Have you ever read Anne LaMott's book, "Bird by Bird.?" It's a book about writing but some things applied more broadly to me. The title comes from a story about her brother who had a big school project to do on dozens of birds, with lots of information about each bird. He procrastinated and was overwhelmed when the project was due the next day, he asked his Dad, "how can I possibly do this?" His dad said, bird by bird.

When I'm trying to cope, I focus on doing the next thing that I can do. Take the dog for a walk? I can do that. Get home, take a shower. Get out of the shower, watch a movie. Read a book. Listen to music. Write in my journal. Feed the dog. Clean out a closet, wipe down the kitchen cabinets or the windowsills. Empty the disher. Color something with markers. Ask a friend to meet for coffee. Bird by bird, day passes. Sleep, and the next day is always better.