“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” 👣 ~Lao Tzu

struggling with overwhelm? I got an activity for you... (#370)

Last week, I talked about how important it is to check in with yourself and evaluate your commitments. And how I removed one to create some extra space in my life.

That extra space had me doing a LinkedIn poll this week:

A few months ago, I did a similar survey for my newsletter readers, and time and energy management was in the top two (growing clients and revenue was the other one).

So I’m thinking through this idea of overwhelm and wondering if that’s worth exploring some more:

Helping overwhelmed side hustlers take action.

If I keep that as my guiding principle, I feel I can cover many of the struggles. I think I’m already doing this, but let me know. What do you think?

If that resonates with you, I wanted to share an exercise I’ve found helpful when I’m feeling overwhelmed. And it starts with a brain dump. 😉

Let’s bust your overwhelm…

• Note: If you don’t have time to do this now, that’s totally cool. Snooze this email or save it and come back to it later.

• Then, grab your calendar and schedule two 15-minute Overwhelm Busting sessions (or one 30-minute session if you can swing it!) into your calendar over the next week. 

When you’re ready, grab a coffee or beverage of your choice, and let’s dive in.

Part 1: Identify What’s Causing Your Overwhelm (10 Minutes)

Overwhelm doesn’t always announce itself. Sometimes, it sneaks in, and you just feel some kind of way - stuck, stressed, or simply exhausted.

But once you know you feel that way, we want to get clear on what’s causing it. Here’s how:

• Brain Dump Time! Grab a pen and paper (or your phone, whatever is easiest for you). Set a timer for 5 minutes and write down EVERYTHING swirling in your mind.  Don’t think; just write - tasks, worries, fears, ideas. The point is to get it all out of your head so we can start making sense of it.

• Review: After 5 minutes, close your eyes, take a few deep breaths, and review your list. Are there any recurring themes? Do specific tasks make you take a deep breath?  Or make you wonder how in the world you can get them done? Those could be the ones triggering your overwhelm. 

Part 2: Prioritize your To-Do List (15 Minutes)

Now we know what we are working with.

• Prioritize: Grab your brain dump list and a fresh sheet of paper. Set a timer for 5 minutes. Scan your list and identify 2 to 3 urgent tasks for your side hustle this week. These are your “Top Priority Tasks.” Think of them as the VIPs of your to-do list.

• Now, let’s baby-step this business: Let’s make those top priorities feel less…big. For each task, ask yourself: “What’s the smallest, most actionable step I can take right now to move this forward?” This step should take 15 minutes or less to complete. Write down this first baby step next to its corresponding task. Repeat this for each of your VIPs.

💡Feeling overwhelmed by even the baby step? Break it down even more! Can you identify a 5-minute action item within that first step? Remember, progress is the goal here. Not perfection.

Part 3: Celebrate (5 Minutes)

Once you’ve identified a baby step for each of your top 3 tasks, give yourself a high-five and spread some virtual confetti. 🎉

You’ve identified what’s causing you to be overwhelmed, prioritized your side hustle tasks, and created a to-do list with actionable, bite-sized steps. And all in 30 minutes.

Know what that is? A HUGE accomplishment! 🏆

On to the picks!

P.S. Please reply and let me know if you did the exercise or if you have any questions. If you found the activity helpful, I’d love to turn it into a blog post or something (with maybe a checklist).

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Note: This email may contain affiliate links. If you click through my link and make a purchase, I may receive “thank you money” at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products that I use and love.  

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#sponsor

Grab the $9 controversial experiment. It’s such a cool way to launch something and a fun fact: I grabbed it and did not ask for a refund. 😉

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#loves 😍

• 🏋🏾‍♀️. App: Wakeout. When this app first came out, I thought of it as workouts I could do in my pajamas. And now I still think that, but I also love that it meets you where you are. You can do workouts in as little as a minute if you prefer, and they are themed based on what you need right now. And if you turn on healthy moments, you get reminders throughout your day to rest your eyes, drink water, breathe, and more.
  

• 📚. Reading: The Midnight Library. Nora has so many regrets in her life, and in this midnight library, she’s able to “take on a life” where she makes a different decision. It’s like living alternate lives and reminded me of Lili Reinhart’s “Look Both Ways” on Netflix. I grabbed this book at the airport last week, and it immediately captured my attention. I can’t wait to see how it ends.

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#reads

Two Ridiculously Tiny Habits That Completely Changed My Life

I adore this post and the tiny habits she put in place. And the best part? They are things you can do in 10 minutes a day.

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What Could You Charge Somebody $50 for Tomorrow? Starting a Side Hustle with Expert Jessica Williams

Heyyy, that’s me! 💁🏾‍♀️ The fabulous Sarah Guerrero interviewed me for this Slow North piece a few years ago, and it’s still one of my favorites. We talked about finding your side hustle idea, did some myth-busting (spoiler: don’t feel like you need to monetize everything you do), and shared advice for those of us who struggle with the juggle:

I think it's a matter of getting really honest about the amount of time you have. If you only have 30 minutes a day, that's okay. You can actually get a lot done in 30 minutes. Reframing this idea of time and energy and how you can use it is so important.

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#icymi

• 😍. Last issue’s top pick: 52 Ways to Grow Your Email List

“You don’t have to carry everything. You are allowed to put things down.” 💞 ~Unknown

• 🎤. ASK: My goal is to book 3 paid speaking gigs this year. If you know of one, I’d love an intro. I talk about side hustles, newsletters, and childhood hobbies as adults. Learn more about my speaking offerings here.

• 🤩. Feeling overwhelmed or stuck? I gotchu. Get a mini pep talk!

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#lifevibes

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#supporters ☕️

Thank you, Tawanna, Gia, Lori, Ayana, Krista, Jessica, Annetta, Constance, Tunde, Jen, Michelle, Emile, Bex, Kim, Angela G., Lauren B., Chelsea, Amy, Ricky, Kirsten, Vin, Julie, Nicole, Hmza, Greg, Kristin, Kirstyn, Jess, Cheryl, Krysta, Adrena, Vidya, Kristyn, Danielle, Keryn, Terry, Vanessa, Meredith, Lauren, Meg, Maria J., Chivon, Kim, Luciano, Colie, Chasity, Laurie, Latienda, Collette, Anne, Kristen, Liz, Katherine, Monale, Betsy, Melissa, Lindsay, Jennifer, Kayla, Madison, Rae, Stephanie, Christine R., Christine M., Frances, Hannah, Chris, Brandy, Mea, Kristian, Maria K., Avery, Adam, Barbara, Shenee, Desiree, Lisa, Kandice, L’Oreal, and LaVerne for being #jesspicks supporters!! ❤️

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