinking about the BIGNESS of stuff I need to do) that I suddenly got up, got dressed, (no shower, makeup, hair done – nothing – just clothes) and left the house within minutes. I spent 3 hours at the seafront simply because I ‘didn’t have time’. This day wont be back – so I seized it. Thank you.
This is even better advice when you haven’t checked your email in two days and 17 billion blog posts are sitting in your inbox :(.
Hahaha. That’s my life right at this moment. Instead of just looking at all the new emails in a bunch, I’ve sorted by sender so I only have to look at a few at a time!
Great advice Jennifer. We’ve all heard that the way you eat an elephant is one bite at a time, but I always need reminders. Especially as the holidays approach with all that entails.
Although eating an elephant isn’t on my to-do list…lol.
That is a great reminder for both tangible and emotional barriers.
Small steps and regular rewards. That’s what I do.
They work best for me!
A wonderful reminder at this busy holiday season!
I get very overwhelmed sometimes with the amount of work I need to do. Sometimes I do what you said, take little steps. Other times I just say forget it! 😉
Couldn’t agree more Jennifer. As I get older I have come to realise that less is more in so many parts of my life.
You are so right. Overwhelm quickly leads to paralysis for me. Break projects down into manageable parts. This approach has worked well for me with Hershey kisses. If I just focus on eating them one by one, in no time at all I find I’ve polished off a whole bag with little effort!
I think I have a bag of Hershey’s on my to do list as well!
I totally need this and need to buy a whiteboard to keep track of what I’m doing. Less is better always.