Whenever life is in transition or undergoing major change, it can become very overwhelming! The To Do list multiplies and brain power is zapped just as it is needed the most.
Major life change such as death, divorce, career shift, a newborn baby or even a wedding can send any highly capable person in to a tizzy and left wanting to crumple into a ball on the bathroom floor for few weeks.
Knowing techniques to cope with change can make all the difference in avoiding a major breakdown or feeling like a miserable failure. The first thing to remember is this is normal, life is always changing. And secondly, you are not the only person who has gone through this type of situation and the majority of them came out just fine in the end.
The strategy is to GET BACK TO THE BASICS or K.I.S.S. (Keep it Simple Silly – I hate calling anyone stupid…)
- Don’t start any new projects! Temporarily take anything off your plate that isn’t vital.
- Avoid buying anything unnecessary that requires more of your time (like setting up a new stereo/speaker system or figuring out how to use your new digital camera).
- Make healthy eating exercise, yoga and breathing a priority. Don’t start a new type of exercise, it will just frustrate you if you can’t keep up. Just walk if that is all you know how to do. Practice these instant stress management tips.
- Begin with the end in mind. Write out a description of the ideal situation you are working towards. Then work backwards through the steps to get where you need to be. Make a list of the absolute things you must do to get through this phase of your life and make those actions a priority with due dates. You are going to feel much better about getting those done than escaping to the couch to watch reality tv.
- Break your action steps into tiny manageable to dos that can be done with small doses of energy — that way you don’t burn out.
- Ask for help. Communicate your needs and expectations to others. Many people are willing to lend an extra hand in a time of need or will cut you some slack if they understand your situation. You just need to tell them! To keep your sanity, consider hiring a cleaning person or getting take out more than you usually would.
- Repeat this mantra over and over: This Too Shall Pass…
Before you know it, your current situation will have passed and it will just be a page in your diary.
