Hey Mom! How Fast Can You Run!

Speaking as a mom, someone who has become obsessed with wringing "something" out of every spare minute... oops, did I say spare minute? I don't have any of those since I became a mom, and then a time management junkie.

I meant to say obsessed with wringing something out of every minute.

Anyway, since I have become obsessed I have made an important observation.
Mom's operate on a whole different planet than "other people". By the time we
have had even one child at the age of a month or two, we are used to multi
tasking, working 24/7 with little sleep and considering 5 minutes alone in the
shower as our annual vacation time.

Anyone with two kids, of any age, has been operating for some time in another
dimension completely. A dimension where are brain is always at least one step
ahead of our body, except for when our body is one step ahead of our brain, as
is the case when our mommie radar kicks in and we know before it happens that
our baby or child needs a catch, needs a kiss or a diaper!

And then there is split brain syndrome.

A place where one train of thought goes uninterrupted for an average of
10 seconds, before it is split into at least two... probably more depending on how
many sets of additional legs are "in the station" at the time. Over time you will find
it easy to picture your brain as an orange - easily divided and never quite in one piece.

In this state, it is easy to find ourselves running all the time, permanently of "out of
breath", even when we are sitting down.

We don't even have the time to notice that somewhere along the line we changed.
It is in part a necessity that comes with the territory at least for awhile... if
you call 20 years or so awhile.

But at some point we need to stop running like hounds after rabbits, rabbits
that are forever in front of us, egging us on and on, but never slowing down
enough to let us catch them, and start giving ourselves permission to do what we
need to do.

This isn't so easy after spending a few years forgetting about ourselves and
focusing only on other people. We become programmed to "make do" and that
carries over into our businesses that we started at home so that, you guessed
it, we could do more than one thing at once and still be there for other people -
even if they are only 2 feet tall, unbearably adorable, and cuddly to boot!

The problem arises when we are forever on the run, never allowing ourselves the
time it takes to complete a task, or even begin it. How many projects or tasks
do you have sitting around waiting for you? Important stuff that isn't going
anywhere. Except maybe on your shoulders, the thought of them dragging you down.

Lighten the load!

I find that I am stress free and at my most successful when I give myself permission to take
the time to do things that are important, and even more successful and stress
free when I allow myself the time to do them right.

This always means putting and end to the tug of war by deciding what I am not going to do.
At some point you need to decide what you want to stop doing. Or you have to
keep running. In place!

In order to be successful, and even more importantly - remain sane - you MUST decide what you are
not going to do. And then, don't do it! Sounds easy, but we all know that it's an ongoing battle.

Remember that phrase, "ALLOW MYSELF THE TIME".

There is a lot of power in those words and it's something that too many of us don't allow
ourselves anymore.

Repeat it 3 times every time you feel stressed and pulled in umpteen dozen
directions at the same time. Establish your true priorities, not forgetting to include what is
important to you, and then allow yourself the time to do what needs to be done.

Anything less will result in frustration and disappointment, over time this results in
loss of energy and interest, over more time, this will result in giving up and
more disappointment - not fun!

What do you need to give yourself permission to do? Sometimes it comes down to
exactly that.

Exercise is good for you, it reduces stress, helps keep weight under control and
keeps the blood pumping.

Running at breakneck speed through your day does not count! This kind of
lifestyle results in a body riddled with stress and all of the health risks
associated with it, stress in some cases actually will add weight due to
stressed out adrenals and it will keep the blood pumping all right… pumping
right up to high blood pressure and all of the health risks associated with that
too.

It just isn't worth it. Stop running.

Start prioritizing. Start weeding. Allow yourself to decide
what you need to do, and then do only that. Be mindful of what you are doing when
you are doing it. Enjoy being in the moment. That in itself takes an amazing weight
off your shoulders. Try to remember what life is about.

Sprint sometimes if you have to, but quit running a never ending marathon.

Think about it. The result could be an amazing change in your life.

Ready. Set. Go! Just kidding :0)

Janice Ferrante is the Queen of KAOS. You can learn more about how to Conquer KAOS and take CONTROL by visiting her website at http://www.queen-of-kaos.com. Also be sure to sign up for her free ezine containing more practical tips, articles and resources at http://www.queen-of-kaos.com/qoktipssub.html .