Like most successful businesspeople, you’re familiar with overwhelm.In fact, sometimes it seems like it’s moved in with you as a constant companion; you’ve considered setting a place for it at the dinner table (on those rare occasions when you actually sit down to dinner, that is).Perhaps you’ve unconsciously adopted the motto “If it’s not one thing, it’s another” as you keep plugging away at your ever-growing To-Do list.
When you’re not in the middle of overwhelm, you probably try not to think about it.When you are in the middle of overwhelm, you keep working harder and harder and longer and longer and faster and faster.Social engagements are the first to go (you’ve got to find more time somewhere!).Your friends know exactly what you’re going through, anyway, since half the time they’re the ones calling to cancel.Time with your family goes next, as you keep working away on crossing things off that list.
Working harder and harder and longer and longer and faster and faster just gets you tireder and tireder – and tireder and tireder.Cancelling your social engagements and cutting back on your family time creates frustration, resentment, and anger on all sides.It also decreases both your productivity andthe quality of your work.Meanwhile, ignoring the potential for overwhelm during those rare times when you’re not living with it is like ignoring your sunscreen because you’ve gotten up while it’s still dark:not very sensible, since overwhelm arrives almost as reliably as the sun rises.
To really control overwhelm, first you need to stop, as counter-intuitive (and scary) as that feels.Stop wildly tackling every task in sight.
Then you need to breathe, deeply and fully.More than likely, you’ve been breathing shallowly, inviting your fight-or-flight response with all its accompanying high adrenaline and stress hormones.
Thirdly, you need to get creative instead of whirling around and around in your well-trodden rut of working harder and harder and longer and longer and faster and faster.
Finally, when you take a creative, well-oxygenated, consciously-focused look at each item on that To-Do list, you can prioritize more accurately – and quickly understand next steps and delegation opportunities.
I know it’s hard to believe, but you’ll probably find that there’s less to do than you thought, and that you’ve already done more than you believed possible.
Even more delightfully, once you’ve gotten your current state of overwhelm under control you’ll have the time and energy to re-establish your social and family connections, and figure out your personal over-whelm triggers.Everyone has them, and they’re individual and unique.Knowing yours will help you avoid overwhelm in the future.
Isn't it nice to regain control?
Want more on these techniques?
Visit my website at
[Link Removed]
and get my free 37-page workbook “What Would Your Cat Do? Simple Steps to Overcome Overwhelm,” including lots more on overwhelm triggers and worksheets with examples to help you learn the techniques and apply them to your own situation.
Gljudson, Your links have been removed, please consider upgrading to premium membership.
Create lasting relationships
with other like minded women.
Blog Feed »