Do you want to manage feeling overwhelmed and find that zone of peaceful productivity?

Unfortunately “too much to do, not enough time” sums up modern life for most folks these days and, if you are building a business on top of all your other responsibilities, overwhelm and stress can creep in if you are not careful.

Believe me, I am no stranger to this and, over the years, I have had to learn how to manage feeling overwhelmed so I can thrive in my business and enjoy my life along the way. There have been plenty of times when I have felt buried by a mountain of things to do and had no idea where I would find the time.

Sometimes we look at other people and think, “Well they can do it because…

They don’t have as much to do as I do…
He doesn’t have a family to take care of…
She’s rich so she must have more time…
Fill in the blank here…

The truth is, until you have walked in someone else’s shoes you don’t really know what they’ve got going on and what they need to adjust in their own life to manage feeling overwhelmed. Nobody is immune to the pressures of life, and we all have the same 24 hours in a day. The secret to getting rich and achieving business success in your network marketing company is knowing how to manage feeling overwhelmed by making daily decisions on where to put your focus.

Here are three strategies that will help you manage feeling overwhelmed:

#1 Strategy to Manage Feeling Overwhelmed – Shift Your Perspective

One of my favorite stories to tell is how the network marketing industry changed my life in every way, including love. Yes, I met a man at an industry event, fell head over heels, and married him!

Based on what we have going on in our lives (business, kids, etc) we are currently traveling back and forth between our two homes – his is in Canada, mine is in the United States. Truth be told, sometimes I need to manage feeling overwhelmed by continuous uprooting and traveling, maintaining two households, and expanding my home life from just me to include a husband and three kids.

To manage feeling overwhelmed, instead of stress over it, I choose to shift my perspective by asking, “What’s good about this? Let me count the ways.”

Well, for starters, I’m madly in love with a gorgeous Canadian man. I have three amazing children in my life that love me as much as I love them! Keeping my home in San Francisco means I get to be close to my aging mom, spend quality time with family and friends, and get focused work done when the kids are back at our other home in Canada.

Action tip to manage feeling overwhelmed: Look at your own situation and ponder, what’s good about this? This alone will change your emotional state and move you to a place of gratitude. There is almost always something good about this – whatever this is…

#2 Strategy to Manage Feeling Overwhelmed – Focus on Your Successes

I am a total list-maker and, in fact, sometimes I have a dozen lists going! Okay, so it’s not a perfect system, but it works for me and it’s how I keep track of all my commitments which helps me manage feeling overwhelmed.

Confession: Sometimes at the end of the day, I look at my list(s) and I see all the items on there that I didn’t get to check off. I used to feel dragged down by what was not getting done, yet one shift that I attribute to my success is that I now choose instead to focus on what I DID get done and celebrate my accomplishments. When I am getting ready for bed at the end of the day, I look back and feel good about what I did get done instead of stressing about what I didn’t get done!

Because the truth is, it never ALL gets done. Most of us give ourselves a week’s worth of to do’s and one day to do them. Be kind to yourself and acknowledge your successes each day. This will most certainly help you manage feeling overwhelmed by all those little things that fight for your time.

Action tip to manage feeling overwhelmed: Look back at your day and honor yourself for everything you did get done.

#3 Strategy to Manage Feeling Overwhelmed – Do What’s Most Important

The number one reason why ANYONE is successful is because they prioritize, set goals, and do what is most important.

My friend Molly is a classical pianist and practices piano for hours a day. She is also teaching piano lessons and meditation classes, is happily married and raising three kids, and building her network marketing business. Her plate is quite full, yet the reason she is so successful in her business is that she does a great job of focusing on the most important (i.e. income generating) activities that will move her toward her goals.

This is important. At the end of the day, are the choices you make taking you in the direction you want to be five years from now? When you work on your business, are you picking up the phone and calling your prospects? Or are you avoiding the important actions by organizing your supply of product samples… again?

Oftentimes, to manage feeling overwhelmed, simply tackling the biggest, scariest (and probably the most lucrative) task first can have a domino effect and ease your stress immediately. My goal is to spend two hours of focused time on the highest priority income generating activities every day. I keep a journal to track this time because I know that what I can measure and track, I can improve.

Action tip to manage feeling overwhelmed: Do the biggest, most intimidating item on your list first.

BONUS Strategy to Manage Feeling Overwhelmed – Learn to Say No

This simple two-letter word will truly help you manage feeling overwhelmed. If you’re building a new business, there are things you have to say “no” to. Perhaps it is not the year to volunteer for the annual fashion show at your school. Maybe you decide to give up watching Downton Abbey primetime and catch up on Netflix when the kids are in bed Saturday night.

Hmmm, shall I admit I’m no stranger to late night Downton Abbey marathons?
Oh wait, did I say that aloud?

Action tip to manage feeling overwhelmed: Say no to something this week. Today would be even better!