OVERWHELMED!?!

9 Tips to Help Manage your Mind & Achieve Your BIG ASS Vision

Are your DREAMS SOOO BIG they’re suffocating your brain?

entrepreneurial artists, aka artrepreneurs, are constantly juggling 1,001+ aspirations, creative ideas, and to-dos in the personal task manager better known as your brain. If you’re like most artists, you do this because you want to feel accomplished, have a desire to impact the status quo, or better yet — want to be able to leave an imprint on the minds of others through your creations. You hope that somehow, your creative contributions will make a difference in the world.

Understandably, you’ve put a lot of weight on yourself to achieve your visions. You’ve got a huge role to play in our society. However, this self-inflicted pressure is actually hindering you instead of propelling you to your destiny fulfilled.

are notorious for having interesting ways to deal with mental overwhelm. There are those who may seek a solution by temporarily escaping with the help of [ahem] “*recreational street pharmaceuticals” (i.e. drugs/alcohol), OR legal stimulants like caffeine, or even overloading on junk/comfort food. Some might opt to lock themselves away from the rest of civilization and mope, and then there are others that may just say “Eff it ALL!!” and do anything BUT be productive.

Does any of this sound like somebody you know? [Yep, me too.]

Want to try something different?

Here are some of the most successful tips that have helped me in a pinch. These techniques help in dealing with the overwhelm without holding you back from your greatness.

1

Get specific & prioritize. What is it you reaaally want to accomplish right now? Why? Get clear on this and half the battle is won.

2

Slice it up and categorize. Take the biggest priority and divide it into smaller tasks that you can put mini-deadlines on. Each small success is proof of progress getting you closer to completion.

3

Just say no, don’t apologize. Meaning: don’t feel guilty. Now that you’re focused on getting this big dream done, people will come out of the woodworks asking for you to be a part of something they’re doing. Be mindful of what you agree to because this can add to your overwhelm. Learn how to say “no” when you KNOW you can’t take on more priorities. As long as you are polite, there’s no reason to feel bad.

4

Cry it out and dry your eyes. As you work on your goals, the pressure may eventually catch up to you on the bigger to-dos. Allow yourself a bit of time to cry it out and expel any negativity. [Guys, you can cry too.] And don’t feel bad about it because, trust me, it’s part of being an artist. Just don’t hurt yourself or others! This release could be what you need to get over that hump and get it done!

5

Take a break, go for a drive. Or walk. Just give yourself some time to refresh your mind. Sometimes, with big dreams and goals, a designated interruption can welcome fresh inspiration or at least renew your energy to start again. Even Leonardo Da Vinci got his best ideas when he wasn’t even trying. [Tip: Be sure to come back to your project though, lol!]

6

Start small, but work wise. If you get off track, get back on track! Prove it to yourself that you ARE making progress by doing a smaller task associated with completing your bigger goal. Check it off your list, make a note about it, anything to prove that you are making progress. Continue to do this so when you look back over your list, you’ll see all the check marks or positive notes of what you DID get done! This will boost your confidence.

7

Don’t do it alone, call your allies. It’s SO easy to get bogged down on a project doing it all by your lonesome. Here’s where you can reach out to your friends, family, virtual assistant, or that one kid who’s always pestering to help you. Maybe bring on an intern, search for volunteers, or outsource certain tasks to a specialized company to make life easier.

8

Gain momentum and stay focused, guys! Once you’re on a roll of getting things done, don’t let your foot off the gas. Keep it going like the pro that you are. [If you slip off for a day, week, month or even a year, just get back on the horse and do your best to keep at it.]

9

Stay on the path to win the prize! As your action steps take you toward the dream you want to accomplish, you get that much closer to the finish line.