Most of us would describe our daily lives as busy. We rush from home to work, to daycare, then back home. We don’t get enough sleep, and probably rely on takeout more often than we should.
But sometimes our busy lives get too busy. Whether because of bad timing, over-scheduling, or something completely beyond our control, I think most of us got through periods where our obligations overtake us and life becomes one big blur.
I’m actually in the middle of one such period, and I have to say, I’m already overwhelmed.
As fate would have it, the next couple of weeks are just jam-packed with doctor’s appointments, vet appointments, new clients, funky schedules, and more… and that’s on top of my already busy life of teaching full-time, mentoring 2 new teachers, running a ukulele club after school, and this blog.
When life gets crazy busy like this, I start to feel it right away. I’m easily irritated, I have little patience, and my anxiety level creeps up.
To combat that, I’m trying to be proactive about these next few weeks. Hopefully, some of these tips will help you as well.
Put off what you can. The laundry doesn’t have to be done right this second. You have enough clothes to go more than a week without doing a wash – consider it an opportunity for some of your less frequently worn clothes to escape your closet. And no one’s going to die if you don’t vacuum the living room on Wednesday, like it says on your multi-colored, Pinterest printable chore chart.
Get enough sleep. Easier said than done, right? Especially when you have a to-do list a mile long. But remember that some of those things can wait and, in most cases, sleep is more important. A good night’s sleep will give you enough energy to make it through those crazy days, and you’ll feel better.
Accept and ask for help. You can’t do it all. And more importantly, you don’t have to! Because my week is insanely busy, Mr. O will be stepping up to pick up Miss O from school, go to the grocery store for my much-needed Bailey’s Irish Cream creamer, and making dinner. So if there’s something that you just can’t put off, find someone who can help lighten your load.
Plan ahead. Sometimes our overscheduled periods come out of nowhere, but sometimes we can see them coming. My family uses Cozi as a calendar and organizer, so I get an email on Sunday with our family’s schedule for the week. It helps me see what’s coming (as much as possible) and prepare in advance. I can plan meals, Mr. O and I can figure out who’s going to take Miss O where she needs to go, which makes me feel much less stressed.
Be okay with things being less than perfect. If your kid has cereal for dinner or you end up stopping for Chinese, it’s not the end of the world. If you need to use the tv as a babysitter more than usual, fine. If you have to <gasp> say no to someone, or bring store-bought brownies to the bake sale, it’s okay. Sometimes just surviving is enough.
What are your tips for dealing with those uber-crazy periods in your life? Share in the comments.
