Summertime and the living is easy…wait.  Not one person has said that to me.

It seems more like people are overwhelmed, procrastinating and stressed.  Yup, that sounds more like it.

Do I have solutions to help you?  Yes, you bet.

My experience in the last several years with all the institutional changes with finance, church, housing crisis and the world distress, that if we were not a bit overwhelmed about our next steps in our career and life, we might need to take our pulse.

We have had to pay attention because not only is the world smaller and we hear about the news as it is happening, ALL of us are carrying around our smart devices that inform us of everything, every minute, without respite, ever.

There seems to be little mental or physical space for rest.  What we are experiencing is not communication, it is overwhelming noise that confuses the best of us with the idea that we need someone to respond to the quantity of the interrupts we receive.  And do understand, most of what is coming through is an interruption.

However habitual the height and depth of our connection to the world information, MOST of it is an interruption we have allowed in.  Somehow all those fun apps are necessary.  The tech plan on our phone needs to be all the time, 24/7.  Our devices must be on now.

So when you are procrastinating and are overwhelmed, it could easily be you are seeking rest.

My findings from my incredibly smart and successful results producing clients is that when they procrastinate it is either they don’t want to do whatever the “it” is or they do not know how to complete the “it”.  When looking more closely at the procrastination, most of the results in the conversation are based on the need to have some space to:

• Consider the need of the thing to be done
• When could it be completed
• How would it be completed and what needs to be included in the completion
• Where are they going to fit in the thing that needs to be done
• Is it really necessary in the first place to get it done and what will we do with it once completed – it is valuable, necessary, key?

I don’t think as of these questions indicate procrastination.  I think they indicate a need to “think” a bit about what is necessary and valuable.

When was the last time you took some time to think something through to be thorough and to determine the value of the need?

When was the last time you said you needed time to think to find the need and value and did not know when that would happen?

I have a client that each week puts time to clean up her old emails on her “to do” list.  And each week she does not do it.  Why, cause she is overwhelmed with the emails she wants to keep; what files she could store them in; all the emails she has not answered and probably is very late in answering; and generally if she gets them all cleaned up, then new emails will continue to slide into her email box unsolicited and with great VOLUME.

What keeps showing up with you on a daily, weekly basis that you wish you would take care of, but don’t?  Is that procrastination and overwhelm?  Could it be just simple stress of how you habitually handle a need or don’t?

Keep it simple please.  Whatever you are not doing habitually and continually usually means you don’t know how or that you have not yet figured out a way to keep it simple.

In my business ownership, coaching, consulting life, I delegate all that I do not do well.  Some of you don’t have the option to delegate, but you all have the option to know what you could or should be doing and then don’t do it.

The question is…

Why aren’t you doing what you need to do that is continually stressing you?

Lack of maturity?

Probably more like lack of not knowing how to solve the issue that has now become a very big issue.

Let me provide some examples:

•  Cleaning out emails – many of you have thousands of emails that are not needed and you are afraid of getting rid of them.  So, what if you asked yourself how many times you referenced your emails before June of 2013 and then just delete them.  WHAT IF I NEED THEM?  Oh well, if you have not referenced them in a year and a half, you probably don’t need them.

• Returning messages in a timely way – either email or telephone.  Most people love to text so what is it about texting that feels a better way to communicate for you?  Instant?  Short? (note that texts are getting so much longer than a year ago).  Give yourself a way of responding that fits you.  Think it through.  One of my clients responds with lots of words – a missive – a narrative.  One of my clients does short and sweet.  It fits their style of communicating and allows them an ease in responding in a timely way.

• Tell people you are busy and will not be responding to anything between the hours of 10 – 2.  Then respond.  But if you are one of those people who cannot get back on track easily with each electronic interruption, then stop being interrupted.  You won’t miss anything.  And if your boss needs you, he/she can call.

 So many issues.  So little time.

Pick and issue and think it through and then solve it.  Stress is reduced.  Overwhelm lessons.  Procrastination is defeated.  Confidence is returned.  Performance reviews are good. Watch our new YouTube video called Breathe Life In. 

It is the taking of the time to think it through that you need support on…I can help.  I want to help.  It took me a long time to have the courage to step out of the fast lane to figure out what works best for me and then return to the high speed lanes equipped and confident.

Get your groove on and get back on track.  Think about coaching with me.  I can help and want to help.

The power of non-judgmental coaching support….try it on.  It works.

Much love and blessings,

Natalie

P.S.  My gift to you is our new YouTube video on breathing.  It helps so much with the stress.  Enjoy!! I had a great time recording it.  More to come with our Messy Stress YouTube stress reducers.