3.5 Tips to Override Overwhelm

“Life has many ways of testing a person’s will, either by having nothing happen at all or by having everything happen all at once.”

~ Paulo Coelho

Do you ever feel like it’s feast or famine with tasks and projects? We go from the quiet and calm of time holiday time, into full-on-crazy just like that. If post-holiday task overwhelm has caught up with you like it has for me, it’s not uncommon. It’s a busy time of year as you work to set yourself up for work-life success, and sometimes it can all come at you at once.

First breathe, then watch the video below, or read the transcript that follows, and begin to override your work-life overwhelm.

Please tell me if you’ve ever felt this way; You come back from holidays, you’re feeling all rested and eager to get to work, and then you realize how many projects and tasks you have on your list that need to get done in the weeks ahead. I’m not going to lie. Today, that is me. I’m a little bit overwhelmed. I’ve got a lot to do in the next few weeks, and I don’t know where to start. I’ve got Board work for the board that I’m on. I’ve got flights to book. I’ve got proposals to write. I’ve got a rewrite for my book to do. I’ve got clutter to clear on my desk.

Well, I’m going to keep this short and sweet, because I’ve got work to do. If you’re feeling like I’m feeling in the haze of post-holiday stress, first of all (this is my .5 tip), stop and just take a deep breath and remember happier, less crazy times. Pause and give your brain and body oxygen, then consider these three tips:

1) Make a list of the top things that you need to get done today, this week, and this month. Write them all down, preferably on one piece of paper, or on one list on your device, and just get clear about the things that you really need to work on..

2) Be very, very, very careful about what you are saying “yes” to. You need to think about those task lists, and if the things that you’re saying “yes” to are going to help you check those things off the list, then absolutely say “yes”. But if they are going to draw you away from getting important work done, say “no” or delay until you have got a little bit more free time on your calendar. If it’s not a “hell, yes”, it should be a “heck, no.”

3) just start. I’ve been procrastinating today, finding other things to do that are less important. But every time I get stuck like this, the only thing that helps me get through it is to make that list, say “no” to low priority tasks, and then just begin. Momentum is a powerful energizer, so once you start you’re likely to keep going.

We’re at the beginning of the year and you’ve got a lot of stuff to get done. Get super clear about what those things are for you, and then prioritize effectively. Busyness happens, and it’s tough to work through the piles of tasks, especially when they’re endless and overwhelming. But I’ll tell you right now, stalling will help progress, and that is what I had been doing all day, so I’m done with the stalling. I got to get back to work.

Please subscribe to my social channels below, and if you have amazing hacks for pushing through ‘crazy’ and getting those tasks done, please share them in the comments. Until next time, I’m Michelle Cederberg reminding you that you’ve got one chance to live this life. I say, Dare to Live it Big, and dare to live it with a bit more prioritization. You got this!

Michelle Cederberg, CSP, MKin, BA Psyc
CEP, CPCC, ORSC

Empowering today’s dreamers, leaders and go-getters to create the life and career they want.

www.michellecederberg.com
403-850-5589