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By Michael Angier
Lately, many of the people I've been talking with or coaching have
been complaining about being overwhelmed. I have to admit I've been
wrestling with it, too.
My ideas and my commitments seem to far outpace my time and energy.
So here's my advice to you, and to myself, for dealing with
overwhelm.
1. Recognize that overwhelm isn't real. It's not something that
attacks us. It's a feeling we experience based upon a belief there's
too much to do and too little time to do it. It is fear - plain and
simple. And once we recognize and acknowledge it, we're better
equipped to deal with it.
2. Be grateful. Just think. The alternative is that you have little
to do and you're bored. Appreciate the fact that you have the
opportunities and the projects that allow you to contribute to the
world.
3. Accept that you'll never be caught up. If you're a person of
action - someone with goals and aspirations - it's not too likely
you'll ever have an empty inbox. The times in which we live and our
ability to do meaningful work throughout our lives lead me to
believe we'll always have things left to do.
4. Understand we can only think about one thing at a time. We may be
able to multi-task, and we may be able to switch our thoughts very
rapidly, but we really can hold only one thought in our mind at a
time. Trying to think about more than one thing at once is very
tiring and frustrating.
5. Be selective. The biggest weapon you have in fighting overwhelm
is your ability to prioritize what you need to do. By making
intelligent choices based upon categories such as urgent,
non-urgent, important and non-important, we can focus better. Basing
these choices on our core values, we can relax in the knowledge
we're doing what matters most.
6. Delegate. Learn to gain the assistance of others. People like to
help, but you have to ask. Anything that can be adequately done by
someone else should be delegated. It's an important skill worth
developing.
7. Learn to say “No”. Our feelings of overwhelm largely come from
taking on too much. If you're asked to do something, don't be too
quick to accept the assignment. You might think you're being a nice
person, but if you succumb to health problems because of it, you
won't be nice for very much longer.
If you're told to do something (by a boss, for instance), ask them
which things they would like to have you put off while you complete
the new assignment.
8. Take care of yourself. There will always be times when we're
called upon to put forth extra effort. And we can, if we've been
taking good care of ourselves right along. For those periods where
extra drive, a few extra hours and hard work are required, we need
to be in good shape, mentally and physically.
If we've been eating, sleeping and exercising properly, we'll be far
better prepared for the extra stress our lives require.
Remember to take breaks. The tendency for many of us is to work
harder and longer. In actuality, we can get more done in less time
and with less effort if we take breaks.
9. Breathe. When we feel overwhelmed, we have a tendency to tighten
up instead of relax. It seems like there are many things we have to
do, but the only thing we really have to do is breathe. Take some
long deep breaths and feel yourself returning to the present.
10. Focus on the task at hand. If we're thinking about what's not
getting done or all the other things we have to do, we can't focus
well on what we're doing now. Think about what you are doing rather
than what you're not getting done. Otherwise, you're going to be
defeated by your feelings of overwhelm.
Use these ten tips in dealing with overwhelm, and you'll find
yourself feeling more in charge and at peace.
About the author: Michael Angier is founder and CIO (Chief
Inspiration Officer) of SuccessNet … a support network helping
people and businesses grow and prosper.
http://SuccessNet.org
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Ten Ways to Deal with Overwhelm