By: Megs Crawford
A couple of weeks ago during a decluttering session, a client of mine asked me what I recommended she do when our session was over. I immediately told her not to work on any more decluttering and to find something to do that she enjoys.
I often recommend deep breathing, going outside, or snuggling up with a good book.
Once we get going on organizing or decluttering, it's hard to stop because we have set a ball in motion and we keep seeing more and more to do. This hyper-fixation is hard to break and can lead to burnout quickly.
It's so important we limit the time we spend organizing and decluttering. When we spend so much time focused on getting stuff done, when we finally are done, we remember only the feeling of being overwhelmed and not the accomplishment of getting something done. Which means it could be so much harder to get started again.
I created a dopamine menu template the other day (and my assistant helped me beautify it) so I could support my clients in taking care of their needs. The funny thing is, I hadn't actually made one for myself yet.
Does anyone else think about doing a project forever before actually taking action on it? You're not alone.
So with encouragement from my coach (because coaches need coaches), I finally printed out my own menu and filled it out. And just like that, by putting this on my fridge, I now have so many yummy reminders of what my brain LOVES to do so I can focus on my SELF-CARE!
Things like singing, doing a mini meditation, learning a new language, knitting, crocheting, coloring, painting, planning a trip, cuddling my fur babies, and so much more. Even something as simple as listening to my favorite podcast while crossing something off my to-do list (i.e. dishes) fills me up!
The stuff you own took years to bring into your home, it's not going to take a weekend to purge. If you are rushing toward a finish line you cannot see, you're going to burn out in the process. Or possibly even give up on your decluttering and organizing dreams because it seems too far-fetched.
Take care of yourself this holiday and create a dopamine menu for yourself!
Pro tip: Ask yourself when you could do this and set a reminder to get it done!
RSVP for the group Holiday classes I have coming up and you will get a free Dopamine Menu download. RSVP HERE:
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