Hitting the Escape Button

photo by michaelaw 

I finally hit mega-overload this week. This is the time when I want to quit every single thing in my life and my family's life. When I start planning minimalist calendars and schedules. When I seriously consider converting to the Amish faith just so I can live their lifestyle. When I want to hit the escape button. Over and over.

I am trying to judiciously cut some obligations before I crash and burn, rather than quitting everything... as tempting as that may be at this moment.

 Today, I:

• Quit a part-time job cleaning businesses that was taking up 3 nights a week. 
• Removed my cell number from my business line so it doesn't ring to me.
• Set up an email vacation response for my weekly days off. 
• Deleted my work email address from my mail application. 

Not too shabby. Those four steps probably saved me 20-30 hours a week of time and hassle.

Now, if I can just learn to not get overloaded in the first place.... (oh, it's just this one little teeny tiny extra thing, or just for a little bit, or it really helps my family, or my husband needs me to, or my child asked me to and he/she isn't doing much, or a friend asked, or I need the money slippery slope.... BAM- right back to mega overload)

Have you hit the 'escape' button lately?

Related Links I Love: (because I'm a research dork)

The Cortisol Connection, Ch. 7 (online) 

Margin: Restoring Emotional, Physical, Financial, and Time Reserves to Overloaded Lives (book)

becoming minimalist (blog)