Lately, it feels as if we can control very little. The universe seemed to put us in our place this spring and summer. Stay at home. Close your businesses. Wear a mask. Don’t see anyone. Very little control.

In such uncertain times, it’s especially important to shift our focus from what we can not control in favor of things we can control. It’s incredible how this simple perspective shift can affect your mood and your actions. 

How do you feel when you are not in control?

Common emotions and feelings may include: 

• Overwhelm
• Stress
• Fear
• Anxiety
• Spiraling out of control
• Anger
• Sadness
• Frustration
• Guilt

What can you control?

• Your actions. It’s hard to control what emotions you have. No need to suppress them or ignore them. Let them be. They are valid, they are real, and you are allowed to have feelings. Your actions are another story. You can control how your emotions make you behave. Emotions never warrant treating others poorly, rudeness, or acting maliciously. Channel that energy into something positive instead.    
• Control your schedule. I know sometimes this can be really challenging. It feels like everyone else controls your time: your boss, your clients, your family, your pets, your in-laws, your handyman. The list goes on and on. Think of it this way: if you had a meeting with an important client you would never think of canceling it. If you had Home Depot coming to install something, you wouldn’t just blow it off or haphazardly run late. No, you would get yourself to where you need to be to serve others on their schedule. Why don’t you give yourself that same respect of time and space to work on your goals for the day or the week? Why do you consistently blow off your priorities? Set boundaries for yourself, own your calendar, and keep those appointments to work on your goals. 
  • Want 52-minutes to work in peace? Book a Productivity Power Hour.
• Commit to how you are spending your time. If you have a free moment in the day you are in control of how you spend that time. Do you grab lunch? Watch Netflix? Get a smaller task done? The choice is yours. If you read my blog often, you know I love tagging my tasks. Then, when I have a free moment or two during the day, I can knock out a few simple tasks in those found pockets of time during the day. 
• Perfection. Many people tell me they stress about being “good enough” both as individuals and in the work that they do. Remember that no person or thing is perfect. And, here’s a crazy statement: it doesn’t need to be. Things do not need to be perfect. Gulp! That’s hard for me to write. I’m a perfectionist. Instead of trying to be perfect, I encourage you to do the “good enough” exercise. At some point, perfect will not get you a better result than “good enough.” Figure out what will make a project or task “good enough” to get the intended result but don’t waste time making it perfect.   
• Don’t overcomplicate it. Along the lines of perfectionism and good enough, make sure you (yes, you) aren’t overcomplicating things. Simple things are easier to control and manage. Resist making things harder or more complicated than they need to be. Don’t get in your own way here. 
• Ask for help. When you are getting that out of control feeling please know that it’s ok to ask for help. In fact, asking for help gives you some control back in your day.   

Key Takeaways:

Finally, if you realize you can’t control it no matter how hard you try to take a lesson from Elsa and LET IT GO!  

If you need help getting from chaos to control, I’m your gal. I’ll be bringing you my top productivity tips to help you get back control of your time, accomplish more, and be present when you are done for the day.

You Got This! Sarah