Ever have work to do but some awful, or even traumatic, event just seems to overshadow it all?
You can’t even think about work during these hard times.
You don’t want to do anything but (maybe) distract yourself.
But life is still happening around you. Things need to get done. Bills need paid and so on.
How? When this major thing makes everything else seem so insignificant?
First, acknowledge that some serious stuff is happening right now. Priorities shift. Coping ability suffers.
It happens to everyone, you will get through it, the goal is to be as healthy as possible in the process with minimal consequence.
It’s ok to let some things go. It’s even more important to place a value label on our actions.
“Does this really need to get done?”
If it can wait until you’re more motivated or simply have the energy to address it – then wait. Schedule it for a better time.
If it can’t wait, schedule it today and prepare to start doing it with no hesitation.
Here’s what I do:
- Identify the critically important actions that need to be done today.
- Schedule them earlier in the day when I have more energy, willpower, and focus.
- Schedule a 15 minute break before my priority for a snack, coffee, a quick walk, reading, meditation, feed the fish, etc. Something that calms me and certainly won’t cause more stress or take more time than scheduled.
Once that priority time occurs, I simply start the very first step of the process. ie. “Log into website”
Then, I move step-by-step until I’m done. I don’t look at the whole thing to be done and all that work I’m going to have to do. I simply look at the next step and get it done.
Getting through hard times is something just about everyone will face. Our ability to both care for ourselves and still be effective is a skill that can be built with practice.
Keep moving forward,
Nick
