Tomorrow is the first day in the merry, merry month of May. I think of May as a slyly hectic month what with all of the special days occurring over the next 31 days: Mother's Day, Memorial Day, school coming to a close for the year which means helping one's children prepare for final exams or end of the year recitals, and perhaps attending a wedding or graduation or two! I always breathe a sigh of relief on June 1 because I have likely plowed through the busy month and emerged victorious on the other side! This entry is a summary of my monthly ezine (which you can subscribe to on my website) and offers you suggestions as to how to prepare for and manage the stressors you may experience as the month progresses.
"Mayday" is the internationally recognized voice radio signal for ships and people in serious trouble at sea and originates from the French word "m'aidez" meaning "help me." We all know what it feels like to be overwhelmed by demands, deadlines and obligations--the feeling can be likened to standing in a sinking boat with only a small pail in hand, helpless to match the rising water sloshing about one's knees. In such circumstances, the options are (1) go down with the sinking ship; (2) swim like mad to the nearest shore or (3) send flares into the sky and wave your arms above your head in frenzy to signal the need for rescue! The suggestions I offer you this month will hopefully keep you from having to make such dire decisions and instead allow you to remain watertight and floating high on the approaching stress-waves this month.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Plot the Course
One of the most fundamental tools used in marine navigation is the nautical chart. Nautical charts provide a map of the sea bottom, water depths, currents, locations of danger (wrecks, sand, and rocks) and information about aids to navigation (buoys, beacons and other useful objects). The primary purpose of the chart is to give the navigator the needed information to decide how the boat should be maneuvered in order to safely reach the desired destination. No sailor worth his or her salt would consider sailing out into the seas without a navigational chart. In terms of your life this month, what do you need to map out in order to reach your desired goal? If the month ahead holds many deadlines and important dates, then what can you do today to plot your navigational course to ensure smooth sailing? Most importantly, what do you need to do to avoid the dangers lurking below the surface (eg, exhaustion, fatigue and overwhelm)?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Find Your Latitude
The first step in mapping out your course is to identify your latitude and longitude in terms of where you are now compared to all that you wish to accomplish this month. Pull out your calendar and write in all of the events you plan to attend or host (i.e., Mother's Day brunch, weddings, graduation, school/dance recitals, Memorial Weekend BBQ, etc.). Next write down all of the deadlines; that is, identify the actual drop-dead date the project must be completed by. Be sure to record the mini-deadlines associated with the events listed above (i.e., shopping date to purchase your child's outfit for the end of the school year recital, purchasing the wedding gift, making reservations for the family pets for boarding, helping your child complete final projects, etc.) as well as the deadlines associated with your work life. Next go back over the calendar and write in all of the other appointments you have made for the month (make sure you include self-care time (e.g., exercise)). Now that your calendar is complete, you may be feeling a rising panic as you gaze over all that is to be accomplished in the next few weeks--but before you leap overboard, read on!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All Hands On Deck
In sailing terms "all hands on deck" is something one says when everyone's help is needed, especially when there is a lot of work to complete in a short amount of time. Just as a fine sailing vessel needs a crew to keep her in tip-top shape, you, too, need a crew to help you navigate through the rough waters ahead in order to reach your destination.
Look back over your calendar for the month and begin to think about the crew members you can enlist to help you achieve your goals. If you are the captain, then who can serve as your first-mate? Break down the tasks and prioritize the order of what needs to be completed first. Which tasks can you delegate to a family member or enlist the aid of a friend or colleague? I realize that some folks have a difficult time giving up control and allowing another to help out. If you recognize yourself in the above sentence, then I invite you to imagine the support you will feel when you allow another to help you with a task. Can some tasks be eliminated completely? A friend recently lamented that no matter how much time she allots to prepare for a party, she continually finds herself finishing up last minute details as the first guest rings the doorbell. What I find is that when you give yourself a certain amount of time to finish a task, chances are you will find things to fill the time in order to not allow yourself the vacuum of peace or silence. It takes conscious effort o create and allow a cushion of "nothing" time.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Steady As She Goes
Stress is the antithesis of calm and if you allow stress to take the helm, then you will find yourself awash and grounded among the rocks in no time. Remember the movie "The Perfect Storm"? The sea, wind and weather coalesced to create an impossible survival situation. The captain did not heed the warnings provided him by others, and instead moved forward and placed his life and the lives of the others in peril. In looking at your own month of events, rather than allowing your own perfect storm to develop, acknowledge that you will have to take proactive steps to maintain calm and peace through the upcoming weeks. Stress sets up several physiological reactions in the body ranging from compromised immune function, high blood pressure, migraine, irritability and skin breakouts, to name just a few. Researchers have found that activities such as meditation, acupuncture, therapy, massage, hypnosis and biofeedback all teach people how to utilize stress-reduction techniques which in turn helps them to maintain psychological and physical health in the face of stressors.
One useful technique to reduce stress involves "imaging," that is, conjuring up a soothing, mental picture and focusing on the image for 10-15 minutes a day (for example, walking along a peaceful stretch of warm sandy beach). Think about a scene you find soothing and relaxing. Imagine your scene in such detail that you hear birds or the breeze in the trees...you feel the temperature of the air upon your skin...you smell the scent in the air. I invite you to spend some time in the morning, before you start your day visiting your special scene. Spend 10-15 minutes in the morning, mid-day and before you fall asleep in a blissful state of focused concentration. When you actively teach your mind how to move into a state of calm, you are then in a proactive state in terms of how you manage stress in your life.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Set Sail
Alright Captain, you have plotted your course, your crew is ready and you know the ropes. You are now ready to set sail toward your destination(s) this month. I wish you calm waters and smooth sailing--Godspeed!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It's not far back to sanity
At least it's not for me
And when the wind is right you can sail away
And find serenity
The canvas can do miracles
Just you wait and see
Believe me
--Christopher Cross "Sailing"
No comments:
Post a Comment