Entrepreneurs, new mums, side hustlers, overwhelm is real for all of us, learning how to deal with overwhelm, will help you out your entire life.

Ok so this weekend I had a total meltdown. To get you up to speed, I’m now expecting our third baby and it’s the moment I decided that I want my business to grow, retire my husband and give us greater freedom to do a house move we’ve always wanted.

Yet I woke up with this overwhelming feeling that none of it could ever happen. A reality check that my grand plans to continue interviewing when the baby arrives and having coaching calls, speaking, is not going to work.

Babies don’t nap to my schedule, what am I thinking???

All this with being emotional and exhausted.

I just sat and cried for a few minutes, feeling like somehow I was losing control again.

When I started to sift through the strategies I learnt over the years to pull myself up and back into action.

You know as entrepreneurs it’s normal to feel overwhelm and like it’s just not possible. So I wanted to share some of the great tools that really help you to deal with overwhelm. Especially if you are a mum entrepreneur like me…

How to deal with overwhelm

Identify the Source of overwhelm

Are you tired? in need of a rest? emotionally drained, hormonal, taken on too much, worried about something?

Is perfectionism your problem? Do you not have a plan, or clarity?

Ask yourself am I doing too much?

Can I outsource, delegate or say no without the guilt?

Even outsourcing little tasks at a cost or buying help, resource.

I just bought into Rob Moores Podcast program because its worth me paying for his expertise to help get me up a level. Who’s expertise can you borrow to get over the next hurdle?

Do you have a massive ‘to do’ list but NO celebrated wins?

Get a ‘GOT it Done list’

Russian psychologist Bluma Zeigarnik found that we fixate more on the remaining to do list or unfulfilled goals. They torture us.

Instead he recommended keeping a ‘Done List or Win list’ every week or day, job down the completed tasks, the wins, the projects that made it to the end. You’ll soon see how your focus shifts to one of satisfaction.

Overwhelm: It’s really our perception, how we see things

We tend to generalise too much. It’s what Dr Amen calls ANTS, automatic negative thoughts. We generalise and hold global beliefs that are simply not true.

Beliefs like: I never succeed at X, I never have enough time, it will never change, it will always be the same, if this doesn’t happen now it’ll be too late, He never helps, she never listens, …..

These are so disempowering. Instead I want to introduce you to some positive mantras, in fact I even did you a free set of downloadable cards to print.

Using a positive inner voice to control overwhelm

Inner voice is this what you tell yourself and to overpower the negative ones we need to make these our new mantra, I can do this, I was made for this, bring it on, I believe….

Grab my Free Printable Inner Voice Cards

Stick these positive mantras them on your pin board, the fridge, the mirror, wherever you will be reminded to repeat these often.

How to deal with overwhelm when you feel too negative

What can I do now to feel positive?

It’s almost impossible to apply logical reasoning in a negative state. That’s why it’s useful to have a bank of strategies to transform your mental state of mind. And so many of these are mind body connected.

• Listen to your favourite upbeat music
• A motivational podcast,
• A speaker on youtube like Oprah,
• Meditate
• Exercise
• Relax, sit back in life,
• Light your favourite aromatherapy candle or grab some roller balls.

There are so many mindful ways to change the state of your mind ready to organise the load.

Speak to someone

Whether it’s your partner, friend or mentor, they will give you suggestions and so long as you stay open minded you can work through some of these.

I always remember a quote from the Alchemist, people find it easy to tell others what to do with their lives.

It might be that the person you talk with can also help lighten the load. This weekend it was my hubby that gave me time to focus.

Pragmatic approach

Now you feel better about the tasks, it’s time for some strict prioritisation and planning to take over.

Plan, prioritise, have one notebook. Use time blocks and make reviewing the plan a habitual part of your routine.

Don’t forget to subscribe and reach out I’d loved to hear more about you.

Remember: I know that you can do it!

Sue xx