Do you feel frantic at times? We all know that overextending ourselves and spreading ourselves too thin isn’t healthy, however, it is very easy to do too much, especially when we love what we do.
It is hard to tell whether we are simply productively busy or if we took on too much and overextend ourselves, but it is important to keep in mind that we all need rest at times, physically as well as emotionally, to avoid pushing ourselves too hard and heading towards burnout.
Self-care is an important part of being productive and keeping our focus, because if we break down, it won’t do anyone any good. When it comes down to it, overextending ourselves is a choice and once we do realize that we are doing too much, it is time to stop, regroup and then get busy again – in a healthy way.
Here are our TOP 10 tips to avoid overextending ourselves and making sure to stay healthy and productive for years to come.
#1 Acknowledge It
If you find yourself having too many tasks, not getting enough good quality sleep, saying yes to everything, having too much information, never quitting even when quitting would make sense and thinking that if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself, you may be overextending yourself. Stop denying that you have too much on your plate and acknowledge it to yourself. Acknowledgement is the first step to stop an unhealthy, frantic lifestyle that will catch up with you sooner rather than later. Now is the time to do something about it.
#2 Wait to Commit
Oftentimes we say ‘yes’ to opportunities that are presented to us because we are afraid that we might miss out on something great or we scare off the person who is offering the opportunity. Before you commit to an opportunity take a moment and give yourself the time to consider whether the opportunity is a once in a lifetime deal that you cannot pass up on or if you simply say ‘yes’ because you are paranoid that saying ‘no’ may result in negative consequences that in reality never actually materialize. Identify if you have the resources available to use the opportunity to your advantage before you commit and suddenly realize that you are overextending yourself.
#3 Ask for Help
This is common sense, but unfortunately the reality is that asking for help is a lot of times something that people forget or simply refuse to do because they see it as a sign of weakness. It really doesn’t matter whether we are talking about projects in your personal or in your professional life, reach out to people around you who can help you out and assist you on your task. Asking for help is the smart thing to do because you avoid overextending yourself and with that compromising the outcome. Having someone to help you out may get you new insights into your project, you will get a boost of motivation, you can pull resources and most of all, you get something off your plate that frees up some of your precious time and energy.
#4 Check Your Gut
When you are presented with a new opportunity check in with your gut feeling. Our gut can tell us whether or not we should jump on an opportunity or if we would waste our time and energy on something that seems too good to be true. Remember, your gut feeling isn’t specific, but you do feel if something feels off or something feels right. Check in with your intuition and gut feeling before you jump on a new opportunity.
#5 Schedule ‘Me’ Time
Self-care is hugely important to be able to juggle everything that’s on your plate and stay physically and mentally healthy. Set aside time for yourself and put it on your calendar and then make it a non-negotiable. Schedule your time at the gym, your yoga classes, your night out with friends, a massage, movie night, whatever is important to you. Maybe it’s even something as simple as scheduling 15 minutes a day to read a book or 10 minutes in the morning for your daily meditation practice. If you make time to take care of yourself and do things that you enjoy with people you love, you will be much better equipped to handle anything that comes your way and you won’t feel as overwhelmed or overextended.
#6 Prioritize
Prioritizing doesn’t just mean that you figure out what’s most important to you, but also identifying things that can wait. Not everything needs to be done right this very second. There are probably a lot of things on your to-do list that don’t need your immediate attention and could be done at any time. Identify your priorities and be strict about them. Don’t waste your time and energy on things that aren’t crucial and can wait.
#7 Learn to Say ‘No’
It is sometimes a lot easier to simply say yes to a project or invitation – even if you don’t feel like it – because you don’t want to turn somebody down and disappoint them. But it is detrimental to remind yourself that you are allowed to refuse tasks, events or social engagements, if it would mean that you are overextending yourself. Make it a point to deliberately take a moment before you commit to something. Consider it and politely decline it, if you feel like it is too much for you right now.
#8 Sleep More
We all know that lack of sleep can make it difficult to accomplish your tasks or focus on the project right in front of you. Sleep is essential to our health and well-being, physically, emotionally and mentally, and even though we are all aware of the importance of sleep, it’s the one thing we are willing to sacrifice first. Make good quality sleep a priority, commit to a bedtime and have a bedtime routine to wind down before actually going to bed. Take a hot bath, read a book, listen to chill out music, watch an inspiring movie, stretch a little, listen to a podcast. Make sure you get at least 7 hours of sleep every night and if you can’t get all your sleep at night, find time for a power nap during the day.
#9 Sit Down for a Meal
We’ve all been there, we have breakfast on the go, grab lunch at the desk and dinner on our way to the gym. While it won’t cause you any problems if it happens occasionally – we are all pressed for time every now and then – generally speaking you want to make sure to sit down for your meals, preferable surrounded by people you like, and enjoy a nutritious meal without doing anything else. Enjoy your lunch, indulge in your dinner and nourish your body and mind by eating mindfully. Be present for your meals, not only will your body and mind be grateful, your food will taste a lot more delicious if you take the time to enjoy it.
#10 Keep Your Calendar
Some people don’t like planning and find it exhilarating to flow with the punches of a hectic life. However, keeping a calendar, for your work as well as your private life, will organize your life and make things a lot easier. Yes, your calendar can seem like a slave driver, but on the other hand it’s a great tool to set boundaries and limits. Having everything you need to do on black and white will help you to evaluate your time a lot better and you can easily find out if you can do more or if you have to scale back a bit.
Remember, you have a choice every single day of how you want to live your life and putting yourself on top of your to-do list is essential to stay productive and actually be able to help others. Consider your needs and understand that you deserve to take care of yourself. Keep in mind, when we overextend ourselves, we won’t be able to focus on what’s really important and prioritize the things that will get us closer to our goals and dreams.
HIT PAUSE AND REGROUP
Joschi & Monika
#BoldNaked
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