Three Steps to Move from Freaking The F*#$! Out, to Getting Shit Done
I make a lovely announcement that I’m leaving Corporate America (eventually), likely not a huge deal to many - (as it’s my career on the line) - and then I shut up for a month.
I promise you, I have not changed my mind. Quite the contrary - I have been settling into my decision. At times feeling at ease, at others excited, and, days like today, completely overwhelmed.
I know this isn’t going to be easy. How’s it go? “Nothing great comes without hard work?” or something… But this roller coaster of emotions and energy is a bitch. At times I am feeling pulled in so many different directions, I can just picture myself fracturing into splinters to follow each pull.
It’s funny how some weeks I can say something to someone else that I think might help them, not realizing how it will come up just days later as something I need to hear myself.
I may not have ALL the answers, and I for sure have SO MUCH to learn when it comes to finding a way to make a living that feels fulfilling and meaningful - but I often need to remind myself the things I DO KNOW that I need to be tapping into right now.
It was 2 days ago I spouted off at work how much I would “love to nerd out over time management”. Today I find myself (surprise, surprise) feeling overwhelmed and unorganized - almost paralyzed by the feeling of what to do next. And Voila! Use your mother f’in time management skills, Dear.
In my quest to stop the downward spiral of thoughts in my brain, here’s what I did to help me have a productive day (instead of sitting and freaking out for hours):
Step 1: Write the Shit Down
When you have all the swirl in your head, clogging your thought process and building your stress levels sit the fuck down BEFORE it renders you useless. Get all the thoughts and must-dos swirling in your head, out. Whatever format works best for you (paper, digital, note taking app) so long as you’re able to jot down every little thing that is clogging your brain. Big or small, get it out.
Step 2: Prioritize the Shit
Often times we do the things that we most WANT to do, but they may not be the things that we most NEED to do. I am a member of the procrastination society and am well-versed on the techniques. Start something new, start a load of laundry I won't finish, do something I've been putting off for months that doesn’t really need to be done in the first place…
If we can get clear on our priorities (yes this means we should have some sort of goals in mind for ourselves and our lives - more on that in a future post) then we can make sure to actually schedule the time needed to do the things that will help us achieve those goals.
Example of me revoking my procrastination society membership:
Goal - Create, market, and deliver my first FREE virtual Course by EOY.
Procrastination Task - Paint guest room a dainty pink.
Purposeful Task - Learn how to make blog posts simultaneously post to social AND send to my mailing list.
Honestly, I would much rather get my ass to Home Depot right meow and spend my entire weekend ripping a room apart and doing physical labor than learn how to do that purposeful task above. I’m not even kidding.
Each has a payoff, one however is exponentially more helpful in the things I am trying to achieve in my life.
(Spoiler alert - with this very blog post I have chipped away at learning those pesky things!)
Step 3: Do the damn thing.
Just one damn thing. One. Purposeful. Thing.
I promise you the feelings you’ll get upon finishing a purposeful task that you had left nagging you for so long…
A voice taunting you with things like “You don’t know how to do that,'' “It can wait”, “You’re such a piece of shit for not doing it, it’s SO easy.” When you get to make those voices STFU, the energy you will get in place of that will be oh so worth it.
Bonus step: If you feel so inclined...
Take note of how the voices in your head change from before and after you finally tackle something you had put off. Notice what they’re saying, and how it changes. How does it impact your overall feel AND productivity? What can you learn from this?
I would love to hear how this works for you, reply below or shoot me an email. As I said already this week, “I’d LOVE to nerd out over time management”!
-Meagan