Things getting on top of you? Paper piles building? For a whole variety of reasons, this happens to us all, and when it does, it’s crucial to get back on track asap. Sometimes all it takes is to step back from your day to day life and refocus – and that’s what I’m talking about today. We all need to take a day sometimes to regroup and get back to the status quo of normal life. . So – do you need to take a day? Let’s see….
Sometimes my life and my home get out of control – there, I’ve said it!
When in our usual day to day routine, things run smoothly and I don’t really think about what needs doing because it just gets done out of habit.
But there are times when it just doesn’t get done.
Things have a tendency to get out of control for a while when something happens away from the norm, and it can easily make me feel anxious and overwhelmed at the thought of putting it straight.
Have you ever felt that way?
What’s Made Things Build Up?
Let’s face it – every so often life gets in the way of our schedules and routines, doesn’t it?! – it can’t run smoothly the whole time – and would probably be quite dull if it did.
It’s definitely easier to keep on top of things by doing a little every day rather than letting it build up too much, but sometimes there isn’t a choice and things have to be left to build up – however organised you are, for a variety of reasons: –
- The kids are doing more and more after school activities that need prep and support
- You’ve taken on something for a short time that involves more time from you (redecorating a room, a work project, something for a friend/family member etc…)
- You’ve been poorly
- Someone close to you has needed extra support for some reason
- It’s been one of those mad times of year (i.e. Christmas, Summer holidays etc…) and ‘normal’ life has taken a back seat
The reasons above are all things that are one-offs and cause disruption that you weren’t expecting – but they won’t become the norm.
You’ve just had to stop doing things to fit the unexpected things in for a while, and now you need to allow yourself some breathing space to get back on top of things.
But it can be SO daunting to get back on track again.
After all – you probably don’t have the time for the usual day to day stuff, let alone the stuff that’s built-up…
As a quick aside, there are two another reasons for things getting out of control. The first is that your schedules and routines you have set up aren’t working for you and need tweaking – and the second things is that you don’t have any schedules and routines in place so you need to set some up. These reasons are not what I’m concentrating on today, but needed to be mentioned because if they are why things have built up, then you’ll always be fire-fighting and needing to sort stuff that’s built up until you sort those schedules out…
Let’s Get It Done!
So – you know that you won’t be getting into this state any time soon as long as you sort it out now – and you know the reason it’s got this way.
Now it’s time to do something about it and get back on track.
The fact is, day to day life is easier once things ARE back to normal, so it makes sense to get to that status quo as quickly as possible, however overwhelming it feels.
And the easiest way I can think of to do this is to have a “GET BACK ON TRACK DAY”
A day where I focus on bringing things all back to their normal state all in one go – so life can return to whatever the norm is.
What If I Don’t Have A Day?
Usually the positives of giving up a day (full day to focus, time to get things really sorted) outweigh the negatives (not enough time, the time and stress of not having it all done).
Think of it this way – if something happens in life that you need to prioritise, for example an emergency of some sort, you are able to give it time – NO MATTER WHAT. Because you have to. It’s a non-negotiable.
So treat this day as a non-negotiable too.
Use a weekend day – take a day off work – ask grandparents to look after the kids – swap childcare with a friend for a day each so you can both do it – do whatever you need to ensure that you get the time.
(If you really can’t book a whole day, get a morning or an afternoon – something is better than nothing!)
What To Do In That Day?
This is really dependant on you and your life, and what you’ve let slide. Everyones list will be different.
Walk around your home and write a specific TO DO list just for this day. and focus just on the things that have got out of control.
Don’t try and tackle your entire TO DO list – just concentrate on anything that’s literally or figuratively piled up around you. These are usually the things on your normal schedules and routines that have had to be missed for however long.
Here are some ideas: –
- Filing
- Taking things to charity / tip / recycling
- Wrapping presents/sending cards
- Deep cleaning
- Laundry
- Paperwork
- Batch cooking – you’ve probably got through any frozen meals you were storing up!
- Stocking up the cupboards again (food, toiletries etc…)
- Errands
Ways To Be As Productive As Possible During That Day
You don’t want to get to that day to waste time on anything such as rushing to the shops for specific things, or having to fill up with petrol to drive where you need to. As such, make sure that you prepare as much as possible for the day ahead of time.
- Tell everyone in the house what you’re doing – ideally you should get them all involved so you can get more done
- Write next to each TO DO on your list anything you need to have to do that task – and make sure you get it in the house ready
- Schedule the day so you get as much done as possible without stressing. For example – you can get through laundry if you start it as soon as you can in the day, and just keep cycling through it as you are doing other things. If you leave it to the last part of the day you just won’t get it all done as time will run out…
- Wear suitable clothes, have some good music or an audiobook/podcast to listen to while you get things done – make it as nice as possible!
- Work towards a treat at the end of the day – maybe you can take a long bath, have your favourite food for tea – or grab 10 minutes to sit with a magazine you’ve been wanting to read for ages – whatever will motivate you to get through everything.
I actually love days like this – because I know that even though the actual DOING part of the day may be tiring and long, the feeling I get after it’s done is priceless.
The days before it all gets done are the worst.
I feel like the world is on my shoulders, overwhelmed, negative about whatever’s built up.
The days after are the complete opposite.
A weight’s been lifted, I’ve got loads more energy, and I’m able to go back to the usual routines and schedules again.
OK OK – I hear you thinking – WHAT IF IT DOESN’T ALL GET DONE?
Well – you have to be realistic.
You should prioritise the things TO DO in order of importance, and work out what can be done in the time you have.
Maybe get everyone in the house to do it with you – there really is power in numbers!
This day is to help you get back on track – so you’ll feel better no matter what.
If you are trying to tackle those jobs that have built up, and you don’t get it all done, then you can start to add a little more to each week’s usual routine until you’ve completely caught up – but this day will help to make catching up as quick as possible.
Do you like the sound of a GET BACK ON TRACK DAY? I can’t wait for you to try it out yourself.
They are great for just after Christmas when you’ve probably let the cleaning and general jobs slide for a while, or after the summer holidays when the kids are back at school – but equally you could call one at any time just to keep your sanity.
I like to take a day to tackle my TO DO list sometimes when I just can’t seem to get the time to do it any other way – somehow when you give yourself permission to focus on it, you can find the time to do so – weird how that works!
Trust me – it’s worth taking a day every so often…
So, are you going to make this a part of your year from now on? I wouldn’t go back after trying it – and I think you may feel the same….
Taking a day to get back on track is a great way to make sure life doesn’t get too overwhelming or complicated – but there are other ways that can help simplify life as well – just CLICK HERE to find out more!
