There’s a pretty simple reason why your goals overwhelm you. Most of the time it comes down to how we are prioritizing them, or not. Let’s test this out.
Take a minute to think about everything you have to do today.
Seriously. Think of EVERYTHING. I’ll wait…
Got it all?
Did you add the basics like showering, eating, commuting to work, cooking? If not add them. I said everything!
If you have absolutely everything, then there’s a chance this exercise created a bit of stress. You knew you had a lot to do, but putting it all on paper makes it seem like even more!
However, we’re still not done. The last thing to check is whether or not your goals made it on that list. Did you put down “exercise” or “meal prep” or “find healthy recipes”?
Most people leave those things off their todo list. We put all the “have to’s” down first and then the goals don’t even make it.
This is why your goals overwhelm you.
There’s a million things you need to do in a day, and THEN there’s your goal.
If you think about adding your goals to an already full plate, how the heck are you going to fit them in? Even if you did add them to the list, often they’re at the bottom or in the “optional” pile.
There are 2 ways to overcome this and stop being overwhelmed by your goal.
Make them small and make them first.
If your goal is too big, it’s hard to know where to start or how to fit it in. Instead of thinking of an hour at the gym plus travel or meal prepping for the whole week, turn it into a smaller first step that is more attainable for you.
Keep it simple by turning an hour long gym workout into 20 minutes at home. Turn a weeks worth of meal prep into just cooking a little extra at dinner so you have leftovers for lunch the next day.
Second, make it happen first thing in your day.
Get up 30 minutes earlier to do that 20 minute home workout and have it done for the day. Trust me, that feeling of accomplishment for the rest of the day as well as the hormonal rush of the early morning workout will be totally worth the earlier alarm clock!
Easier said than done? What isn’t? Sometimes you need to get uncomfortable.
Hope is not a good strategy when it comes to achieving your goals.
Try out these steps to simplify and prioritize your goals and stop having your goals overwhelm you.