How To Cope with being Overwhelmed!

Well, today I had a whole other post in mind, but I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed this morning! After 2 weeks of sick babies, trying to promote and start up 2 new businesses, finishing up another certification/school, soliciting a finished novel, starting three new book ideas, running a house hold, not to mention all the other things I think I can take on, as well as functions, and meetings I try to attend. Plus it's been between 70-80 degrees here this week, I tend to get the gardening bug and want to be outside doing whatever I can to enjoy the sunshine. Wheeeeww! Now I feel better! :) With that said I do it to myself. I want to always do everything and as much as I can and we all know we can't do it all. So in honor of my tears and being overwhelmedthis morning, I decided to sit on my front porch in the rocking chair with a cup of tea, with the sun beating down on me, and write to center my soul a little. Here's a few ways with dealing and coping with being stressed or overwhelmed.

1. Find a quiet spot and close your eyes- find some where away from all the distractions and the noise and close your eyes and listen to the silence. Clear your mind, center yourself, and calm your nerves. Try to just be for a good 10 minutes. (This is hard for some one who can't sit still, like me)
2. Breathe Deep- Focus on taking full deep breaths, this also helps with releasing tension and removing toxins and stressors from the body. Try inhaling through your nose to fill your lungs full of air and then slowly exhale through your mouth to release all the air from your lungs. Try to do 6-8 full breaths. This wil also help your posture by sitting up straighter to breath more deeply
3. Proritize and Take Action- The best way to feel less overwhelmed and more productive is to make a list, put the most important things on top of the list and then work your way down to things you hope to accomplish for the day. Then start tackling your tasks.
4. Focus on your Progress- Most days you'll never accomplish your to do list, I surely never do. But I try to carve out atleast 15-30 minutes, depending on the day for fresh air, exercise, or "me time" as they call it. Not very often for us mamas out there! But focus on what you have accomplished for the day. Maybe you got your exercise it, or spent 30 minutes outside soaking in the sunshine and all the signs that spring is right around the corner. Maybe you didn't get the whole house cleaned but maybe you got the laundry done and the dishwasher emptied. Or maybe you got a healthy fullfilling dinner made and got to read your little ones their favorite book. Try to look at the positives for the day and not all the things you didn't get done. It always makes me feel more productive when I think about all the things I got to cross off my list then what I didn't!

So, I hope this helps if any of you are feeling a bit overwhelmed or want to just drop the to do list and enjoy this incredible weather we're having on the East Coast. I know just doing these things made me feel better and it always helps if you have a friend to chat with that understands your pain