To all of the busy ladies, here are some strategies that can help you be productive and calm
Does this sound familiar to you? Personally, as a busy woman (I’m a mom; maintaining relationships; keeping the house tidy; running my mental health private practice and mindset coaching business; write for my two blogs; and preparing for ultramarathons year-round), I struggle with being calm while I go about my day.
Here’s how it usually goes
I’m usually productive in some way because there is always something that needs done. There’s this feeling that things need to be done in an overly particular way. Perfectionism and high-functioning anxiety tend to be issues. I get this feeling of needing to be in complete control of things, in order to not create more work or strain in some way to my day. I’ve taught myself to do things “good enough,” and that I can focus on just the priorities and save other things for another time. Tasks get done when I’m flexible and take things one moment at a time.
When there’s anxiety present
Anxiety couples this feeling that something needs to be a certain way or lack of having an amount of control. Anxiety is also provoked when I feel overwhelmed by the amount of things that I need to do. It’s difficult being calm because I can be so worked up, that I teeter on the edge of shutting down for the day. I want things to be completed in a timely manner and done right. Sometimes, I aim for perfection, but I know that that’s unrealistic. There’s a lot of pressure that I place on myself.
Ladies, are you relating to any of this? Here’s my answer to how to be productive and calm as a busy woman…
How do I remain calm while I’m in a state of being busy and usually anxious?
• I practice time management. Read: Value Your Time, Set Your Priorities
• Prioritize tasks
• Ask others for help. Read: Spinning Your Wheels: ask for help when you’re stuck
• Tell someone “no” when they ask if I can do something when I truly don’t have the time
• Mindfulness
• Slow myself down, so I can think clearly
• Stay grounded
• Self-care. Sometimes taking a full day for it! Free, downloadable self-care assessment: Self-Care Assessment
• Exercise or run
• Focus on my strengths and goals (and the reasons behind them. My “whys”)
• Think positive (in general)
• I reframe my distorted thinking
• Write down affirmations
There are probably some other tricks that I use that aren’t coming to mind. Whatever I do, I choose to act in a more helpful and healthy manner. I choose to react in a way that is more calm.
How do I know which strategy will help?
I don’t 100% of the time know which strategy will help, but I do know that I can try two or three and see if they work. Overtime, it is easier to know which strategies will work and for what. If a strategy doesn’t help, no big deal, pick another. There are instances where anxiety is stronger and it takes a handful of strategies to help. Also, no big deal. Be flexible, anxiety rises and falls.
The strategies from this list are additional “to do’s,” but they make life better and add peace. This work becomes increasingly effortless the more that I practice it. You can do this, too.
How do you practice being productive, yet calm?
Christian ladies, I like to remind myself of the encouraging Bible verses for overcoming worry and anxiety. Here are 30 verses: Worry and Anxiety Bible Verses
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