Today more than ever, I am coaching clients around the topics of stress and time management. My clients often tell me that they would like to be able to live out their dreams, but are too busy with the business of day-to-day living to add anything else to their already full plates. As a business owner, wife, and mother of two, I completely understand. We all wear many hats and struggle with being pulled in too many directions. So how do we follow our dreams in a world that doesn’t always feel supportive? In a recent article on WeWork, I was asked to comment on this very subject. Following our passions and desires is crucial to living a satisfying life. Before we can do that, we have to make peace with our overcrowded mind so that we can make space to live and love the life we are yearning for.
8 Tips to Breaking Free from an Overcrowded Mind
- Write a daily gratitude list. It is important to train our mind to get out of negativity. Sometimes we are so focused on a problem that it consumes us and sucks out all of our joy. You can do a pattern interrupt anytime by jotting down the things you are thankful for. It can be as simple as a working washing machine, my legs work, a car, food to eat, my kids, the sunshine, a manicure.
- Stop the thought. When a negative thought or loop comes up that is vying for your time and attention, picture a stop sign and literally tell yourself to stop. Our negative thinking is a habit and a reoccurring pattern that we have formed. Although it takes practice, we can choose our thoughts and how long we entertain them.
- Write down your vision. What dream do you have? Make it big! How does it motivate you? What would it mean for you and those in your life if you got to live your dream? Make sure that your vision is big enough for you to be excited about so that you can take the steps you required to accomplish it.
- Create your 10-minute to-do list. Each week make a list of tasks that you can do in 10-mnutes. When you find that you have a few minutes, pick one or two of those tasks to accomplish. You will be surprised by the end of the week at how much you have accomplished.
- Create your won’t list. Let’s face it, we all have good intentions but there are some things we just aren’t going to do. We feel guilty and drained when we carry those things around with us feeling like we “should” do them when really we don’t want to. I encourage to make a list of all of the things that you just aren’t going to do and let yourself off of the hook about doing them. Those pictures you keep meaning to print and put into albums that seem overwhelming because there are literally 1,000 of them….let it go. That yoga class you have meant to take the last 3 years….let it go. When we let go of the things that don’t motivate us, we make room for the things we enjoy.
- Don’t multi-task. I know. I know. As women we are prone to multi-task and even feel accomplished when we do. The truth is, you will get more done if you focus on one task at a time.
- Be uninterruptable. Set your alarm for 30-minutes a day where you cannot be disturbed. I encourage you to turn off your phone and email and get to work. It is amazing how much time we waste when we are distracted by the dinging and binging of electronics.
- Meditate. Did you know that some things can’t be answered by Google? It’s true. Our heart and minds need time to unplug and get quiet. As much as it is hard to sit and do nothing, I encourage you to set a timer for 3 minutes a day where you focus on your breath and the sounds around you. Don’t worry about how loud your brain is when you start. That is natural. Your mind is rebelling. Soon enough you will crave this time and will be able to increase it. Meditating helps reduce stress, eliminates mind chatter, and clears mind fog. Some people like to focus on one word or intention that they repeat as they breath to center themselves. Whatever your practice, don’t worry about doing it perfectly. Just start and see what happens. You will be happy with the results.
Quieting our mind takes practice. It may not be comfortable at first to interrupt your thoughts, but after time, you will see the benefits and will experience new freedom and a clearer headspace. If you would like to discover what coaching is, or get more tips to free your overcrowded mind, please feel free to book a complimentary 30 minute session with me. I look forward to hearing from you.
Live well,
Gretchen Hydo
Any Lengths Life Coaching
818-203-6060
