Lindsey was feeling overwhelmed. She had a load of health-related paperwork to sort through and file, she had to clear and clean the guestroom for her son and daughter-in-law who were set to visit next week, and her cat wasn't feeling well.
No doubt, life can feel a bit crazy sometimes.
But the overwhelm comes when the only visual you have in your mind is EVERYTHING that needs to get done.
1) Prioritize. Yes, the health-related paperwork needs to be sorted and filed, but it could wait until Lindsey's son and daughter-in-law go back home. Set a date on the calendar and get that TO DO out of your mind until that date.
2) Be Proactive. Lindsey's cat isn't feeling well. If it's anything that seems serious, that has to come before other TO DOs. If you're unsure if it's serious or not, call for professional advice. For instance, a vet in this case may tell you to bring the cat in for an evaluation...or,
on the other hand, may tell you to wait it out a day and see how your cat is feeling tomorrow. He or she may suggest a diet change, or something else. Don't sit around worrying and wondering.
3) Don't make the challenge bigger than it is. If Lindsey's son and daughter-in-law are visiting and need the guestroom, start with the things that really need to be done in that room. First, clear the bed of any clutter. Change the bed linens if necessary. Just by doing these two
things, they'll have a place to sleep. If you still have time before they arrive, do one or two more things, like clearing out a drawer or transferring clothes from your guest room closet to somewhere else, so they have a place to hang their clothing.
4) Don't discount the fact that family and friends may want to help. Every now and then, all of us need help from someone. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness, but rather one of strength. Who knows...maybe Lindsey's son or daughter-in-law might be more than willing to help cook,
repair something that needs to be fixed, or sort through that paperwork for Lindsey before they leave.
