Posts Tagged ‘focus’

Do you feel overwhelmed?

Does it sound like this:

There is always too much to do and not enough time.

There are people who need me to do things … now.  Not later.

There are things I want to do … after I get my ‘to-do’ list done.  But when will that be?

Sound familiar?  Does it make you feel tired and overwhelmed?

Do you feel like a hamster on a wheel going as fast as you can – and getting nowhere?

I know I do.  At times.

And then.

And then, I stop.

I get very still.  I stop focusing so hard on everything I have to do.

Just for a minute.

That’s all it takes.  Less than a minute.

Breathe.  Breathe in and out slowly and deeply.  Relax into it.  Give your body that wonderful, slow, deep breath of momentary relaxation.  Ahhhhh.

Now set an intention for the next part of your day.

Just this single day.

Just the very next part of this single day.

If it’s morning, set an intention for how this next part of the morning will go.  Focus in on right now and what’s immediately next.

Set a positive intention for how this very next part of your day will go.  How do you want to feel as you move through this part of your day?  Savor those positive feelings and let them settle into your body.

It calms the overwhelm.  It allows you to stay present.  It reminds you that you can choose your thoughts and feelings and allow the better-feeling ones to circulate in your mind and body.

I invite you to try it.

Stop.  Breathe. Set a positive intention.

Allow positive feelings and thoughts to settle in.  Then focus on the very next section of your day.  Only that section.

Bring in your focus to what’s immediately next and how you want to feel as you move through that part of your day.

And see if the overwhelm doesn’t dissipate.

I dare you.

I know it so well.  That feeling of overwhelm.
Feeling like I’ll never get it all done.
Feeling like I have so much to do and not enough time to do it in.
Feeling pressured by all I want to accomplish and all that my life entails.
Feeling like it never ends, no matter how efficient I am.

My brain gets scattered and I can’t even put a Read the rest of this entry »

       

So, here I am, feeling harried, feeling stressed, and rushing from one task to another. 

Gotta get ‘em done so I can relax.  Gotta get ‘em done so I can get onto “the good stuff” in life. 

There’s the dishwasher to be unloaded.  There’s laundry waiting to be folded and/or ironed.  There are receipts waiting to be entered into the computer.  There’s so much to do!  And none of it is the joyful part of my day.  I just want to get through them so I can … (fill in the blank here).

Do you know that feeling? 

Do you recognize that scenario?

How often do you find yourself thinking about the next thing that needs to get done WHILE you’re still doing something else?  And just how well is that working to reduce your stress?  To add joy to your day?  For me, if I’m honest about it, that doesn’t really help. 

It’s easy to be on auto-pilot and keep plugging away in the mindset I just described.

Here’s an idea!  Stop doing that. 

No, not the individual tasks (although that IS an option). 

Stop the mental auto-pilot response of doing one thing and thinking about all the others still to be done. 

Try this instead.  Focus in on what you’re doing in the moment. 

Use your senses to really notice what you’re doing.  What your body is doing.  What you’re experiencing. 

Embrace the repetitive movements in your day. 

Give it a try.  Start with one task that has a repetitive element.  Focus on the task and watch your brain slow down.  Fold the laundry and actually notice the texture of the towels, the colors, the fresh scent, how warm they are against your body, and the visually pleasing folded stack that you’re creating. 

Choose to experience the repetition in the task as a chance to mentally slow down and enjoy your life.  Right now.  The moments that are part of your life. 

As you focus on what you are doing right now, take note of how you feel.  Do you feel LESS stress for a change?  Do you feel a sense of satisfaction?  What else? 

Give it a try and let me know what YOU experience. 
~Margie