Doing All the Things Without Losing Ourselves

It’s the final push, the push to the holidays and the new year. 

Get everything done, run one more errand, bake something, track the package, and find one more gift. 

We want to do it all AND it sometimes feels like it is sucking the life out of us. 

We want things to be happy and magical, peaceful and fulfilling.

And this is on top of “regular life”—workdays full of responsibility and people who need us.

It’s easy to fall into the nervous energy of trying to get everything done. It pervades even the most mundane daily tasks as we try to “get through” the workday.

There isn’t a magic answer for this. The show must go on.

The truth is, even if simplifying was the answer, we may not want to simplify; we may want to do all the traditions and buy all the things, and plan all the parties. At the very least, we may want to keep the results of those activities.

So, how can we do all the things AND not be lunatics? How can we accomplish everything AND still enjoy ourselves when we are pushing for all these big moments? 

Maybe the answer isn’t doing less -but noticing more.

Push for the little moments.

Yes, that’s right, push for the little moments of peace, the moments of connection, the moments of calmness.

We are going to get all the big things done- we always do- but what if it doesn’t have to be at the expense of our collective mental well-being?

You don’t have to earn a break, and you don’t have to get everything done before you take one. Even better, you don’t have to give up something else to stabilize your nervous system. 

Push for the current moment- the one that you are in- to be restorative. 

All it takes is intention and practice. When you feel anxiety or stress throughout the day, pause and examine if it is due to what is going on in the present moment or if it’s related to the mental chatter of “everything that needs to get done.” Nine times out of 10, it is the latter. If the current moment isn’t intrinsically stressful, lean in. Push for the moment of being present with the reality of what is right now. 

This matters everywhere- even at work

Connect with the patient in front of you.

Concentrate on the differential diagnosis and the next steps.

Brainstorm creative ways to help the patient gain self-efficacy.

Find peace in the moments you have when making cookies or wrapping a gift.

Be in the present moment- it’s often pretty good. 

The work will get done. May the small moments steady you and bring you peace as you move through the next 12 days.

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If you spend much of your time caring for others, you may benefit from a space that is just for you. I offer 1:1 coaching to allow you a space to heal and to equip you with the skills we were never taught in school, the skills that keep us thriving in our healthcare work. Reach out today at Megan@NursingBeyondtheJob.com