Smoothing transitions
Change is hard! We all like things, places and people to remain status quo. But there are lots of transitions that happen and in the midst of a transition, organizing begins to lag behind sometimes. It might be a move, a new job, the loss of a loved one, addition of a new family member or other change that has occurred. Here are a few tips on smoothing transitions.
- Keep your personal routine. Plan on getting a good night’s rest. Keep up with meals including lean protein and lots of water. The first thing we let go in times of stress is taking care of ourselves, so be sure to make this a high priority.
- Set priorities for your work during the time of transition. Know what is most important and must be attended to first, whether it is honoring a keepsake that is your’s after a loved one’s passing or getting your bedrooms set up asap during a move. You will feel focused and with direction, which can be very calming during this time. Create a plan so that you can work through the transition. Sometimes just having a plan makes all the difference.
- Make a complete list during times of transition. Just getting all your ideas and thoughts on paper makes you feel more in control. You can use your energy to get things done, instead of frantically worrying about all the items and how will it all get done. Do this every day so you can keep up to date too.
- Seek assistance. We all work better as a team. Find others who can help you in any way needed. It might be having help watching your kids, getting items moved, or just processing the pieces of the transition. Help is all around us, we just need to be open to asking for it.
- Acknowledge that “this too shall pass.” Transitions are just that – the bridge between the “now normal” and the “new normal”. We transition through different phases and stages. The “new normal” will emerge after a time too.
These are all great tips, but I especially like #3. When there is a lot going on, it’s stressful to try and keep track of everything in your head, and easy to overlook something. Long live the list!
Some of us are list makers naturally, some are not! I am glad you agree what a difference this makes.
This is a wonderful post, Ellen. I love the suggestions you have for making the best of transitions. Your idea of practicing good self-care by keeping some of the personal routines in place is so important. When we’re stressed in going through change, it’s so easy to forget to sleep, eat, and be good to ourselves. Not doing the basics only adds to our stress. A great reminder. Thank you.
It is always important to share good tools for self care. Thanks for being a part of the conversation Linda!