The kids are back at school and the pace of life is starting to pick up again. The list of things to do is growing, and everything is starting to seem urgent! It’s a short jump from here to finding yourself in a state of overwhelm and analysis paralysis! Sound familiar?
Not only does this sense of overwhelm add to your stress, but it is also a highly ineffective place to be working from. The brain is quite literally full, and not able to think clearly when we’re overwhelmed. When you tackle a task from a place of overwhelm often you end up doing a poor job, or leaving it incomplete as you jump to the next task.
The 5 steps to overcome overwhelm not only calm the brain so you can think clearly, but they also create a clear plan of what you need to do next.
5 Steps to Overcome Overwhelm.
1. Write it down.
Get a pen and paper and write down everything that is spinning around in your head, everything that you need to do.. This step is critical, as the brain dump helps your brain relax and start thinking more clearly.
2. Draw up a calendar.
I’m a fan of doing this on paper to start with, in draft format, and when you’ve finalised it you can transfer it to your phone or computer. Overwhelm is often related to an intense block of time, ie 2 weeks or 6 weeks, when you may have a lot on. Draw a rough calendar for this time period with days of the week along the top of the page and weeks down the side.
3. Put in all the key dates and deadlines.
4. Plan it out.
In each week leading up to a deadline put in what you need to have achieved that week to meet the deadline. Then within each week allocate what needs to be done each day.
5. Reality check.
Now look at your plan and be honest as to whether it’s realistic and achievable or not. Sometimes it’s helpful to get an objective 3rd party (partner, friend, colleague) to give you feedback as to whether they think it’s going to be achievable. If it’s not, then ask yourself, what can I delegate, what can I say no to, and what can I reschedule?
Completing this process should help you feel calm and in control, so you can get back to being the best version of yourself and kicking big goals in life!