…Overwhelmed

It is sooo sooo easy to get that way, lemme tell ya. For instance, even tho I’m “cheating” and saying this post is being published on the actual “O” day, Friday, April 17, I’m actually writing it and publishing on Monday, April 20.

Why?

Because I got overwhelmed. And I don’t feel good (still). (Tho I’m somewhat better.) And I couldn’t think of a single topic for O, and even tho I had my “N” topic, I had a hard time finishing up the writing thereof.

It truly seems that most of my friends (and me, obviously) suffer from overwhelmed-itis. (Yes, I just made up that word.)  That’s a truly crippling condition where you have so much to do, you freeze and don’t do anything at all. So, more things pile up and you get even more overwhelmed and you still don’t do anything and more things pile up and before you know it, you haven’t filed your taxes in eight years.

Now, I haven’t really talked about it, but it feels like I’ve been moving for a bajillion years, ever since hubs and I moved back to the ATL from Arkansas. My art collection has been in boxes since then, which sucks, cuz I truly love all the art I’ve gotten from various artists over the years. And this year we finally got the house that works for us, only I’ve been ill and haven’t been able to unpack much or often.

And, lemme tell you: we both have a LOT of stuff. A LOT. I have tons of books (big surprise there) and lots of art supplies. And when I looked at that pile of boxes, half the time I’d just fall over with overwhelmed-itis and just give up. (Especially when I first had to purchase book cases, and hubs had to put them together…)

But finally, a box at time, I’m making progress! See:

I guess it might not look like much to the untrained eye, but I know what is where, and I can actually get to it! And I can see the big pile of boxes I’ve emptied and broken down, and I know I’ve made progress.

So, to those of you suffering from overwhelmed-itis, here are just a few tips:

1. Remember that each project is made up of tiny steps. I didn’t pack all them boxes at the exact same time, and so I won’t be able to unpack them all at once either.
2. Make a list of the tiny steps needed to do your big project. You’ll probably find that a) there aren’t that many steps and b) each step is super-easy.
3. Just do one thing on the list.
4. Then do the next thing.
5. Then the next. (Be sure to cross off the items as you go so it even looks like you’re making progress.)
6. Take pictures of your progress to remind you how far you’ve gone.
7. Celebrate your successes!
8. Repeat!

By the way, despite my ever-loving urge for perfectionism, I am not triple-proofing (ha, as if I stop at three!) these posts, so if there are errors, please forgive me. Now, on to “P”!