How to Move Forward When You're Overwhelmed
I’ve lived in a state of overwhelm far too often. Whether it was graduating from high school or college early, running a growing business while working full-time, or dealing with several MAJOR life changes in 2016, “overwhelm” has been a top word in my vocabulary.
But I vowed to change that.
While I believe that busy is not a badge of honor, there are times when you can’t control having an unwieldy to-do list. And when that’s the case, use this five step method to move forward when you’re feeling overwhelmed.
Step #1: Write down EVERYTHING you have to do.
Writing things down relieves pressure on the brain to remember it all, and provides a visual of all that you need to accomplish. Sometimes seeing a task list on paper helps us realize that we don’t have an overwhelming amount of things to do after all.
Step #2: Categorize and prioritize it.
At this point, your task list is likely to be all over the place. To make sense of it all and to create an effective action plan, categorize your tasks.
Method 1: Categorize your tasks by type.
Example - Juggling work and life.
Personal
Attend daughter’s dance recital.
Visit Dad in nursing home.
Wash dishes.
Go grocery shopping.
Work
Finish presentation.
Follow-up with client.
Complete yearly review.
Method 2: Break down your tasks into phases with a timeline based on the priority of the task.
Example - Starting a business.
Phase 1 (Feb - April)
Write a business plan.
Form LLC.
Set-up bookkeeping software.
Design a website.
Look for office space.
Create social media accounts.
Phase 2 (May - August)
Move in to office space.
Write a press release to promote business.
Attend 5 networking events.
Gain 3 clients.
Post 3 - 5 times a week on social media.
Set-up e-newsletter account.
Phase 3 (September - October)
Blog once per month.
Send a monthly e-newsletter.
Why You Should Expect Less of Yourself
Step #3: Step away.
By now your mind may still be racing, so it’s important to take a break and separate yourself from your to-dos. In order to move forward with clarity and to effectively banish feelings of overwhelm, stepping away is necessary.
Take a few deep breaths, enjoy a cup of tea, pet your cat, or better yet, exercise. Not only is movement good for your body, it leads to increased mental clarity and productivity.
Step #4: Make a to-do list by day.
To-do lists provide structure and a plan, which has been proven to reduce anxiety.
But a disorganized to-do list can continue to cause overwhelm. So instead of viewing eeeeeverything that you have to do, purchase a planner that offers space to write a to-do list for each day. This goes back to the time tested advice to “take it one day at a time.”
By breaking your tasks down per day, your focus is shifted to a small subset of your list, reducing anxiety and feelings of overwhelm.
To-Do List Tips
• Limit your list to 3 - 5 items a day. This allows you time to fit in unexpected and emergency tasks, accept a last minute invite to lunch with a friend, and accounts for lost productivity due to meetings and other interruptions.
• Write specific tasks. If you have a huge project that you’re working on, refrain from writing “work on project;” be more specific. Whenever I do a photo shoot I break the project into tasks such as culling (deleting the reject photos), first round of edits, second round of edits, export, and delivery. Each task is assigned to a separate day.
• Divide your tasks into time chunks. When I have a lot to do and don’t know how I’m going to accomplish it all, I’ll assign my tasks to specific times throughout the day. So from 8 to 9 a.m. I may be editing photos, from 9 to 9:45 I could check my email, from 9:45 to 10 I may take a break, and so on. This “tasty time chunk” technique is explained eloquently (and hilariously!) by the fabulous Marie Forleo.
Step #5: Just do something.
Anything! Even if it’s the simplest task on your list. Once you start you’ll begin feeling a sense of accomplishment and are likely to keep on going. And hopefully by the end of the day, you’ll have accomplished enough that will make you wonder why you were overwhelmed in the first place.
Feeling overwhelmed is stressful, which is why it’s so important to use the steps above to help you get on top of things. Take a deeeeep breath. You’ve got this!
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Hey there! I’m Meg:
LOVER OF CATS, ROLLER SKATING, AND VW BUGS
I also love business and share all kinds of tips and resources to help you grow yours.
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