(No, the F is not what you are thinking. Keep reading)
Being a business owner can be overwhelming AF. The to-do list can seem endless. The ideas, if we are lucky, can seem endless. There are moments where it feels like our brain is on overdrive. So many things to do, and not nearly enough time, money, or resources to do them.
Oh wait a minute, that also sounds like adulthood. So let me revise my opening statement:
Being an ADULT can be overwhelming AF. (Much better.)
And yet here we are. We are business owners because even on stressful days, we love what it brings into our lives AND what we are able to provide others through our services/products.
But as much as we can LOVE what we do, getting overwhelmed with #allthethings is a very big reality.
That’s why I have “The 2F Rule” I am going to teach you today.
This comes into play in those moments when my shoulders are getting tense (or hunched over!) and I can’t seem to focus on a single task because five others seem to be invading my brain all at the same time. (Also read: Squirrel Days)
Enter: The 2F Rule
F1: Food
Snickers really did have it right with their commercial “You are not you when you’re hungry.”
When those overwhelmed feelings start creeping in, there is usually a 90% chance it has been more than five hours since I have eaten. Everything seems harder when you are hungry.
After all, food is fuel. Yes, it is also comfort and social, and hopefully delicious, but in this case, I am talking about it as fuel. Our brains literally need fuel to function well and caffeine ain’t gonna cut it friend.
So Step 1 when feeling overwhelmed:
Check the last time you ate and find some heart-healthy calories to get in your body.
F2: Fresh air
Next, is the fresh air. If you have been here for more than a minute, then you know I prefer to get my fresh air through running. So many wonderful things physically, mentally and emotionally are accomplished through running, but that is an article for another day. (Or, many articles as evidence to be read here.)
So even though I LOVE to run and find it extremely helpful for processing life, clearing my mind and boosting my blood – all while helping my heart, of course – I also am someone who plans to run until she is 80+. That means, I need rest days.
On the days I am not taking advantage of the benefits of running for mental clarity, or even on days I do, I get my fresh air quota through walks with my dogs. Looong walks with the dogs. (The dog content I know you want is here.)
You know what else happens on those walks? I get ideas!
This is why I also carry my phone with me so I can use voice dictation to jot down those ideas in a notepad. Then I later send that sucker to my computer, edit (if it was an article I talked out) and get rolling with it.
No dog? Go walk yourself. I promise you will feel better.
Unable to walk? Use whatever means available to get your body placed in fresh air.
And that’s it! The 2F Rule for beating overwhelming and sparking creativity. Give it a shot.
I’d love to hear how it worked out!
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