Written by Hutson & Houck
Are you living in chaos? An endless existence of un-finished to do lists? Half eaten snacks? (If only!) It’s really easy to underestimate how easy it is to get off track. The simplest task, like folding clothes, can easily be derailed when your cat lays in your fresh laundry, how can you not post this on instagram? What was a 10 minute task, turns into an hour photo shoot and then the rest of your tasks gets pushed back!
A chain reaction that usually causes one to take a nap to “reset”. It happens again and again, you think you have it all together and then LIFE happens, and guess what? This will never stop happening! You can’t control the distractions in your life, but you can control how you react to them.
1. Find Strength in the Past.
Think back to every difficult situation you have experienced, how many times you have fallen and gotten back up? Setbacks can be frustrating, especially when unexpected, but stay focused and remember that you will make it through.
- Remind yourself that you can handle unexpected situations.
- Look back at what you’ve achieved , and the obstacles you had to overcome. Don’t take for granted how far you have already come.
- Meditate. Take the time to be calm, and relax. Focus on the end of the tunnel, and don’t get hung up on the speed bumps along the way.
- Take your days and tasks in small bites. Small precise steps still get things accomplished, and breaking them down into smaller tasks can help keep the chaos at bay.
2. Nothing is as bad as it seems.
Not to diminish your “first world problems”, but chances are you’re not homeless, living in Antarctica with no legs, after being attacked by Empire Penguins.
If you take a moment to assess the situation for what it truly is, you’ll realize that things are often not as bad as they seem. Recognize this and your coping mechanisms will kick in to help you start to find solutions.
- Wearing a smile, even in the midst of the turmoil, is a proven technique that helps people cope in times of stress.
- Be your own hero – push yourself to make it through.
3. Take five.
When things get tough to deal with, there’s nothing wrong with taking a timeout. Research shows that you’re actually more productive when you take breaks every hour, so loosen up!
- A break from all the craziness helps to put things back into perspective so you can renew your focus on the tasks at hand.
- Take a breath. Breathing helps to relax the muscles and ease your tension.
4. Drink lots of water.
Water not only makes you feel fresh as hell, but it actually cools you down physically and calms your spirit and nerves! Make it a habit to keep it by your desk so you always have some to sip on!
Although there’s a lot of stuff happening and things may seem chaotic, take a breath and remind yourself that the world (more than likely) is not going to end and by taking these attainable steps you will find it easier to push through!