Are you like me? This last month has swallowed me whole.
A work trip out of state, two seminars, multiple sandwich generation obligations, end of school activities, a full client load and new offering launches. Oh, and on said trip, did I mention a double cicada invasion (Ewwww)?
May is usually a busy month, but this year it felt like a killer. The juggle of work and life that usually feels like a tight rope walk felt like it was over the Grand Canyon with hurricane winds. And I barely stayed on.
How do we survive these times in our lives when nothing feels in control? How do we show up for our careers as well as every other responsibility we have without losing our sanity?
Here is how I pulled it off this past month, and what I believe are key tools we can summon every day:
Stay organized: Calendar, calendar, calendar! Make sure everything is in your calendar and make sure everyone who needs to know what’s going on knows. We use a family Google calendar, but there are lots of options (even good ol’ paper wall calendars).
Communicate: The busier I am, the more likely I am to miss keeping everyone informed of updates, changes, or important facts (like bringing the card to a first communion party or the change of a launch date).
Elicit help: Whether it’s an extra carpool for your kids, help with a report, or help with sending a gift, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Friends and colleagues are usually happy to lend a hand, and don’t forget that technology can help too (Thank you, Amazon!).
Micro-rests: Too busy to take a leisurely walk or sleep in? Mico-rests can be very helpful. Try a 5-minute meditation, a 10-minute walk around your building, or sitting quietly and taking deep breaths for 3 minutes. These little moments can add up to feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the next task.
Go With the Flow: When things seem overwhelming, I know I need to let go of being in control over every detail. Letting go of the small stuff and being extra flexible goes a long way to keeping me calm (and everyone around me).
I’m happy to say things are starting to return to normal and I can exhale. These tools helped me stay on track, meet all the obligations so I could “Keep Calm and Carry On”.
What do you do when work and life bowl you over? I'd love to hear!
To work with Elise, visit www.thesinhagroup.net
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