4 Ways to Slow Yourself Down When Trying to Do Too Much
By: Wendy Miller
Tags: Productivity, Self Care, Stress Management, Stress Relief, Self

As a homeschooling single mom and a business owner, I’ve always got plenty to do. Whether it’s for work, for my kid’s education, or just for our family in general, there’s no shortage of tasks on a never-ending to-do list. And sometimes that makes me feel overwhelmed and like I need to work faster, harder, and longer.

But of course, that kind of pressure doesn’t make the feeling of overwhelm any better. In fact, it usually makes it worse. That’s why I’ve found four simple ways I can slow myself down when I’m trying to do too much. And why do I want to slow myself down when I have so much to do?

Because here’s the secret: when I can slow myself down, I can see things more clearly, reorganize so the important stuff gets done, and ultimately, get a lot more done.

Ready to slow yourself down? Try these:

Take 10–15 minutes to meditate

I remember the day before Thanksgiving 2018. I had a lot of work to do, with three deadlines that day, plus pies to bake, appetizers to make, and laundry to do. In the middle of all this, one of my sons asked me a simple, easy question — and I snapped at him. At that moment, I realized I was stressing and overwhelmed.

I stopped right then and there and meditated for 10 minutes. When I was done, I felt calmer, cooler, and more relaxed. I apologized to my son and immediately found clarity in how to get everything done.

I know that taking a few minutes to sit and “do nothing” might feel like an indulgence you can’t afford when your to-do list is already a mile long and more keeps getting added to it. But if you take just 10–15 minutes to meditate, you can clear your mind of all the thoughts that are causing you to feel stressed and overwhelmed, look at what you need to do and find a new organization so it all gets done, and feel more prepared to tackle it all.

Literally stop, then slow down

Momentum can be a great thing. When you build up momentum, it can help you continue to make forward progress even when you’re feeling tired or like you don’t really want to do anything. But momentum, when left unchecked, can also cause you to go too fast, trip over your own feet and go tumbling head over heels and making a mess of all you’re trying to do.

Sometimes the best thing you can do to slow yourself down is to literally stop. Just stop everything you’re doing. Drop the phone, the pen, the laptop, or whatever else it is you’re working with or on. Sit down. Take a breath. Do nothing.

By stopping everything and just sitting, you stop your momentum. And while this might seem like a bad thing, if you’re trying to do too much, it’s a good thing. It gives you a chance to stop just plowing through the to-do list without thought and instead, look at all you need to do and decide what really needs your attention and energy right now.

Once you’ve come to a halt, you can be more intentional about what you choose to do next and keep yourself going at a slower pace that doesn’t feel so overwhelming and exhausting.

Photo by Sanni Sahil on Unsplash

Breathe slowly and consciously

When we feel stressed and overwhelmed, we tend to start taking fast, shallow breaths. And that kind of breathing tells your nervous system you’re stressed and scared, which makes you feel more stressed and overwhelmed. It creates a vicious circle of feeling stressed, tired, overwhelmed, and even scared.

Take a moment to breathe slowly and consciously. Slow, deep, intentional breaths tell your body that everything is okay (even if you know that it’s not), allowing you to relax. Your mind will clear, your body will loosen up, and you’ll start thinking about your to-do list in terms of what you can do realistically instead of in a panic because you’re just one person and can’t possibly get it all done.

Just take as little as one minute to breathe slowly and consciously. Breathe in so your belly rises, rather than just your chest. Focus on each breath, staying with it from the moment it enters your nose to when it exits your nose. Pay attention to the temperature of the air, how it feels as it moves through your body from your nose to your throat to your lungs and belly and back out again.

Make a list & reevaluate your priorities

Sometimes we feel overwhelmed simply because we don’t know what’s most important. We just know we’ve got 10 things to do and they all need to be done ASAP. So we just do whatever comes to mind when it comes to mind — and what comes to mind might not be the most important thing that needs to be done.

So if you want to slow yourself down, take a moment to make a list of everything you think you need to do. Write it all down, no matter how minor it is or how sure you are that you’ll remember to do it. Then evaluate the list and your priorities. What things have a pressing deadline? Which ones matter most? Which ones can you delegate to someone else or don’t even really need to be done at all?

When you can look at a list of everything you need to do and prioritize things, it’s a lot easier to slow down. You stop doing unimportant tasks and start focusing on the ones that matter. And when you finish a task that matters, you feel a stronger sense of satisfaction and progress. That makes you feel better about what you’re getting done even if you’re not getting as much done as you might have otherwise.

It’s easy to think that slowing down is a bad idea. You believe that it’s going to mean you get less done and it will take longer to get through your to-do list.

But sometimes slowing down is the best way to get more done. The space and time slowing down gives you means you can focus on what really matters, which lightens your load and your stress.

Slow down. It’s worth it.

Wendy Miller is a Single Mom Coach & meditation teacher. She helps moms use mindfulness and meditation to create the life they really want. She lives in Florida with her two sons, where she homeschools while solo parenting, while surrounded by what feels like a zooful of animals.

You can follow her on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. You can also sign up for her newsletter where she offers more insights, tips, tricks, advice, and information to help single moms find purpose, creativity, passion, and peace.

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