Welcome to episode 44 and we’re going to be covering mindset advice today and how to show yourself kindness and compassion even when you’re busy working away. Be this at Christmas, in the lead up to a launch or during the school holidays.
Listen in and find the show notes below, or on iTunes, Stitcher or Spotify.
This is especially important as we can get so busy. Taking time out to check in with ourselves falls by the wayside first. And this is the time it is needed the most!
It’s needed because being kind to ourselves in periods of busyness or stress, means you stop, take a moment to look at what is the most important thing to focus on. It clears the fog that can settle in when you’re thinking “I’ll just do one more thing on my to-do list…” And two hours later you’re still there working away.
So here are a few quick tips to reset your day and get some clarity. Add them as little post-it note reminders in your workspace as it’s easy to forget in the moment.
Set timers
Set one, two or even three timers a day on your phone or calendar to go off and remind yourself to take a moment out.
Remove yourself from your work area or sit still for a few moments. Close your eyes if you want and take a few deep breaths.
This little break can be just a minute or two but will help you check back in with how you’re feeling and what to do next.
Ground yourself
Literally sit or lay on the floor! Connect with the ground beneath you if you’re feeling overwhelmed. It’s such a small change in your position and environment but makes a big difference to feeling more connected!
Identify negative self talk
Negative self talk comes from what is known as the inner critic, critical self or saboteur. We often think it is our own, authentic self talking. But if it’s hurtful, negative or producing anxiety then it isn’t the real us.
At this moment it’s important to look deep within and identify the real feeling. This is easier said than done. As although it’s painful, the negative self chat is more familiar and easier to accept than the real feelings. These can often be feeling such as hurt, fear, being frustrated or hopelessness. Try and work out the root cause and sit with this. However uncomfortable it is, it’s better to identify this then listen to the negative self chat.
Weekly check-in
A nice thing to do for yourself, especially if you work for yourself. Is to have a weekly check-in either on a Friday or at the weekend for how your week went.
If you’ve worked for a company you would have had weekly or monthly check ins with your boss so it’s only right to carry this forward for yourself too.
I have a notebook I write in each week with three questions I answer so I can reflect on the week. You can include questions such as:
- What went well this week that I want to celebrate?
- Things that made me happy this week were…
- My three priorities for next week are…
Add this to your calendar so it doesn’t get missed.
If you’re currently in the middle of Christmas and wondering what you should do next then do check out the get organised for Christmas online course I’ve written with Catherine Erdly from Future Retail.
This course will help you walk through the tasks that you complete so that in December, you can focus on selling and talking to your customers instead of scrabbling around to throw together last-minute preparations!
You’ll get three audio downloads and four bonus pdfs. Find the course online and download it instantly to get started!
I hope these tips help you to add a bit more focus and relaxation into your busy days. Let me know which tip resonated with you by letting me know on Instagram @arnoldandbird
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