How to deal with Overwhelm and FOCUS to get things done
Loved ❤️ this post? Please Pin this graphic. 💕
What makes me different from others on this topic of Overcoming Overwhelm?
Every single person was shocked and stared at me incredulously with wide opened eyes 😳 when I told them that I wanted to create and launch 3 websites at the same time… to start… I have more ideas to follow! Those who knew me well accepted my craziness, even though they didn't understand it. Those who didn't, rolled their eyes 🙄 and shook their heads. I didn't mind their reactions. These were people that I trusted to share my ideas with, and I appreciated their honesty.
I used to struggle to create even one website, let alone three. I spent over 10 years trying to recreate my first website, but I never finished it. There were extenuating circumstances, but then something happened. I had my Enough.Already. moment and something changed within me. I was no longer going to let my fears and doubts hold me back from anything. I was going to create the websites that I had always wanted AND live the life that I want, no matter how difficult it seemed.
And so, after struggling for so long, I got inspired and created 3 heartfelt websites in a matter of months!!! They are all projects that I am passionate about, and they have really helped me to move forward after being stuck for so long. I hope that they may inspire you to get yourself unstuck too.
I know that it's not always easy to overcome our fears and doubts, but it is possible. If you're struggling with something, I encourage you to take a step back and ask yourself why you're afraid. What are you really afraid of? Once you know the answer, you can start to challenge those fears and doubts.
The real REAL : The thing is, I know that it isn’t just about the website. Despite having real tech challenges in the past, there were other factors that I had to address. I had to address EVERYTHING that was going on around and, especially, WITHIN me. And I did! MULTIFACETING.com, EnoughAlreadyLife.com and MultifacetedLorraine.com are collectively, only the beginning of my phoenix rising. I’ve set the foundation to not only create websites but to live my One Best Enough.Already. life.
Ok, now imagine me creating and later preparing, to launch my not one, not two, but three websites 😱! Can you visualize the countless details and tasks to get done before actually hitting those “Publish” buttons?!? And might I add, also a domain change 😰, that followed right after having completed and published the 3 websites! This required me to update ALL of my websites and completely revamp one of them!!! It didn’t help either that I’m a recovering perfectionist.
I had to utilize EVERYTHING that I talk about in ALL three of my websites to help me get through this journey!
That’s my WHY for creating my 3 websites after all -
to help you, and myself too, with the process of making what matters most to us HAPPEN.
The Mindset Shift that made the difference
In my previous life with a corporate career, I was used to working with teams to scale up projects. But now as a SOLOpreneur, it involves a different way of doing things as I am solely responsible for EVERYTHING (for now at least) - from ideation to execution. It can be daunting at times, but I am excited to see what evolves.
It’s important to acknowledge this because it requires a very different approach to working and getting things DONE. When you have no one to delegate to, it can be difficult to pace yourself. If you try to work as hard as if you were every team member, EVERYDAY, you will quickly burn out and become frustrated.
If I’m not doing it, then it’s not getting done
- that’s the reality that I am facing as a SOLOpreneur.
So, ENOUGH. ALREADY.**
I have to accept that,
It will be Enough. Already. with whatever I can do, at MY BEST POSSIBLE EFFORT, for NOW.
How do we ensure that we are doing our best possible?
I’m not going to settle for ‘Good Enough’ nor am I going to remain stuck with misconceptions about ‘Never Enough’.
I’m going to do it the Enough.Already. way.
MY Enough.Already. DECISIONS & ACTIONS
I needed a way to keep and maintain the Enough.Already. mindset. I took numerous DEEP BREATHS of it IN every day and lived OUT the Enough.Already. mantra, answering the questions according to the Enough.Already. phase (there’re 3) that I was in.
I wore my Enough.Already. T-shirts, Enough.Already. Sweatshirts (I live in San Francisco ❤️, where it's usually comfortable sweatshirt weather), or my Super Hero of Possibilities T-shirt because I needed to keep reminding myself that I can do it the Enough.Already. way. I also created and used my Focus to Achieve Bundle Fun Sheets to calm the turbulent chaos within me.
I needed to find a way to make what I was doing FUN. I needed to ENJOY what I was doing. I needed to fall in love and rekindle the excitement I felt when I created my first website many years ago, even though it was short-lived due to home matters that took over my life for years. I needed to be HAPPY again because that's what I wanted for myself.
The frequency of my head feeling like it was going to explode was alarming. That's when I decided to live and create my Enough.Already. life. I got REAL about what was going on and what I needed to do.
Don’t forget to get your FREE Focus to Achieve Bundle Set!
I need to take everything IN my head OUT, and WRITE THEM DOWN on paper.
I need to create space in my over crowded head.
I need to assure myself that I won’t lose any thoughts or ideas.
I need to be able to find anything and everything I need, when I need them.
Of course I need a planner(s) - but OH! that’s a blog post all to itself!!
I need a system that works for me because I have multiple BIG ideas and plans!
Yes, I’m a Paper AND Digital gal.
I need effective productivity tools, resources, skills, and knowledge, such as online courses and online groups. I will share more useful blog posts on these topics in the coming weeks.
*Found in the Focus to Achieve Bundle. I include a How To Use Guide to get the most effective use out of your Free FOCUS TO ACHIEVE Bundle Set.
Everyday, amidst the countless tasks that need to get done, I remind myself : I CAN ONLY DO ONE THING AT A TIME.
This is the simple reality of being a solopreneur. It may seem obvious, but it's easy to get stuck thinking about all the tasks that need to be done, especially when they are all important, urgent, and need attention.
When distractions rear its intimidating head, DON’T THINK! Unless it’s a life or death situation, thinking will likely lead you astray. Instead, take a deep breath and focus on the one task that you have written down on your One Tiny Thing that I can Do NOW* or One Thing that I can Do Today* sheet. And DO IT!
Get your FOCUS back! Don't let distractions derail your focus. Stay on track and get things done!
No matter how great you are, you ALONE can only focus on ONE THING at a time. You may be working on several "One Thing"s in a day, a week, or even an hour, but you can only complete one at a time. The problem is when we have too many "One Thing"s going on at the same time, so they never get completed.
“But what about all the other important stuff?!?” you may be yelling. “I can’t realistically just do ONE thing!” I understand because I have yelled at myself hoarse the same thing.
You know it : the key is to prioritize your tasks and focus on the most important ones first. Once you've completed those, you can move on to the others. It's also important to break down large tasks into smaller, more manageable ones. This will make them seem less daunting and more achievable.
BUT, it truly is easier said than done. That’s why we need all the help we can get.
Make the distinction clear between FOCUS vs Doing
Focus and Doing are two different things. Focus is when you are completely engaged in one task and giving it your full attention. Doing is when you are physically taking action on a task, but you may not be fully focused on it.
Just because you’re doing something doesn’t mean you’re fully focused on it. We often get so caught up in all the D-o-i-n-g and loose focus on what really matters.
An example of when you can be doing something and not be fully focused on it, might be you checking your email while you're also working on a project. In this case, you're not fully focused on either task.
You could also be fully focused on one task while also doing other tasks that are related to it. For example, you might be writing an article, but you might also be checking your references or doing research. In this case, you're doing multiple tasks, but you're fully focused on the one task that is most important.
Now, it is possible for you to be also fully focused on one task while also having all of your other unrelated To-Dos ‘safely ready for when you need them’. This allows you to switch your focus easily from one unrelated task to the next.
When you get good at focusing, it gets easier for you to FOCUS on your ONE THING to get it DONE and then move on to the next ONE THING and the next.
It gets easier to get things done because you're not wasting time and energy by trying to do too many things at once. You're able to give your full attention to the task at hand, which means that you're more likely to complete it successfully.
That’s when all the planning and sorting that you’ve done on the other sheets in your Focus to Achieve Bundle Set come into play.
They help you to identify your priorities and to break down large tasks into smaller, more manageable ones. Breaking down your tasks is also not “once and done”. It often changes through its course. The Fun Sheets also help you organize all your tasks which makes it easier to stay focused to get things done.
Trust the process and you will be amazed at the progress you can make.
After launching my first three websites, I still use the Fun Sheets from my Focus to Achieve Bundle Set and other systems and tools that I blog about. I use whichever sheets I need when I need them, which is one of the many benefits of the Fun Sheets in the Bundle. They’re helping me as I grow my current websites and recreate my fourth website, ClosetDelights.com.
The Fun Sheets are designed to be flexible and adaptable, so you can use them in whatever way that works best for you. You don't have to use all of the sheets in the Bundle, and you can even customize them to fit your specific needs. This makes them a great option for solopreneurs and other busy individuals who need flexible tools that can be tailored to their unique circumstances.
I've found the Fun Sheets in the bundle to be helpful in my own online endeavors. They've helped me to stay organized, focused, and productive. I've also found that they've helped me to incorporate a little fun & color into my work and life, which is a boost for maintaining a sustainable level of sanity.
I highly recommend checking out the Fun Sheets from the Focus to Achieve Bundle Set.
It worked for me. TRY IT! Perhaps it’ll work for you too!
**Find out more about the Enough.Already. mindset at EnoughAlreadyLife.com
If you have any questions or just want to chat about the topic, please feel free to send me a message using my Contact & Connect page 🙂
Related Posts :
Welcome!
I blog about MULTIFACETING in Home, Work & Life and share my own experiences, stories, tips & advice on how YOU too can practice MULTIFACETING to live a FUN & FULFILLING life, grow into your best self and realize your full potential.
Explore Blog Categories:
