The best way to deal with overwhelm is to avoid it in the first place! As a mum or mumpreneur, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed by the never-ending demands of parenting, running a household, and work. Sometimes, all you can focus on is getting through the day. Any thoughts of moving closer to your goals or intentions are pushed to the back of your mind and priority list. But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. It’s important to realise we’re not suggesting you do it all – that’s a recipe for disaster, too. However, we’re sharing a few ways in which you can avoid feeling overwhelmed, which will support you in managing the demands on you and give you the space you need to follow your intentions.

1. Create A Schedule And Stick To It

One of the biggest causes of overwhelm is the feeling that you have too many things to do and not enough time to do them. By creating a schedule and sticking to it, you can break your tasks down into manageable chunks and avoid feeling overwhelmed by the sheer number of things you need to do. Having the tasks recorded somewhere in priority order is also helpful and frees up brain space creating a sense of calm!

2. Prioritise Your Tasks

Not all tasks are created equal, so it's important to prioritise the ones that are most important and tackle those first. This will help you avoid wasting time on low-priority tasks, and ensure you're making progress on the things that really matter and enable a positive difference. You may also find that some of those low-priority tasks are not essential, maybe they’ve become more of a habit to do them than a necessity with associated benefit and can be crossed off your list entirely.

3. Delegate Whenever Possible

As a mum and a mumpreneur, it can be tempting to try and do everything yourself. But this is a recipe for overwhelm. Instead, try to delegate tasks whenever possible, whether it's to your partner, a babysitter, or even where age appropriate for your children. If you’re a mumpreneur, consider which tasks make use of your skillset, and which could be outsourced to someone such as a virtual assistant. This will free up your time and energy to focus on the things that only you can do or that generate greatest reward in your business.

4. Take Care Of Yourself

It's impossible to avoid overwhelm if you're not taking care of yourself. Make sure you're getting enough sleep, eating well, and finding time for self-care. Often, this is the area mums and mumpreneurs will forego in an attempt to fit it all in. But taking care of yourself is paramount to keeping you topped up pouring from an overflowing cup and will ultimately save you time and energy. It will help you stay energized and focused and will enable you to tackle your tasks feeling capable and with a clear head space.

5. Set Boundaries

This means saying “no” to tasks and obligations that are not a priority or that will take you away from your most important tasks. This can be difficult, especially if you’re a people-pleaser or if you’re afraid of disappointing others. But setting boundaries is essential if you want to avoid overwhelm and achieve those intentions you set for the year. It can feel uncomfortable to begin but the more you practise saying no, choosing to focus on prioritising your own needs, intentions and the benefits of doing so will reap, the easier it will feel.

Following these five simple steps will help you to avoid overwhelm. However, if you’ve already reached the point where everything feels too much, you might need further support. Leaving overwhelm unchecked can lead to mental health issues such as stress, anxiety and depression. In our next blog post, we’ll be sharing what you can do if you feel overwhelmed. Alternatively, get in touch to discover how we could help you.

Start your journey today – achieve confidence, balance and clarity for an easier, happier life!

Empowering Mums is on a mission to empower a million mums and mumpreneurs just like you with greater confidence, balance and clarity to activate your infinite capabilities within! Enabling you to enjoy an easier, happier life alongside running a highly successful business. Aligned with enjoying time out for an essential self-care routine that fulfils your own needs and delight in quality time spent with your children being the mum you really want to be!

For further support please contact Empowering Mums today on 01606 334 015, alternatively visit our website at www.empoweringmums.com for more information.