A few weeks ago, my schedule went from 0 to 60 in less than a day and hasn't let off the gas yet. Like many of us, being home during the pandemic for three months made me slow way down. For the first time since the age of 16, the jet I normally fly around on was grounded. Not only was I forced to stay home, but I had to clean too! Just like being grounded in High School. Yikes, I missed my freedom.
When I returned to work, it was at the height of the busy season at my job. The Presidential Primary was less than two weeks away. Everyone in my office was working 12 plus hours a day, 6 -7 days a week. At crazy busy, sometimes seemingly out of control, times like these I must rearrange some things in my life for me to keep my sanity!
The first thing I do, no matter what the pressing situation is, is I set priorities. And the number one priority of course is family. Thankfully my children are grown and I can concentrate more on my second priority, me. That’s right.... I may not have the time to superficially pamper myself but I will make sure I give myself an hour a day. An hour of "me time". Whether I choose to workout, read, boat, or whatever else it is that I want. The whole hour is "me time"! That time is set aside for my mental health & physical well being. I find working out is my favorite thing to do and that hour is the best part of my day. That may not leave much time in the day for other things but I know that whatever urgency I'm facing, it’s a temporary situation. Third is rest. I set very specific times for me to sleep and get enough of it or at least as much as I can. It is very difficult to perform well under pressure without a good night's rest.
So when faced with a high stress situation remember:
Assess the situation
Delegate priorities
Give yourself designated "me time" even if its just an hour a day
Get lots of rest
Remember it is temporary
I think of my life like a large Rubic’s Cube that can not only twist, but also expand and shrink to prioritize things in my life. Nothing is permanent, and it can always change. I knew the blocks would shift again and that soon I’d blog again. I knew I’d zoom with my friends once my job slowed down. I knew I’d have time to cook a nice meal.
My upcoming book, Life Gets in the Way, talks about the sacrifices we must make in our life if we want to be happy. We must realize we can’t do everything, or at least do it all at one time.
