As I sit here getting ready to write this post, I can’t help but guiltily smirk …
A lot of us have fallen into the category of taking too much onto our plate at one point or another. As it turns out, this happens to be one of my weaker traits. It’s not that I don’t know how to say no, but that I love a challenge, and apparently seeing how far I can go on empty is subconsciously addicting. Just kidding... I do need to do better though.
There are three things we’ll cover when it comes to taking on too much:
1. You Misjudge Your Capacity
Sometimes it’s that we misjudge our mental capacity for a period. As a recap, this goes back to having limited mental bandwidth.
Often the things we are dealing with each take up capacity in our minds, and at some point, we run out of space. This is when things get a little messy because we take on more than we have space for.
We begin to feel overwhelmed, anxious, and stressed because it seems impossible to juggle everything. This can lead to feeling frustrated towards ourselves because we can’t believe we did it again!
2. You Try to please everyone
Maybe you have a hard time saying no to people. Now, let me tell you, no is your best friend. When you become comfortable politely saying no to things you very well know you don’t have the capacity for, that’s when you start winning.
It is not your job to please everyone around you. So when you don’t, don’t feel bad about it. You can’t control how they receive your no, and sometimes it might not even make sense to them, and that’s okay.
You are only responsible for yourself. So, give yourself the TLC you need to be the best you. And if that means saying no, do that.
3. You get a little too Ambitious
I often get excited to take on something I know will push me to be a better-equipped or well-rounded individual. The problem is I get too excited and that healthy discomfort quickly turns into more harm than good.
It may be that it comes down to self-discipline. For example, being able to follow through on something, like telling yourself you’ll take a break at point x and actually doing it.
Remember
Sure, knowing your limits is a good thing, but pushing yourself to your detriment is not. And when you constantly feel behind, fatigued, and begin to lose a sense of who you are, it probably means you are doing too much.
Never bite off more than you can chew. Protect your mental bandwidth. After all, it’s limited.
Thank you for spending this time with me. Take care of your beautiful self and feel free to email me. It would be great to hear from you.
If you haven't yet, check out How to Get Into the Mindset to Succeed.
As always, you are a gem!