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How I Complete Overwhelming Tasks
by Monica Resinger - Plantldy98@aol.com

Description: Tips for organizing your time to complete overwhelming tasks.

We have a couple weeks of rain and the yard looks like a jungle. There is barely a path through the bedroom. I have somehow fallen behind in my organization and yard work efforts. I begin to feel panic set in until I remember how I get through these times. When I feel overwhelmed with large tasks, I have found it's best to concentrate on one small area at a time and begin visualizing the outcome.

By taking it one baby step at a time I will eventually get somewhere. When I see progress, I either don't want to stop or get spurred on to another project. It helps me see that it doesn't take as much time as I think. One way to work in baby steps is to set a timer for just five minutes and do what you can on an overwhelming task. Most of the time I'll finish the job or at least go longer than five minutes. You'll also find that it doesn't take as long as you think. One day I set the timer for five minutes to organize part of my dresser. In those five minutes I had completed three of the five drawers. I went ahead and finished the dresser and also switched my seasonal clothes.

In early Spring this year, my yard was way out of hand. Weeds were thick, plants were overgrown and my whole yard felt and looked hopeless. I really wanted a well kept cottage style garden this season and thought to myself "I'll just work that small section (about 3 ft X 5 ft) over there and make it look as good as I can -- that would be better than nothing". That day I did work that small section, but what amazed me was that I did a whole lot more than that small section. I worked my way clipping and weeding through a flower bed that is about 3 ft X 25 ft. Surprise Surprise! It felt so good and looked so good that I started on the next bed the following day and so on and so forth. The entire front yard was completed in a matter of five days working 1-2 hours a day. This showed me that I could handle the herb garden. So, I started the same procedure with the herb garden and had that complete in about a week.

Visualizing the outcome gives me a goal to work towards. Whenever I can, I try to visualize how nice the project will look and feel when completed. Whatever details that can be added to the visualization makes it more powerful. For example, if I'm visualizing my goal of getting my bedroom cleaned and organized, I can add to my visualization of a clean and organized bedroom some soft music playing, a lit candle, and a dish of fragrant potpourri. This makes me want to accomplish my goal so I can enjoy these things.

As I worked my way through the front yard and herb garden, I had my visualization going through my mind. Before falling asleep at night, I thought about walking through my cottage style yard with all the details like butterflies and hummingbirds flying around, fragrant flowers everywhere and enjoying my family in this beautiful yard.

If you feel overwhelmed with tasks frequently or occasionally, I hope you'll try these tips, they have been a sanity saver for me.

Monica Resinger is a loving wife and doting mother of two who enjoys gardening, tap dancing and most importantly, homemaking. She edits and publishes the free e-zine, The Homemaker's Journal that features a useful homemaking tip and scrumptious recipe of the day; if you'd like to subscribe, visit HomemakersJournal.com.