We all experience times throughout life when we feel like we have too much on our plate and are unsure if we can get everything done.
Recently, I found myself feeling this way, as I needed to finish my dissertation before the summer deadline while developing and teaching a class at the same time. Initially, I felt as though there was no way that I could do both, but after a conversation with my fiancée, I had a change of heart. She reminded me that meeting deadlines are nothing new to me and that she had the utmost confidence in my ability to get it done.
Those few encouraging words served as the catalyst that helped me transform my perspective on my current situation. I began to remember all of the times in my past when even though I was swamped with work, I somehow got everything done. Reflecting on these experiences even made me realize that I actually work best when I have to balance multiple tasks at the same time.
Simply reflecting on our past experiences allows us to remember that in many cases, we have already overcome similar obstacles, so what we are facing today should be a piece of cake. You’d be surprised how reflecting on similar situations that you’ve already overcome will remind you that you are more than equipped to conquer today’s obstacles.
So the next you are feeling overwhelmed or doubt your ability to check everything off of your to-do list, reflect upon the experiences that you’ve already overcome and use these stories to remind you that you will once again get it done.