When Things Get Overwhelming – Put Stuff on the Shelf

Man oh man it was a day the other day. It just seemed like Murphy’s Law on steroids plus a full moon. Show how did I get through it? By putting stuff literally on the shelf.

Let me paint you this picture – my kids all had head lice, work was hounding me to get stuff done, washing anything and everything, disinfecting everything, thinking about the next steps in our farm transition plan with my parents, hair cut appointments (thank you lice), bills, and a million other things. As a farm mom, my mind constantly races with things to do and things to get done. This day, my mind and stress level couldn’t take any more of it. They were maxed out.

So what did I do? I put it on the shelf – literally and figuratively.

I was about to explode on my kids because of everything I felt weighing on me so I took out a piece of paper and started writing down everything on my mind. Even the smallest of tasks/reminders made it on the list. Then I started a second list transferring anything and everything that wasn’t top priority for that moment in time to it.

Then I put it on the self.

I literally put it in my kitchen cabinet and shut it. It was not only literal, but it was also my way of figuratively getting it out of my mind. My mind knew that the to-do list was safe so it could leave my mind and I no longer had to think about it. I could focus on where my feet were – with my kids and getting the lice out of my house.

Now whenever I get overwhelmed I try this tactic a lot. I put it on the self literally and figuratively to help me focus where my feet are.