Remember when we discussed the concept of triage as a way to manage periods of overwhelm? Today's focus is a similar tactic. When you're temporarily too busy, you need to cut some corners. The trick is to decide which things you're willing to defer.
Making a conscious decision to temporarily let something slide allows you to focus on your priorities while still taking care of more immediate concerns. Choosing something to neglect is a good strategy to push through the present glut without letting important things slip through the cracks.
The keyword here is "choosing." If we push ourselves through abnormally busy periods without reflection, we may neglect self-care by default -- which can compound the stress of an overloaded schedule. You're only working against yourself if you skip meals, skimp on sleep, or refuse to take breaks. But nothing too bad will happen if you let the laundry pile up for a few days.
Remember, this is just temporary. You're not going to neglect that laundry forever. You're only skipping a low-priority task just long enough to get through a busy period.
Challenge:
This week I want you to think about what activities you could defer during a busy period. You'll find this most beneficial if you're already overwhelmed, but it's good to have a plan in place before you get swamped. Write your plan down to cement it in your memory. You may choose to forgo anything you consider to have marginal value -- but be sure that skipping your task won't cause more difficulties down the line! Be kind to yourself. It's not a failure to recognize that we're not superhuman. No one can do everything all the time. But choosing what we won't do when we're too busy allows us to keep doing the things we value the most.