December 30, 2024 • 15 mins
Episode 8: From Chaos to Calm: A Busy Mom's Guide to Actually Achieving Your Goals (Part 1)
In this episode, you'll learn how to break down your biggest goals into manageable 5-minute steps that fit into your busy life as a mom. No more waiting for perfect conditions or hours of free time!
Key Takeaways:
- Why traditional goal-setting methods often don't work for busy moms
- How stress affects our brain's ability to plan and make decisions
- The power of taking imperfect action
- A simple 5-minute method to start achieving your goals today
Action Steps You Can Take Today:
- Take 5 minutes for a brain dump of all your goals
- Choose ONE goal to focus on first
- Break that goal into tiny, manageable steps
- Commit to one small task per day or week
Resources Mentioned:
- Join our Facebook Community: Stress Free Supermoms | Facebook
- Download Free Guide: "5-Minute Stress Busters for Busy Moms"
- Read the blog post: https://seasonsfromthehart.com/blog/8
Coming Next Week: Part 2 - The Mindset You Need to Accomplish Your Goals
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:01):
Hey there, supermom.
Welcome back to another episodeof the Stress-Free Supermoms
podcast.
I am Deanna Hart, your host, andtoday we're talking all about
goals for the busy moms.
This is gonna be a four-partseries and I am super excited to
get started.
(00:23):
If you've ever felt like yourbig goals are impossible because
you are constantly putting outfires.
This episode's for you.
You know, we're heading into thestart of a new year, and I know
most moms are making plans forbig goals they dream of crushing
every year.
But let's be real, being a momis already a full time job, and
(00:46):
when you add big goals into themix, it can feel like you're
drowning in chaos.
But here's the good news, youdon't need hours to make
progress, you just need fiveminutes.
A few years ago, I went down ajourney of losing 30 pounds and
(01:10):
you know, I felt so overwhelmedand stressed with the whole
process when I started.
I felt like I was never going tomake any progress at all with my
chaotic life the way it was.
And then I had an idea ofstarting to take small action
(01:34):
steps in the five minutes offree time I had.
And you know, it helped me feelso less overwhelmed and I
finally started making progress.
But hey, I get it, being a supermom is tough, especially when
trying to make time for what wewant.
(01:56):
You know, some days all I wantto do is lock myself in the
bathroom just to get a fewminutes of peace and quiet to
think.
And that's exactly what I didfor my goal.
But you know, we deserve toachieve our goals and it is so
worth it in the end.
(02:16):
So today I'm going to show youhow breaking big goals into tiny
manageable steps will be a gamechanger for your goals.
Even if your to do list feelsendless.
Let's start with why big goalsfeel so overwhelming in the
first place.
It's not because you're lazy orunfocused.
(02:38):
It's because they're just toobig to tackle all at once.
You know, traditional goalsetting methods usually don't
work for us because of ourunpredictable schedules and the
demands on our time, which canmake us feel overwhelmed.
And when we feel overwhelmed,the amygdala, which is part of
(02:58):
the brain that processesemotions, becomes overactive and
releases stress hormones.
Not only is the stress damagingto our bodies, it can also make
it difficult to think clearlyand can impair the prefrontal
cortex, which is the part of thebrain that is responsible for
(03:18):
planning and decision making.
Another reason why traditionalgoal setting or goal setting in
general can feel overwhelming iswho we tend to be
perfectionists, which can be anobstacle in our goals.
You know, we feel the need toget it right or just don't do it
(03:40):
at all.
But in order for us to create asystem with our goals and minds,
we have We get to practiceimperfect action to figure out
what will work and what doesn't.
Another reason why our goals canfeel overwhelming is we tend to
focus on the problems more thanthe solutions.
(04:02):
You know, when I was working onmy goal of losing 30 pounds, I
would wake up in the morningmaking a plan for my goal and
then life would happen.
Either I didn't wake up in time,my son would struggle to get out
of bed, or my family would needmy attention when I got home.
(04:25):
And I would immediately think,well, now I don't have time for
that.
But here's the thing, the key toaccomplishing any goal is to
become problem solvers.
That's why we're flipping thescript today, and instead of
tackling the entire mountain,I'm going to show you how to
(04:46):
become problem solvers and takeit one tiny step, just five
minutes at a time.
So here's the big magic of thefive minute method.
It's flexible, it's adaptable,and it helps you focus on making
progress amidst the chaos ofeveryday life.
(05:09):
you know, cleaning house, eatinghealthier, self care,
decluttering, working out, allof those goals can be done in
just five minutes at a time.
So let's break this down intoactionable steps that you can
take now.
We're going to start with a fiveminute brain dump exercise.
(05:33):
And we're going to go oldschool, or new school, whatever
suits your fancy, but get apiece of paper and a pen or the
notes app on your phone.
And we're going to do a fiveminute brain dump of everything
you want to accomplish.
And I mean everything, thismight feel very overwhelming,
(05:57):
but trust the process.
because the next step is we'regoing to pick one to focus on.
And I get it.
You're probably thinking, butDeanna, there's a million things
that I want to get done.
How am I ever going to get themall done?
If I'm just focusing on one,here's the thing.
(06:17):
When we focus on too many at atime, that can be overwhelming
in itself.
So we are going to start withjust one.
And once you get good at thatand start making progress on
that and you feel like you havemore time, then by all means,
add more.
But for now, for the start ofthe year, we're just going to
(06:41):
pick one to focus on.
Next, we're going to do a fiveminute brain session.
And this brainstorm session isgoing to identify all of the
action steps that you can taketo achieve that one goal you
picked.
And I'm sure that at some pointyou are going to identify that
(07:05):
some of those action steps arein your big list that you
braindumped.
So it's a win win.
You get to kill two birds withone stone.
Next, we're going to get towork.
Commit to completing one task onyour list from your
(07:27):
brainstorming session a day or aweek.
So here's an example.
Let's say your big goal isdecluttering your home.
Instead of tackling the wholehouse, you start with just one
drawer.
Spend five minutes pickingthings to donate, then donating
(07:50):
them.
That's it.
Here's how this worked out forme.
So I started with a brain dump.
Five minute brain dump.
And I wrote down all of mygoals.
losing weight, strengthtraining, decluttering my home,
creating schedules to keep myhouse clean, creating routines,
(08:12):
gardening, eating healthier,budgeting, paying down debt,
saving money.
As you can see, the list waspretty extensive and pretty
daunting.
But, you know, being healthy wasthe most important thing to me
on my list.
It was the biggest impact andthe one that I felt was most
(08:38):
important in my life.
I want to be healthy for my kidsand there's no time to start but
now.
So that's the one I picked.
I spent five minutes breakingthat down into actionable steps
I could take every day thatwould move me in the right
direction to accomplish thatgoal.
(09:00):
Then I spent five minutescreating a list of action steps
that I could take deciding whatto eat, prepping my meals,
moving my body, strengthtraining, And then I took five
minutes to take action on those.
I spent five minutes pencilingin when I could take action on
(09:24):
those steps.
And I mean pencil because mylife was very unpredictable.
It still is.
It still is.
And I couldn't plan on aspecific time to be able to take
those action steps becausethings change, you know, life
happens.
(09:45):
So I penciled it in whensomething got, uh, stressful or,
uh, something came up thatneeded my attention at the
moment.
I penciled it in for anothertime.
But I committed to takingaction.
(10:08):
And when I was feelingfrustrated, I would take five
minutes to journal, askingquestions, answering questions,
problem solving.
And the list goes on.
I then take five minutes totrack my progress once a week.
and five minutes celebratingmyself and the progress I made
(10:32):
in the week.
As you can see, a lot of thetasks that go into completing a
goal can be done in just fiveminutes at a time.
And hey, listen, if it takeslonger, Take breaks in it.
(10:52):
If you wake up and you make yourbrain dump list and you haven't
completed it in five minutes,but that's all the time that you
got, then come back to it.
It's okay.
It's okay if you only can dothings in five minute chunks.
If you're prepping for meals andyou get interrupted or
(11:18):
distracted.
That's also okay.
Find a way to make it happen anddon't stress over making it
perfect.
So here's the magic of thismethod.
You're not waiting on theperfect moment or a whole
(11:38):
afternoon of free time.
You're taking action in thesmall pockets of time you
already have.
You can make progress on yourgoals in the mornings before the
kids wake up.
You can write down action stepswhile you're waiting to pick up
your kids from school.
(12:00):
You could make a plan on yourlunch break.
You can take action steps onyour lunch break, or you can
even do them at night after yourkids go to bed.
So this week I want to challengeyou to pick one big goal and
(12:20):
break it down into five minutesteps.
Start small, start simple, butstart now.
Right after this episode or yournext five minutes of free time,
grab a piece of paper or yournotes app.
Braindump all the things thatyou want to accomplish this next
year, and then decide on one biggoal you want to start tackling.
(12:45):
Then in your next five minutesof free time, break it into
smaller action steps you canstart taking right away, even in
the chaos.
So remember mama, the overwhelmyou feel about your goals isn't
a sign of failing.
It's a sign that you care deeplyabout creating something
(13:07):
meaningful.
The secret isn't doing it all atonce.
It's breaking it down into smallfive minute steps that fit into
your life right now.
You don't need perfectconditions or endless time.
You just need to start one tinystep at a time.
You've got this and I'm cheeringyou on every step of the way.
(13:31):
Next week, we are going to betalking all about the mindset
you need to accomplish yourgoals.
It's one thing to write all yoursteps down, but the right
mindset is what you really needto start taking action on those
goals right away.
And that's what we're talkingabout next week.
So I, I really hope that youstay tuned.
(13:55):
I'd love to hear what goal youchose.
Post it in the Stress FreeSupermom Facebook group to share
how your first five minute stepwent.
Let's celebrate those winstogether.
I will add the link to the groupin the show notes.
And hey, if you're feelingstressed about the whole
(14:18):
process, Check out my freeguide, Five Minute Stress
Busters for Busy Moms.
It's a quick guide that willgive you quick, actionable
strategies you can do anywhereto help lower your stress and
overwhelm so you can get back tocrushing those big goals.
I'll add that link in the shownotes also.
(14:41):
So until next time, stay strong,stay calm, and keep thriving,
Supermom.
Hey there, supermom.
Welcome back to another episodeof the Stress-Free Supermoms
podcast.
I am Deanna Hart, your host, andtoday we're talking all about
goals for the busy moms.
This is gonna be a four-partseries and I am super excited to
get started.
(00:23):
If you've ever felt like yourbig goals are impossible because
you are constantly putting outfires.
This episode's for you.
You know, we're heading into thestart of a new year, and I know
most moms are making plans forbig goals they dream of crushing
every year.
But let's be real, being a momis already a full time job, and
(00:46):
when you add big goals into themix, it can feel like you're
drowning in chaos.
But here's the good news, youdon't need hours to make
progress, you just need fiveminutes.
A few years ago, I went down ajourney of losing 30 pounds and
(01:10):
you know, I felt so overwhelmedand stressed with the whole
process when I started.
I felt like I was never going tomake any progress at all with my
chaotic life the way it was.
And then I had an idea ofstarting to take small action
(01:34):
steps in the five minutes offree time I had.
And you know, it helped me feelso less overwhelmed and I
finally started making progress.
But hey, I get it, being a supermom is tough, especially when
trying to make time for what wewant.
(01:56):
You know, some days all I wantto do is lock myself in the
bathroom just to get a fewminutes of peace and quiet to
think.
And that's exactly what I didfor my goal.
But you know, we deserve toachieve our goals and it is so
worth it in the end.
(02:16):
So today I'm going to show youhow breaking big goals into tiny
manageable steps will be a gamechanger for your goals.
Even if your to do list feelsendless.
Let's start with why big goalsfeel so overwhelming in the
first place.
It's not because you're lazy orunfocused.
(02:38):
It's because they're just toobig to tackle all at once.
You know, traditional goalsetting methods usually don't
work for us because of ourunpredictable schedules and the
demands on our time, which canmake us feel overwhelmed.
And when we feel overwhelmed,the amygdala, which is part of
(02:58):
the brain that processesemotions, becomes overactive and
releases stress hormones.
Not only is the stress damagingto our bodies, it can also make
it difficult to think clearlyand can impair the prefrontal
cortex, which is the part of thebrain that is responsible for
(03:18):
planning and decision making.
Another reason why traditionalgoal setting or goal setting in
general can feel overwhelming iswho we tend to be
perfectionists, which can be anobstacle in our goals.
You know, we feel the need toget it right or just don't do it
(03:40):
at all.
But in order for us to create asystem with our goals and minds,
we have We get to practiceimperfect action to figure out
what will work and what doesn't.
Another reason why our goals canfeel overwhelming is we tend to
focus on the problems more thanthe solutions.
(04:02):
You know, when I was working onmy goal of losing 30 pounds, I
would wake up in the morningmaking a plan for my goal and
then life would happen.
Either I didn't wake up in time,my son would struggle to get out
of bed, or my family would needmy attention when I got home.
(04:25):
And I would immediately think,well, now I don't have time for
that.
But here's the thing, the key toaccomplishing any goal is to
become problem solvers.
That's why we're flipping thescript today, and instead of
tackling the entire mountain,I'm going to show you how to
(04:46):
become problem solvers and takeit one tiny step, just five
minutes at a time.
So here's the big magic of thefive minute method.
It's flexible, it's adaptable,and it helps you focus on making
progress amidst the chaos ofeveryday life.
(05:09):
you know, cleaning house, eatinghealthier, self care,
decluttering, working out, allof those goals can be done in
just five minutes at a time.
So let's break this down intoactionable steps that you can
take now.
We're going to start with a fiveminute brain dump exercise.
(05:33):
And we're going to go oldschool, or new school, whatever
suits your fancy, but get apiece of paper and a pen or the
notes app on your phone.
And we're going to do a fiveminute brain dump of everything
you want to accomplish.
And I mean everything, thismight feel very overwhelming,
(05:57):
but trust the process.
because the next step is we'regoing to pick one to focus on.
And I get it.
You're probably thinking, butDeanna, there's a million things
that I want to get done.
How am I ever going to get themall done?
If I'm just focusing on one,here's the thing.
(06:17):
When we focus on too many at atime, that can be overwhelming
in itself.
So we are going to start withjust one.
And once you get good at thatand start making progress on
that and you feel like you havemore time, then by all means,
add more.
But for now, for the start ofthe year, we're just going to
(06:41):
pick one to focus on.
Next, we're going to do a fiveminute brain session.
And this brainstorm session isgoing to identify all of the
action steps that you can taketo achieve that one goal you
picked.
And I'm sure that at some pointyou are going to identify that
(07:05):
some of those action steps arein your big list that you
braindumped.
So it's a win win.
You get to kill two birds withone stone.
Next, we're going to get towork.
Commit to completing one task onyour list from your
(07:27):
brainstorming session a day or aweek.
So here's an example.
Let's say your big goal isdecluttering your home.
Instead of tackling the wholehouse, you start with just one
drawer.
Spend five minutes pickingthings to donate, then donating
(07:50):
them.
That's it.
Here's how this worked out forme.
So I started with a brain dump.
Five minute brain dump.
And I wrote down all of mygoals.
losing weight, strengthtraining, decluttering my home,
creating schedules to keep myhouse clean, creating routines,
(08:12):
gardening, eating healthier,budgeting, paying down debt,
saving money.
As you can see, the list waspretty extensive and pretty
daunting.
But, you know, being healthy wasthe most important thing to me
on my list.
It was the biggest impact andthe one that I felt was most
(08:38):
important in my life.
I want to be healthy for my kidsand there's no time to start but
now.
So that's the one I picked.
I spent five minutes breakingthat down into actionable steps
I could take every day thatwould move me in the right
direction to accomplish thatgoal.
(09:00):
Then I spent five minutescreating a list of action steps
that I could take deciding whatto eat, prepping my meals,
moving my body, strengthtraining, And then I took five
minutes to take action on those.
I spent five minutes pencilingin when I could take action on
(09:24):
those steps.
And I mean pencil because mylife was very unpredictable.
It still is.
It still is.
And I couldn't plan on aspecific time to be able to take
those action steps becausethings change, you know, life
happens.
(09:45):
So I penciled it in whensomething got, uh, stressful or,
uh, something came up thatneeded my attention at the
moment.
I penciled it in for anothertime.
But I committed to takingaction.
(10:08):
And when I was feelingfrustrated, I would take five
minutes to journal, askingquestions, answering questions,
problem solving.
And the list goes on.
I then take five minutes totrack my progress once a week.
and five minutes celebratingmyself and the progress I made
(10:32):
in the week.
As you can see, a lot of thetasks that go into completing a
goal can be done in just fiveminutes at a time.
And hey, listen, if it takeslonger, Take breaks in it.
(10:52):
If you wake up and you make yourbrain dump list and you haven't
completed it in five minutes,but that's all the time that you
got, then come back to it.
It's okay.
It's okay if you only can dothings in five minute chunks.
If you're prepping for meals andyou get interrupted or
(11:18):
distracted.
That's also okay.
Find a way to make it happen anddon't stress over making it
perfect.
So here's the magic of thismethod.
You're not waiting on theperfect moment or a whole
(11:38):
afternoon of free time.
You're taking action in thesmall pockets of time you
already have.
You can make progress on yourgoals in the mornings before the
kids wake up.
You can write down action stepswhile you're waiting to pick up
your kids from school.
(12:00):
You could make a plan on yourlunch break.
You can take action steps onyour lunch break, or you can
even do them at night after yourkids go to bed.
So this week I want to challengeyou to pick one big goal and
(12:20):
break it down into five minutesteps.
Start small, start simple, butstart now.
Right after this episode or yournext five minutes of free time,
grab a piece of paper or yournotes app.
Braindump all the things thatyou want to accomplish this next
year, and then decide on one biggoal you want to start tackling.
(12:45):
Then in your next five minutesof free time, break it into
smaller action steps you canstart taking right away, even in
the chaos.
So remember mama, the overwhelmyou feel about your goals isn't
a sign of failing.
It's a sign that you care deeplyabout creating something
(13:07):
meaningful.
The secret isn't doing it all atonce.
It's breaking it down into smallfive minute steps that fit into
your life right now.
You don't need perfectconditions or endless time.
You just need to start one tinystep at a time.
You've got this and I'm cheeringyou on every step of the way.
(13:31):
Next week, we are going to betalking all about the mindset
you need to accomplish yourgoals.
It's one thing to write all yoursteps down, but the right
mindset is what you really needto start taking action on those
goals right away.
And that's what we're talkingabout next week.
So I, I really hope that youstay tuned.
(13:55):
I'd love to hear what goal youchose.
Post it in the Stress FreeSupermom Facebook group to share
how your first five minute stepwent.
Let's celebrate those winstogether.
I will add the link to the groupin the show notes.
And hey, if you're feelingstressed about the whole
(14:18):
process, Check out my freeguide, Five Minute Stress
Busters for Busy Moms.
It's a quick guide that willgive you quick, actionable
strategies you can do anywhereto help lower your stress and
overwhelm so you can get back tocrushing those big goals.
I'll add that link in the shownotes also.
(14:41):
So until next time, stay strong,stay calm, and keep thriving,
Supermom.
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