Feeling overwhelmed? Too much on your plate? A “list of things to do”, that makes your head spin?  We’ve all felt these feelings at times in our lives. Often, I used to feel this way as I was building my foundation and didn’t even realize it was a habit… allowing myself to feel overwhelmed had become a habit of mind, and it was followed by lower energy and worry, neither of which I wanted.

What did I do?  I replaced that habit of mind with a habit of body.

One morning I was making steel-cut oatmeal and bulletproof coffee, which I describe in my articles on physical literacy. I began to think about the many things I wanted to get done that day and felt myself begin to close in on myself…. Then I remembered a new 11 minute metabolic workout I had been using, where I do some type of exercise as fast as I can for 30 seconds, followed by 60 seconds of rest.  I would repeat that pattern 8 times.

So I thought, instead of letting myself feel overwhelmed, how about I try 30 seconds on and 60 seconds off, while making oatmeal…. I laughed out loud at the thought, and dove in.

The result?

• Higher Energy
• Smiling
• Chuckles
• A sense of “I’ll complete everything I really need to get done”
• Reminding myself that I am a champion
• Clarity of Mind

So, do I suggest you do this?

Yes, I do.  For me, action cures fear and this is just one example of replacing one habit with another, which is far easier that getting rid of a habit.