Rest is productive
and my other top tips to combat overwhelm.
And all of a sudden we are on the second guest edition of the new monthly series! Nicola Charlotte is a Business & Mindset coach helping female service providers grow & scale a freedom-based business. This focus was born from Nicola's own experience working in the corporate sector and experiencing burnout. Now you'll find her travelling between Bali and Portugal all the while supporting her clients - a far cry from the London commute! She combines mindset & energy work with marketing & brand strategies. This duality is reflected in her three top tips to combat overwhelm. I'd love to hear if they resonate with you. Over to Nicola…
Overwhelm comes when we try to do too much. When we say yes to opportunities without stopping to think whether it's aligned with our bigger vision. When we let our ego get into the driver's seat. Or when we subconsciously follow conditioned beliefs that no longer serve us.
I'll be the first to admit I've been guilty of all of these, and as a result, during the first year of running my own business in 2020, I experienced burnout - despite leaving my corporate job to enjoy more freedom, ironic, I know.
We ought to be able to have a successful business or career we love, whilst also enjoying a lifestyle that deeply fulfills us - and so my hope is that the learnings I'm sharing below, from my own journey, will help you achieve just that, whilst removing that “stuck” feeling that often arises when we try to do too much.
Tip 1: Be wary of SHOULDS & HAVE-TO's
When we do things because we feel we “should” or “have to” (but actually don't want to)…we are setting ourselves up to feel frustrated, irritated and overwhelmed. For example - being present on multiple social media platforms because we feel we have to, for greater chance of sales? Going to social events because we feel we should in order to be polite? Sticking in a job for at least two years because we think that's what we have to do to be taken seriously?
Get curious as to where these rules or beliefs have come from - 99% of the time they're from childhood - maybe our parents or guardians, or from society. If these beliefs are not serving you and your desires, remember, we get to choose a new belief at any moment. Next time you're feeling overwhelmed, notice where shoulds or have-to's are present…
Tip 2: Keep redefining your definition of success
What I mean by this is to focus less on the big vision & longer term life goals (because too much time spent on this can cause overwhelm) and instead, more on the short term success we want to experience.
“What would success look like to me this week?” is an amazing question to get into the habit of asking yourself. Perhaps it's more time spent outside or practicing a hobby? Maybe it's achieving a sales target or acquiring mailing list sign ups? Or perhaps it's the amount of sleep or quality time with a partner?
It's so easy to get caught up in tangible goals, with pressure from society to always be looking at “what next”…but taking the time to regularly identify what success would look AND feel like to you is a powerful way to remove overwhelm.
Tip 3: Rest is productive
Working more hours does not equate to greater success. Toxic productivity is something many high achieving women (like you & I) are unfortunately all too familiar with. But let me tell you, it simply is not sustainable.
Not only do we NEED rest, it's actually incredibly valuable for improving focus, motivation & efficiency. When we feel overwhelmed with work, we can often think we “have to” (there's that sneaky word again!) keep working, pushing on until we get the answer or complete the task at hand. Sound familiar?!
My invitation to you next time this happens: step away from the laptop and take some time out. Even 5 minutes. Shift up your energy, change your scene, get fresh air, shake things off, have a dance and just allow yourself some breathing time. Why do you think we get our best ideas in the shower or in the middle of the night!
Come back to these next time you're feeling overwhelmed - taking things day by day is a simple but effective way to reduce overwhelm, whilst staying closely aligned with your own definition of success (remembering that this can look different day to day)!
Stay connected with Nicola via the links below.
Because of the recent move (did you read last week's newsletter?) productivity is looking a little different for me at the moment. Yes I'm holding time to work on The Actualisation Academy but I'm also spending time opening a bank account and at the post office setting up a whole new life. Nicola's suggestion to redefine what success looks like each week is something I'll definitely be holding on to for the foreseeable. For now it includes a lot of life admin!
