Too much on my plate! Can you relate?

Holy smokes, my house is a mess! 

I’ve been super busy with work stuff (lots to do when you’re a solopreneur) and client stuff (wouldn’t trade this part for the world!). But I’ve also had about a zillion house projects in the works and have still been dealing with this stupid, long drawn out cold/cough/crud that’s going around. Needless to say, I’m moving slower than I’d like and not getting much done. What this looks like in my house is lots of unfinished projects and a very long To Do List, so long, in fact, that I’d started calling it my Undone List. Blech.

I’ve simply got too much on my plate. Can you relate?

Yup, it happens – even if you’re a Professional Organizer! Sometimes I’m spinning plates like a pro and other times… not so much. Life is messy business. So, how do I get back on track?

• Remind myself that sometimes even the best systems get overloaded and cut myself some slack! (Easier said than done, for me at least.)
• Break big bites into little nibbles. If a big project can be divided into 5 steps, then you can clear your plate one bite at a time.
• New stuff can wait. For now. Make a little room instead of piling more on top. That means projects, commitments, events, joining the Olympic Polo Team, whatever.
• Take some things OFF my plate! Reassess my To Do list, set realistic goals, calendar my 5-10 minute clutter sweeps, and celebrate the small wins. Does that look like, “Yay, I finally painted the master bedroom”? Nope. It’s more like, “Yay! I made those calls and separated the laundry today!”

This last weekend I took my own advice. I reminded myself how much stress and shame do NOT inspire me, took some time to rest up, read a book and then addressed one little bit at a time. Whaddya know, TONS got done. Do I still have a lot on my plate? Yes I do. But have I gained a little breathing room? Absolutely.

That’s the ebb and flow of life, right? So however full your plate gets from time to time, I know you WILL get through it, and I encourage you to choose true happiness over perfection every time.