Did anyone else blink and end up in November? 

Whew!

The last two months went by too fast, and my calendar was busier than I would have liked.

I was the keynote speaker sharing about Black maternal mental health, my family was on the cover of Military Families Magazine, I was featured in Canvas Rebel, was a guest on The Wallstreet Journal podcast, spoke at the Black Mental Wellness Conference, and saw THE ANGELA DAVIS in real life! And those are just the things I can remember. 

So, as I entered November, I wanted to counteract the busyness of the previous two months and grounding myself in a new word.

I didn’t want the rest of the year to fly by in the blink of an eye, so I’ve been trying to stay focused. Focused on my health, wellness, boys, and completing tasks at work and in my private practice. 

Between my kiddos having all the yucky germs (RSV, ear infections, & strep), traveling, holidays, and December approaching with a significant transition for my family (I’ll fill you in later), it has been imperative for me to remain focused. So, as we catch up on the last two months, I’m hoping you can think about ways to incorporate the word focus into your life. Let’s close out the end of the year by counteracting the usual narrative of being consumed by the hustle and bustle.

To assist in changing the narrative this month’s mental wellness tip looks a little different as I’m sharing a tip that prevents me from getting overwhelmed. I’ve returned to creating a simple to-do list that actually works. Many of us have a ‘to-do’ list, but is it helpful? For some, it is not, so I’m sharing four steps that help me feel confident and prepared to tackle my work day. 

1. Plan Ahead: Instead of waiting until the morning, create your to-do list in advance. This can be the night before, at the end of your work day, or even at the end of the week. For instance, my family and I were out of town, so I created my to-do list for Monday-Thursday on Sunday while we were in the car driving home. 
2. Keep it simple: To-do lists can get out of control fast! Therefore, I encourage you to limit your list to 3-4 tasks. Most of us cannot complete a 10-item to-do list in one day. So, stop setting yourself up for failure. If you complete those 3-4 tasks, reward yourself by doing something just for you. And if you have tons of time, then you can decide whether you want to mark off tasks for the next day. 
3. Think about the process: Have you ever completed a project that took multiple steps? I have. Listing each step on your to-do list can keep you organized and highlight the progress you’re actually making with that larger project. Checking off small chunks is a nice confidence boost versus looking at a lingering task that has 1,000 mini steps in order to complete. 
4. Share: When discussing your day with your spouse, family member, or friend, let them know what you accomplished. Lists help me feel organized and on track, so the other night, while my husband and I were chatting, I shared how good it felt to knock things off my everything off my to-do.   

Now, can there be setbacks? Absolutely! It would be unrealistic to think we wouldn’t be hit with a last-minute request. However, when those requests come in, my hope is by simplifying your to-do list, you’ll be able to handle those hiccups with a little more ease and a lot less overwhelm. 

As we prepare for the holidays and the last month of the year, I hope you remain focused on what is important to you this season, whether the focus is on your family, work, self, or all of the above.

Until next time…

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