Have you ever gotten back from vacation completely overwhelmed with all that you now have to do?

That’s how I’m feeling right now.

The trip to the Galapagos with my hubby was fabulous! Eight days of blissful disconnection (no internet or cell coverage in most of the islands) coupled with glorious nature and animal life. Heaven!

And I am wonderful at compartmentalization – a fancy psychological term which basically means that I can put out of my mind anything I don’t want to deal with until I absolutely have to.

Here’s what I have to do in the next 37 days, in addition to daily life:

• Find an apartment in Bogota (a city of 8 million people)
• Pack up our house and fix it up to look just like it did when we rented it nearly 5 years ago (painting, removing drywall, getting blinds replaced and cleaned)
• Find a school for our youngest
• Move to Bogota (and support the family’s adjustment to apartment and city living)
• Design and launch a website for our Spanish speaking community
• Deliver several workshops, keep up with my clients, blogging, etc.
• Buy a horse for my middle daughter (not an easy task)
• Deal with some health issues and get a colonoscopy (fun!)
• Renew my passport (an all-day experience here in Bogota)
• Support my teenagers through some serious upcoming life upheavals (beyond the move)
• Plan a family trip to Australia (which involves itinerary, many plane tickets, hotels, activities, etc.)
• Pack up the family to leave for the summer in the US and Europe

Lots of fun and exciting things happening but you must admit, it’s quite a list!

My husband has been freaking out about it for months.

I, on the other hand, have been compartmentalizing and saying things like, “Don’t worry, I have it all handled.”, “I will get it all done.”

And I meant it. Everything here in Colombia is usually done at the last minute and there is no way to look for an apartment for June until May. I’ve just accepted this reality and decided to flow with it, trusting that it would all work out.

“I’ll start as soon as we get back from the Galapagos”,I kept saying.

And then we came back this past weekend and I started seriously freaking out.

How the heck am I going to get all this done in a month?

And did I mention that my husband is going to be traveling for most of it?

I’m a pro you see, not just at compartmentalizing but at freaking out when reality finally sinks in.

I’ve also learned how to deal with it over the years.

So, here’s what I’m doing to stay sane:

1. BREATHE – Seriously, every time I find myself getting anxious about all that is on my to-do list, I take a few deep breaths and remind myself that it will all get done. It has to, so it will. One task at a time.

2. EXERCISE – While it’s tempting to start skipping self-care when life gets super busy, I know from experience that this is when I need to exercise more than ever. It helps me manage stress, reduces my anxiety and gives me way more energy. So as soon as the kids are off to school, I hit the gym for 30 min of cardio while lifting weights and listening to an uplifting course or podcast about manifesting effortlessly. I top it off with 15 minutes of ab work and stretching and I’m good to go.

3. ENERGY CLEARING EXERCISES – I have written about this before and here’s the link to my morning energy clearing/visualization exercise. Just 5 minutes in the morning helps me clear the energy of fear, doubt and negativity and set myself up to flow with life, be in gratitude and be super productive all day long.

4. MEDITATE – While I normally like to meditate for 20 minutes in the morning, I find it too difficult to sit still when I am anxious about all that is on my plate. So, when things get super busy, I don’t meditate in the morning but use it as a transition/reward in the afternoon. I basically spend the day being super productive and then meditate for 20 minutes before the kids get home from school and I turn into mom/taxi driver. I love to have this time to just rest and recharge, transitioning my energy to be with the kids.

5. CONNECT – No matter how busy things get, I make it a point to connect with friends and family every day. I call friends and my parents every day while driving somewhere and I make it a point to spend some quality time with each one of my daughters every evening. My husband and I also make it a priority to catch up with each other every evening after the kids are in bed (whether in person or by phone) and express our gratitude towards what we appreciate about each other. I’m somebody who thrives on connection and having these moments reminds me of what’s truly important in my life.

6. GRATITUDE – No matter how busy things get, I always end my day by thinking of 5 things that I’m grateful for that day. Sometimes I write them down and sometimes, I just name them to myself. It helps me focus on what’s going “right” in my life, which is actually pretty much everything. I’m very aware that getting everything done in the next month is actually a problem of abundance and I’m very fortunate to have the option to move, prepare for trips, take care of myself and have a family to love and care for.

So that’s what I do. I share this with you because perhaps it can help you deal with your own moments of overwhelm.

And I’d love to hear from you – what helps you stay sane when life gets way too busy?

Feel free to leave a comment below and let me know. I love to connect!

Happy Tuesday!

xoxo,

Natalie