Overwhelmed Mompreneur: Stop Trying to Change What Already Works!

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If you’re an overwhelmed mompreneur, and dealing with information overload, today’s post is for you! There are SO many experts out there offering you advice.

They promise to help you make more, do more, and get more just by implementing new systems and procedures.

But, here’s the thing.

No one knows you and your family like you do. You are the expert on your life. And when you try to change things just because an expert tells you to, you might end up very disappointed.

You also might get so sucked into reading about these new ideas that you don’t ever take action. Or you let your mind get so full of this new stuff that it can’t process the rest of life.

Instead, when you come across something, ask yourself if it really going to help.

Is this new way of doing things going to help you:

• Streamline life
• Minimize your decisions
• Cut out tasks that aren’t necessary
• Gain more time

Or is it just going to make a mess of what you already have going on? Is it going to overwhelm you to try and implement?

Instead of just jumping on the bandwagon of a new solution because someone said you should, it’s time to be a bit more restrictive on what you spend brain power on.

There are three things you can do with new information. You can copy it, adapt it, or scrap it.

Let’s look quickly at those three things, so when you’re feeling overwhelmed, you have a better idea what to do with anything new.

Copy What Works

There is absolutely no need for you to reinvent the wheel. If you see something that someone else is doing that you think will work well for you and your family, give it a try.

If you come across a planner that you love, and you know it’s going to work for you, then use it.

When you see a cleaning schedule that is doable and you really think it’ll work, try it out!

It’s okay to try new things and copy them, when they’re a good fit for your family.

But, when you come across something that works, stick with it. If it’s working, there’s no need to constantly be trying to change it. Remember the saying, If it ‘aint broke, don’t fix it? It’s very true not just about physical things, but also about routines, strategies, and systems.

This means that even if what you’re using has become “outdated” by social standards, there is no need to change it just because the experts tell you to.

If everyone else has moved onto the next best thing, you don’t need to worry. You’ll know when it’s time to change. And it won’t be because some blogger you love wrote ten tantalizing emails to you about this amazing new product.

It’ll be because something isn’t working anymore, and you’re seeking out information.

By copying what works and sticking with it, you’ll cut information overload. If you don’t need to find a new social media scheduler because you’re happy with what you’re using, stop researching that. Don’t look for blog posts raving about the new stuff. Just keep doing what you’re doing, and keep your head down a bit.

Keep doing what’s working for you. And then, when it’s no longer working, see if you can adapt what you were doing.

Think of Ways to Adapt Solutions

What you put in a copy machine is what comes out the other side. It’s an exact replica. When you try to just copy what’s working for someone else, you may find yourself struggling. What works well for one family just might not be a perfect fit for yours.

You will never find (or create!) a one-size fits all product or service. Everyone is different. That’s why there’s not a single path to success, but multiple ways to achieve it.

So, when you come across an idea that intrigues you, think through it. Are there any areas that you need to tweak?

I’ll share a couple of examples from strategies I share here on my blog. These help me from being overwhelmed. But, they may not be perfect for you, as is.

Family Writing Time

If you have a family full of older kids, you may discover they LOVE having time to work on longer projects. Spending only half-an-hour on Family Writing Time might be too much. Tweak it for your family, and make it an hour.

Conversely, you might have much younger kids. Half an hour might be too long. Cut it in half and spend fifteen minutes each day working quietly together.

Annual Meal Plan

I love my annual meal plan! It keeps me from having to make time for planning each week.

But, the idea of eating the same breakfast every Monday for a year might concern you. Instead, follow the rotation and make a monthly meal plan. If you create four of these monthly plans, you could then rotate them and use the same one three times a year.

You don’t have to do things the same way that I do. Or the same way that anyone else does.

Look at potential solutions to problems you are having, and figure out what pieces would work for you. Analytical thinking will help you simplify and adapt things to fit your family.

Remember, you can’t fit a round peg in a square hole. It doesn’t work! Instead, make changes and adapt when necessary.

Then when you find something that works,

Stop trying to make the round peg fit in the square hole. It won’t work!

Make changes. Adapt.

Is It Something to Scrap?

Many ideas you come across won’t work for you no matter how much you adapt them.

Going back to my annual meal plan, if you absolutely love finding new meals and being creative in the kitchen, my plan would probably drive you crazy!

Even though it’s freed up time for me doesn’t make it right for you.

People online don’t know you. They don’t know the intricacies of your family dynamics, or everything you have on your plate. They are just sharing what is currently working for them.

You don’t have to listen!

If you come across something that you know won’t be a good fit, stop giving it your brain power. Stop researching. Stop reading about it. Just move on.

Otherwise you may sit and ponder and waste tons of time trying to make a system work for you that never will. But, you don’t have to do that.

You are the expert at you. You need to listen to yourself and trust yourself.

You Can Help the Overwhelmed Feeling

When you stop trying to fix things that aren’t broken in your life, you can slowly cut down on the overwhelmed feeling. If you decide to stick with the Pinterest strategy that’s working for you right now, you don’t need to study:

• New schedulers
• Updated courses
• The best and brightest new blog posts all about what changes to make

You know yourself and what tempts you to crawl down the information overload hole. If it’s a topic that you could spend hours researching, it might be best to just avoid it altogether.

Instead, decide to stick with what’s working. When you do want to change something, pick one thing at a time. That way you aren’t trying to implement a dozen new changes at once.

One at a time, figure out what’s going to work best for you right now.

Get that going, and then make another change.

You can’t do it all at once, and you don’t need to change anything just because someone else said you should.

You can beat the overwhelmed feeling!