Sep
04
Are You Overwhelmed?
By · 9/4/2010
Is your To-Do list too long?
Do you find it hard to say, “no”?
What or who is draining your energy?
Here are some synonyms for “overwhelmed”: overcome, engulfed, flooded, inundated, overpowered, swamped, frantic, shut-down.
How do you know when you are overwhelmed?
I know for me it is when I can’t think clearly, forget things, have anxiety, get moody, and just feel stuck. If you get too overwhelmed you can become frozen in your tracks. You don’t know what to do or how to do it…so you do “nothing”. If this happens often, you can begin to dig a hole you feel you can’t get out of.
I recently took a class that dealt with just this topic. The woman teaching it was, Meggin McIntosh (The Ph.D. of Productivity). She talked about feeling overwhelmed, but also underwhelmed; feeling frustrated, disappointed, lethargic and unfocused. What she encouraged us to reach for, was “just whelmed”. She described “whelmed” as productive, energized, challenged and “in the zone”. Ahhh…to feel just whelmed…I like it!
What leads to feeling overwhelmed?
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Too much to do in the time available.
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Too many different tasks, projects, and commitments.
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Too many different people who are asking & expecting from you.
Dr. McIntosh described the difference between external and internal sources that can affect overwhelm. The external sources we have no control over, like the weather, boring staff meetings, and other people. The internal sources we have a lot of control over, such as deciding how much information to keep in our head, procrastination, perfectionism, and unrealistic estimates on our time, money and energy.
She stated that if you want to move to a place of whelm, you have to learn how to leverage people, technology and your own strengths. Here are some examples.
People – Delegate (i.e. at home everyone helps, or hire a student to run errands)
Technology - Turn off your phone (i.e. actually turn it off so you can work uninterrupted and check your email only at specified times each day)
Strengths – Build your inner strength (i.e. set boundaries and priorities, you don’t have to say yes to everyone, family is more important than volunteering for everything)
So how can you diminish overwhelm?
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Recognize it for what it is.
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Have routines and systems in place.
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Set a timer for certain tasks, activities, and responsibilities and stick to it!
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Hire out what you can.
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Do only what only you can do (i.e. decisions no one else can make).
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Develop policies (i.e. Never say yes immediately. Set a limit for the number of committees, lunches, and events you will attend in a week).
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Know what drains you and minimize that.
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Do what gives you energy.
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Ask for help (trust others).
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Go simple rather than complex.
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Be clear on priorities.
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Design a productive work environment.
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Know what you are already committed to (i.e. what have you already said yes to?)
Remember that when you are overwhelmed everything feels like a priority. So, find an accountability partner and ask them for their perspective. Don’t forget to carve out time for yourself and reflect on where you are in your life and what is really important to you. Reevaluate what’s working and what isn’t, and make the necessary changes to reach your state of “whelm”!
“Until you value yourself, you won’t value your time. Until you value your time, you will not do anything with it.”
~ M. Scott Peck
If you are ready to create some “whelm” in your life, I can help. Contact me for a free phone consultation and let’s talk about your needs. Simplifying your daily routines and decluttering your surroundings is a great first step.
