4 Steps to overcome the overwhelm

There are a lot of things that need to be remembered and done. There is always so much to do. And despite having full days of getting through so many emails, meetings, decision making and more –there is a feeling of treading water and going nowhere fast as opposed to swimming towards the goal.

Part of the reason for this is that there really is so much that needs to be done however there are a number of things one can do to minimise the overwhelm and start gaining some level of control over one’s day and feel more of a sense of accomplishment rather than swimming nowhere fast.

1. Stop and Breathe. I know that we do this automatically but when you start feeling very overwhelmed it’s because there are too many things going through our mind and we don’t know what to do first. To stop the whir in our minds we need to gain control of it rather than these thoughts being in control of us. By stopping, focusing on our breathing (basic meditation really), the whirring slows down. Things stop spinning and we start to gain perspective. If nothing more we slow our heart rate down which helps with gaining control of both our mind and our body.

2. Big Rocks Small Rocks. Some tasks are more important than others. So the order of what we do with our day is essential to gaining control and calm, whilst achieving our goals. The concept comes from Dr. Steven Covey, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. The idea is that if we focus on the small insignificant tasks, even the ones that aren’t important that distract us (extensive time on social media, responding to EVERY email etc.) we fill up our time with things that make us seem like we are productive but when you look at the bank balance…not so much. So we need to prioritise our tasks each day – and the backwards planning technique can assist in doing that. By being clear on what you HAVE to focus on that day/ week, means when something shiny and interesting comes along you can ask yourself whether or not you want to give it your time or not.

3. Proactive vs. Reactive. You may be sensing a theme here, taking control. I am not a proponent of being in total control of every situation in order to have success. What I am suggesting is a mindset shift: from
reactive to proactive. When in a reactive state we respond to whatever is immediately in front of us (email pop ups, phone calls etc) as opposed to thinking to one self, now the next thing I need to focus on is finalising my quarterly projections, or calling that client. The difference is the flow of energy. When in a reactive state the energy is all over the place, which creates overwhelm. When in a proactive state, your energy is targeted and less likely to overwhelm you.

4. Write a To Do List. Simple but effective. Be clear on your day. Align your to dos with your bigger goals and stay focused in the proactive state of mind to be as targeted with your energy as possible. We only have so much energy…it is not limitless (like time) so be wise in how and with whom you spend it.

About Natalie 

Natalie Goldman is an experienced business leader and has over 20 years of experience in across numerous industries throughout APAC. Her focus has been in HR, Learning & Development and Organisational Development.

In recent years, Natalie set out to realise her passion for economically empowering women by starting her own business to assist female entrepreneurs. Natalie is driven by making a difference in this world and volunteers as a Living Fearlessly Leader at Global Sisters and sits on the board of the omen’s Indigenous Network.

Natalie works flexibly full time as CEO at FlexCareers, and is the mother of 2 fun-loving kids.