Transform Overwhelm into Empowerment with These Proven Strategies
I cried over a lime.
Well, the lack of one actually.
Let me go back in time a little to explain.
In hindsight I can see that I have taken on too much recently and along with the emotional ups and downs of life in general things have gotten on top of me.
After the summer I invested in my business development by working with two different coaches, this was an amazing experience and I felt like my head was going to explode with ideas!
I decided to go all-in with my blogging as writing is my favourite way to communicate and let’s face it, social media can be a soul suck!
Recently I also had the opportunity to work alongside two amazing coaches and co-host a well-being event called Radiant You.
A combination of everything I had learned, everything I was trying to implement, and creating and marketing an in-person day retreat left me dropping personal balls such as washing, drying, cleaning, shopping, and meal planning (ok, you get the point) all over the place.
I hate the feeling of being disorganised, everything takes longer and it just leads to feeling overwhelmed.
When I am disorganised like this I seem to spend every day in the supermarket at some point picking up something I have forgotten, even though I get an online grocery delivery every week! This alone sucks my time and energy and I still didn’t have a f@%king lime for another unplanned dinner!!!
So, I had a little meltdown before using a lemon and mentally kicking my butt to take control of my life.
Do You Have Feelings of Overwhelm?
Are you tired of feeling like you’re constantly swimming against the current during menopause?
Do you long for a life where overwhelm doesn’t dictate your every move?
Well, you’re not alone. Menopause, with its rollercoaster of physical and emotional changes, can leave many women feeling overwhelmed and unsure of how to regain control.
Fear not, because, in this post, we’ll explore powerful strategies and empowering tips that will not only help you overcome this chronic overwhelm but also thrive during this transformative period of your life.
Menopause is more than just hot flashes and night sweats.
It’s a time of profound change that impacts every aspect of a woman’s life. From hormonal fluctuations to disrupted sleep patterns, the physical challenges alone can be overwhelming.
Add in the emotional rollercoaster, and it’s no wonder so many women find themselves drowning in a sea of confusion and frustration.
Here’s the good news – there are strategies to help you navigate this tumultuous journey and emerge stronger and more empowered on the other side.
It’s not just about surviving menopause, it’s about thriving.
I want to share with you strategies I use myself and teach in my programs through The SHIFT System.
By implementing these strategies and embracing the idea of empowerment you have the power to transform overwhelm into a powerful catalyst for personal growth and fulfillment.
Here are my top tips to get organised and back into some kind of control.
Start With a Brain Dump
Rest assured I don’t think anyone is organised and together all of the time.
Menopause is a big obstacle to the being organised and together goal. I swear I dealt with a lot more in my 30s and early 40s without melting down over a lime.
Here is the thing though, menopause is an undoing, a breakdown of sorts. It’s a time to take a look at your life, review and assess where you are, how far you have come and what you want to leave behind as you move forward with the rest of your non-fertile life.
How lovely if we could just do a Shirley Valentine and have our menopause break down on a sun-drenched island while sipping a cocktail.
However, we have to be realistic and put strategies and systems in place to support our current lifestyle and honour this season of our lives.
I am not perfect and will never claim to be, I will certainly celebrate when I am on it but what I have found is that life ebbs and flows and you have to roll with it, supporting yourself in the best way you can.
So I always start with a brain dump.
I dump everything out of my brain, which is a lot, onto a piece of paper.
Start by setting a timer for 15 minutes, you don’t want this activity to be a procrastination tool.
Once you have completed this, set the timer for another 5-10 minutes and do this until you can’t think of anything else.
Now separate this list into;
- Most Important – this is your firefighting list, you need to get these done ASAP.
- Urgent – these a things that need to be done but you can put a date/time on it
- Delegate – which items on the list can you delegate to a family member or pay a small fee for such as ironing, cleaning, accounts etc.
- Ditch – what is on your list that just needs to be ditched? Do it, just cross it off!
How do you feel?
I learned this technique by listening to The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey and I come back to it time and time again.
Every time I do this activity I feel like I am back in the driving seat. Let’s not stop there though, there are more things you can do to support yourself through to the other side of overwhelm.
Mono-tasking v’s Multitasking
Sometimes we create our own overwhelm by doing too much at once.
It can be tempting to do lots of things at once to attack your long list of things to do.
I used to be a big fan of multitasking, however, I learned that even the most powerful computer doesn’t multitask, it just does one thing after another very fast.
Mono-tasking is the way forward to beat overwhelm.
Do one thing, do it well and move on to the next.
The only time you can get away with multitasking is by doing something physical with something mental such as;
- Listening to podcasts or audiobooks while doing chores
- Call friends or family while walking
- Online shopping while watching TV
- Read a book while on an exercise bike
- Catch up with email while on a treadmill – this is my favourite multitask!
Grab your list and break it down into mono-tasks before getting stuck in.
Effective Planning & Goal Setting
This brings me to planning.
As the saying goes, if you fail to plan you plan to fail (Benjamin Franklin).
Take your brain dump and your calendar or notebook (or both) then schedule when you are going to do which tasks.
As you go through your list;
- group like items together.
- Use time blocking,
- set a timer and use the Pomodoro Technique
Harness your focus to get things done.
Be kind to yourself, I know that negative self-talk that goes on inside your head, reprimanding you for letting things get into whatever state they are in. You have no control over the past, focus on what you are doing now.
Do you set goals?
Whether personal or professional most people have goals. These are usually created in the new year or maybe on your birthday.
Do you write them down?
Research shows that committing goals to paper makes you 42% more likely to achieve them.
Going forward from here is where many people now trip up.
How do you measure these goals? What do you need to do to achieve them? How do you track that you are on target?
Setting goals and breaking these down into smaller goals such as monthly goals or intentions and then breaking these down into further ‘check-off-able’ weekly actions can really help you stay focused on the important things in your life and relieve overwhelm.
If you are in my Facebook Group or on my email list, you will be familiar with my weekly prompts to set your intentions for the week ahead.
You may have 3-5 important things you want to get done or it may be one larger task that you can break down into smaller micro-tasks.
You can use this for any area of your life. If you are stuck for ideas, download this Life Planning Wheel.
Self-care Isn’t Selfish
Overwhelm can creep up on you when you haven’t been taking good enough care of yourself.
Out of 5, how do you score these areas of your life?
- Sleep
- Personal Care
- Nourishment
- Movement
- Fun
- Rest
- Boundaries
Scoring low in these areas of your life is a sign you are at risk of emotional overwhelm.
By understanding how overwhelm manifests in our lives, we can better equip ourselves to take proactive measures and build a toolbox of practical strategies to alleviate its impact.
One powerful strategy to cope with overwhelm is to prioritise and set boundaries.
As we go through menopause, we often have numerous demands on our time and energy – family, work, personal obligations – and it’s easy to feel pulled in multiple directions.
To combat overwhelm, it’s essential to recognise your limits and say no to commitments that don’t align with your priorities or contribute to your well-being.
By setting boundaries and focusing on what truly matters to you, you can regain a sense of control and reduce overwhelm.
Another useful tool to have in our toolbox is stress management techniques.
Menopause can bring about heightened levels of stress, which can exacerbate feelings of being overwhelmed. Taking proactive steps to manage stress can make a significant difference in your overall well-being.
This might include incorporating relaxation techniques such as deep breathing exercises, mindfulness meditation, or engaging in activities that bring joy and calm to your life.
Additionally, seeking support from loved ones and professional resources can be invaluable when facing overwhelm.
Surrounding ourselves with a strong support system of friends, family, or support groups can provide a safe space for venting, seeking advice, and finding solace in shared experiences.
Menopause can feel isolating, but knowing that we are not alone in this journey can provide immense comfort and empowerment. Furthermore, considering professional support such as therapy or counselling can offer a confidential and objective space to explore your emotions, gain new perspectives, and develop coping mechanisms tailored to your unique situation.
Incorporating self-care practices into our daily routine is also crucial in combating overwhelm.
Making time for activities that nurture your physical, mental, and emotional well-being can help you recharge and replenish your energy reserves.
This can include engaging in regular movement (especially outside in natural daylight at this time of year), nourishing your body with well-balanced real food meals and snacks, getting sufficient sleep, practising self-compassion, and indulging in activities that bring you joy and relaxation.
Prioritising self-care may feel selfish at times, but it is a necessary investment in your overall well-being and resilience, allowing you to better navigate the challenges of menopause with a sense of empowerment and balance.
The Bottom Line
Remember, you are only human, be kind to yourself, if you were your friend what would you say to her?
Focus on the root cause, what strategies can you put in place to try and prevent the overwhelm?
A good analogy is the laundry.
This is something that often overwhelms me. Piles of dirty, wet or dry clothes in need of sorting out. They become mountains so quickly!
So I have a routine;
- One load of washing in the machine first thing
- This load on the airer (takes 24 hours to dry on the heated airer)
- Previous load folded and distributed as part of my daily evening routine
When there are towels or bedding there may be two loads but generally, this works for me especially as my husband and two boys are builders/mechanics and wear mainly the same thing all week, not a fresh shirt every day.
Obviously, this routine has taken a back seat recently and my house has piles of clothes in different stages of the process everywhere, but I know the actions I need to take to get this flowing smoothly again.
Navigating the challenges of daily life and menopause can often feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be a roadblock.
By understanding the impact of chronic overwhelm, identifying signs and building a toolbox of practical strategies that suit your lifestyle, you can reclaim your power and thrive.
Through the power of self-care and support, embracing change and personal growth, and taking intentional action, this transformative period can become a catalyst for fulfilment.
You have the power to not just survive, but truly thrive in menopause.
Take charge of your well-being, seek support, and embrace the changes that lie ahead.
Do You Need Support
I have found from my own training this year that working in groups with people on the same journey as you can be extremely supportive.
With this in mind, I am running a beta test of my 10-week 1-1 program as a group program from 8th January 2024.
By offering my hybrid online platform with weekly support from me as a group I can offer a massive 70% saving.
The investment to be part of this group test is £297.00, that is under £30 per session and includes 10 group calls with me along with 24/7 access to the online platform bursting with resources to support your transformation.
If you would like to secure your place, you can do so HERE.
If you would like to chat further (with no obligation) then arrange a 30-minute chat HERE.