We are a month into the new year! Are you overwhelmed yet? If so, this one is for you. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t overwhelmed. There are so many things on my mind like starting back up at school, staying healthy, accomplishing goals I’ve set for myself and lots more. I’m grateful for everything I get to do, but it becomes a lot if I’m not organized.
Here are a couple helpful tips that get me back on track when I feel stuck and overwhelmed. I hope they help!
- Get your space organized, but don’t try to do it all in one day. If getting organized only means cleaning your room then I’m sure you can do that in one day. If it means decluttering every drawer, removing clothes from your closet and finding a new space for all of your things, then think about designating days to each organization plan. Also, if you feel like you might get distracted then set timers for yourself!
- Do the little things first. You know what I’m talking about. That one email you have to send, that one appointment you have to cancel, that one order you have to return, and that one gym membership you have to cancel. All of those little things add up in your brain and end up being your biggest stressors. Get them done!!
- Do laundry twice a week. This is life-changing. Big laundry loads = overwhelming. Small laundry loads = quick, easy and clean clothes!
- Start reading. I know you’re probably thinking “Mel, I just told you I was overwhelmed… Why should I add reading to the list of things I need to do?” WELL, what I’ve realized is that whenever I feel like I’m not being productive (watching tv, scrolling on Instagram) that is when I start feeling overwhelmed. I get that we all need downtime, but choosing your downtime wisely is important. Do something that will benefit you, like reading, instead of watching the most recent episode of The Bachelor.
- Invest in a good planner and check it daily. I use the Create Cultivate planner from Target (in pink of course). Write everything down. Even the little things that you can probably remember on your own. Every time you check something off the list you’ll feel a little less overwhelmed.
- Schedule everything in advance. This one is super important to me. At the end of every month, I make a rough draft of what I’ll be doing day today for the following month. This includes what days I’ll be writing blog posts, posting deadlines, school assignment deadlines, dates with Mark, plans with friends, travel plans, doctor appointments. Schedule everything in!!! When you’re doing this it might seem really easy to not make time for friends, but pen them in because its time with friends and family that will fuel you.
- Weekly Planning. Every Sunday night I plan out my week in more detail. This includes workouts, what companies I have calls with, what professors I need to meet with, what I’m going to post and talk about on Instagram, what I’m going to eat and when I’m going to rest. Time block if you can. Just to give you an example, Monday- Pictures, Tuesday- School, Wednesday- Send pitches, Thursday- Write blog posts and Instagram post captions, and so on.
- Make one night a week for you and only you. Give yourself at least 4 hours before going to bed (I do this on Sundays) and just relax. Spend the first 30 minutes doing whatever is on your mind and then after that just UNPLUG! Once I started making this time for myself I felt like my ability to think and be mindful came back to me.
- Learn to be okay with saying “NO.” This can be tough, but once you have a clear idea of what you want and how you are going to get there it becomes really easy. Take the time to evaluate how long something will take and what you will have to sacrifice to do the task.
- Budget and organize an expense report every week. I like to do this on Sundays during my me time. Create an excel sheet and put in all that you spent in the past week! This makes you realize what you need to cut back on and it helps you save some money!
I guess that the main two tricks to keep you from getting overwhelmed are planning and being organized! Would you be interested in me sharing a couple of items I use to keep my space organized? I hope these tips helped you!!
With love, Melissa
