Overwhelmed At Work And In Life

Are you the type of person who can't seem to stop "doing?"

I've yet to meet anyone who hasn't felt overwhelmed at some point in their lives. We tend to see it as unfavorable and a weakness because it makes us feel uneasy, if not downright unpleasant. We don't dare to admit or discuss our feelings of overwhelm, which can leave us feeling isolated and alone, exacerbating the situation. We frequently deny feeling overwhelmed because we don't know how to stop the frantic behavior that causes it. As a result, we do nothing. Our employers, colleagues, and friends frequently do not assist us in preventing overworking.

Why do we torture ourselves in this way? This syndrome primarily affects our work lives, but it can and frequently affects our personal and family lives. Project focus often begins with good intentions, but we can quickly and easily become overwhelmed if we do not have a plan to minimize and balance our work. Having a balanced, healthy life is just as crucial as finishing the project for your team, writing the copy for your website, designing the new sales brochure, or completing the 90-day marketing plan.

This stressful pattern is telling you that you need to make a change in your life! Once you understand this message, it will be easier to quickly identify the steps you need to take to shift the behavior.

The following are some helpful strategies gleaned from my personal experience and my work with coaching clients who are burned out, cranky, frustrated, and even depressed. These strategies immediately alleviate feelings of overwhelm, allowing you to refocus and make work/life balance decisions.

1. Take a break from what you're doing for a few minutes. Take a short walk, sit outside under a tree, meditate, breathe deeply, watch a movie, or call a friend for coffee and share your thoughts.

2. Take a piece of paper and divide it into two columns. Make a list of the most important things you need to get done this week in one column. List the projects that you can delegate, hire, or swap for in the other column.

3. Eradicate, eradicate, eradicate. Unsubscribe from the unnecessary e-mail, declutter your desk and office, stop attending meetings, get off committees, and reduce volunteering at fundraisers unless you have an absolute passion for the organization and the cause.

4. Avoid spending time with people you dislike. Evaluate your friends and coworkers. Do they accept and respect you for who you are? Spend no more time with them if they are negative and do not share your vision for your dreams.

5. Determine the most critical aspects of your life. If you want to live a balanced life, you must make changes in your life to make this possible. That will take some time and planning, but the benefits to your life will be well worth it!

6. Make a change in your life by taking an action step today! Call a supportive friend, enroll in a class to get organized, or work with a coach who will encourage and motivate you to live a more balanced life.