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Hurley2113

- 2 years ago

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What do you do when you find yourself getting overwhelmed with the world?

I've just been busy with work as of recent and with school starting again my "to do" list just keeps growing! I was curious if anyone has any suggestions for relaxing as well as task management so it doesn't come to a head as it normally does! Cheers

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For relaxing I set aside a block of time every day for alone time. I might have a nice bubble bath or read chapters in my latest book or do a jigsaw puzzle. I found recently that I have been doing that more and more in the morning before I start my day. I get up a bit earlier every day but I have some Zen calm time and start the day less frazzled.

For task management I employ the same strategy - set times each day or week where I block off time to get projects completed. I volunteer for three groups where I often have to accomplish things as part of a team. So for any projects for them I tell myself that if something is say actually due Friday I set the deadline for 2 days earlier. Then I have the satisfaction of getting it done early and off to whoever next needs it before they expect it. I feel real relief that it is done, done early and off my plate.

If it does come to a head I stop all I am doing and take five minutes and put my feet up and enjoy an ice cold coke and tell the universe I will rejoin it shortly when I am ready. That moment of chill lets me regroup and begin again a little calmer

I come here to SP, watch a movie, listen to music, read, play with the cats, meditate, do sense relaxation. The last two are great before a formidable task, or just a list of tasks. Helps you get centered.

If I still have important things on my to-do list and I try and relax, it just won't happen. Once I finally check everything off, though, I feel amazing. Then I do my relaxing.

leave work at work. if you have to make a "to do list" prioritize and set a date for completion of that task.

plan your day, if you must. but always, always, schedule time for yourself.

Self care baby--schedule a massage, lunch with a friend and something really fun for a weekend soon.

I give myself "me' time where I read or listen to music.

Exercise

I listen to southern gospel and show tunes, both of which make me cry because of the overwhelming theatricality they possess. I will also watch a movie that makes me cry (I have several sure fire tear starters on hand at all times). I don't cry like a typical (I started to say normal, and maybe I should have) person, but I find that tears help me stop a minute and then be ready to carry on.

[I listen to music on headphones with music on my computer. In fact I'm doing that now. My housemates used to say "what's that noise?". Now they figure I'm singing along, but I'm not saying it's not still noise. :-o]

Add one very important thing to your "to do" list:

Take/make time to take care of yourself.
Time to relax and reflect. Time to give yourself permission to, for the moment, put everything else on a back burner to simmer away while you pay attention to other, more important matters.

Now that is hard.
I've found that I can only put this very important task off for so long before it "comes to a head". Sometimes in this crazy modern world we do have to burn the candle at both ends. What I've found to be the life-saver -- the thing that keeps both flames from meeting, flaring and finding nothing left to burn -- is the ability to classify my "time off" as of equal or perhaps even greater importance than most of the other things on that list.

After all, nothing on that list is going to get crossed off if you burn yourself out. And recovery from that can take weeks. So why not take a day or two now, to save yourself even more time later?

The trick and the challenge, is to:
1) accurately discern the true long-term value of things and
2) being able to compartmentalize all that craziness into a drawer you can close for the sake of truly enjoying some time of not just recreation . . . but "re-creation" of your stable base. Whether time alone, or a trip or an outing with friends that will occupy your thoughts away from that list.

BTW, be cautious with drinking drugs and parties.
We value them because they often provide -- even "enforce" -- a time of detachment from "the worries of life". But they can and often do simply add more things to our "to do" list. Things like physical recovery, dealing with incidents arising from one's resulting poor judgement, spending more than one originally had budgeted for the event.
A blur of forgetfulness is NO substitute for a genuine time of "re-creation". One that we learn to generate of ourselves without artificially (and expensively!) inducing it with substances or events.

*Do the first thing

What Erbs said pretty much. The the first thing first then then next thing next - and stay away from distractions - I am hoping not to hear from you here until you have sorted your schedule out. :)

I'm a school counselor and this is the WORST weekend of the year for me. I'm buried! So, rather than trying to relax, I'm taking a different tack this year. I've identified the ONE TASK that causes me the most stress; the 314 student schedules that I'm responsible for. So, I'm spending the weekend working on that. My overall mental health will be better if I go to bed tonight knowing that I've done everything I can to make them right (and my week will be SO mush less stressful).

I have driven miles just after final examinations were over to reach the ocean in Galveston, Texas and walk along the deserted beach listening to quiet lap of the waves as they reached the shore and I thought of the Ocean of God's love and we are the waves of one sea and how bathing in this Ocean would wash away immorality and the feeling of insignificance would overcome me as I looked down at the millions of sand grains and small traces of life and I would feel better and dry off my feet and go back home in my Volkeswagon that liked the shore too but not sandy feet.

Hurley2113

What do you do when you find yourself getting overwhelmed with the world?

PancakesRock

RosieFullyRiveted

I come here to SP, watch a movie, listen to music, read, play with the cats, meditate, do sense relaxation. The last two are great before a formidable task, or just a list of tasks. Helps you get centered.

ktlady623

If I still have important things on my to-do list and I try and relax, it just won't happen. Once I finally check everything off, though, I feel amazing. Then I do my relaxing.

melb2

leave work at work. if you have to make a "to do list" prioritize and set a date for completion of that task.

plan your day, if you must. but always, always, schedule time for yourself.

healingworks

Self care baby--schedule a massage, lunch with a friend and something really fun for a weekend soon.

insincerelyme

I give myself "me' time where I read or listen to music.

jdav

Exercise

PopeSkippyXVI

Griz

SaveAmerica

*Do the first thing

SaveAmerica

What Erbs said pretty much. The the first thing first then then next thing next - and stay away from distractions - I am hoping not to hear from you here until you have sorted your schedule out. :)

Erbs

Hali

Inzababa

take a break

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What do you do when you find yourself getting overwhelmed with the world?

I come here to SP, watch a movie, listen to music, read, play with the cats, meditate, do sense relaxation. The last two are great before a formidable task, or just a list of tasks. Helps you get centered.

If I still have important things on my to-do list and I try and relax, it just won't happen. Once I finally check everything off, though, I feel amazing. Then I do my relaxing.

leave work at work. if you have to make a "to do list" prioritize and set a date for completion of that task. plan your day, if you must. but always, always, schedule time for yourself.

Self care baby--schedule a massage, lunch with a friend and something really fun for a weekend soon.

I give myself "me' time where I read or listen to music.

Exercise

*Do the first thing

What Erbs said pretty much. The the first thing first then then next thing next - and stay away from distractions - I am hoping not to hear from you here until you have sorted your schedule out. :)

take a break

SoulPancake

hand–crafted in Atwater Village

About SoulPancake

Platforms

Networks

What's Next?

leave work at work. if you have to make a "to do list" prioritize and set a date for completion of that task.

plan your day, if you must. but always, always, schedule time for yourself.