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Just published: Martha Treat November 2024

More Than You Can Chew?

With recent client sessions, I see the volume increasing with those things we assign ourselves to do.

The impact of overcommitting is stressful, evidenced by being distracted and pulled in many directions, unable to focus on just one thing at a time and feeling pressured and overwhelmed while insisting it is all necessary. My favorite analogy is trying to eat a whole plate of food in one bite—not possible or wise.

Being overcommitted takes the analogy to a whole new level. We are in fact trying to eat multiple plates of food in one bite. Ouch!

Biting off more than we can possibly chew with volumes of projects and actions affects us physically, emotionally, mentally and can keep us disconnected from ourselves (spiritually).

It is a choice we make, and it starts with our discernment and willingness to not commit to what we do not intend to do. That discernment up front is crucial and keeps in check our excitement and enthusiasm to do it all. If not a no, it easily becomes a yes.

There are three steps in my process of staying out of overwhelm:

1. Asking if what I am about to say yes to is aligned for me to do and being honest with what I hear.

2. Writing down or dictating (thank you Siri) every tiny little thing I say I will do so it is out of my head.

3. Schedule regular reviews of my agreements by looking at all lists of actions and projects. The purpose is to re-evaluate and recommit to doing them. This is a looking process versus a doing process. It looks at everything in my system of tracking actions to see if I am on track and includes these essential steps:

Delete and celebrate what got completed.
Check to see if projects and actions are still aligned and are moving forward. If not, consider moving them to a Someday Maybe list or declare them complete.
Renegotiate with a boss/colleague/spouse any projects regarding things like timelines, change in direction, or if a project is still viable.

Our willingness to simply look takes responsibility for our commitments and agreements and brings them into our awareness. Without this reviewing process, we delegate it back to our minds.

When we find ourselves distracted, rushing and stressed with so many balls in the air, it is a sign to stop and simply look at where our attention is being placed and reign it back in to what is doable. This conscious review is critical to our well-being.

May we eat our Thanksgiving meal one bite at a time, giving thanks for our awareness of the blessing of being one together.

Martha Invitations

Go through what you are committed to and honestly declare complete what is no longer viable.
Before agreeing to do something, check if it is yours to do and if you can complete it with everything else on your plate.
Do your weekly review regularly so your eyes see what you are committed to and make the adjustments needed.

Martha

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