We use the term overwhelmed fairly loosely. We say that we’re overwhelmed by our to-do list, overwhelmed by work, overwhelmed by our obligations. The dictionary defines it as “to bury or drown beneath a huge mass” or “to defeat completely.” Is that what you feel like when you’re feeling overwhelmed?
Real overwhelm is paralyzing. It can cause us to stare off into space and lose our ability to be productive. It can cause us to rush through things and drop the ball.
It is VERY hard to do good work while you’re feeling overwhelmed. Trust me, I’ve been there myself. Being an entrepreneur or small business owner is so much more work than anyone actually sees and it can be easy to take on too much.
We don’t have time to stare at our computer screens, paralyzed by our heavy workload. We also can’t afford to do poor work because we’re too scatterbrained and emotionally drained to be productive.
Over the years, I’ve discovered a few helpful tips for battling overwhelm so you can actually get stuff done and find a healthier balance for yourself. Want to hear them?
Just Breathe
Okay, stick with me. I know this one sounds basic, but you’d be amazed how your breathing is impacted when you’re feeling stressed. If you stop and pay attention, you’ll probably find that you’re taking more short, shallow breaths with your chest. This kind of breathing can make you feel more anxious… which you definitely don’t need.
Focused deep breathing is one of the best ways to lower stress in the body. To do it, just breathe in slowly through your nose as you count to four in your head. Let your belly fill with air, then hold it for four counts. Then, slowly breathe out through your nose for four counts. Repeat this process as many times as you can!
Deep breathing, even for just 10 minutes, can help your body switch off the sympathetic nervous system (aka the fight or flight system) and switch on the parasympathetic nervous system (aka the rest and digest system).
It’s All About Priorities
In a previous blog post, we talked about doing more of what matters. When you prioritize the tasks that are a) important and b) within your specific zone of genius, you’ll find that you become more connected to your work. You feel less overwhelmed by the tasks in front of you because you’re highly motivated to do them. And hopefully, you’ve followed my advice and outsourced or delegated the work that doesn’t connect with you.
As business owners, we tend to “do it all” because we think that’s what it means to be successful. We’ve been sold the lie that we need to hustle and work into the wee hours of the night in order to really call ourselves a boss.
It is SO badass when someone is able to take ownership of their lives so they can be as energized, innovative, and emotionally available as possible. That’s what I call a boss.
Set a Timer
Have you ever heard of the Pomodoro Technique? It’s a time management technique developed by Francesco Cirillo in the 1980s and basically, it allows you to harness your full attention span in order to be more productive.
It’s pretty straightforward; you set a timer for 25 minutes and you work on ONE task until the timer goes off. Then, you take a 5-minute break. After your break, set the timer again and work for another 25 minutes (on the same task or a different task). Repeat this entire work/break process four times. After the two hours are up, you can take a longer break if you need to.
The logic behind this technique is that we’re more effective when we’re focused on one task. Your attention span is shorter than you realize, but I’m guessing you’d be pretty impressed at what you can accomplish in a single 25-minute period!
Want to learn more about how to find your zone of genius and build a business that actually sets you free? Drop me a message and we can set up a no-pressure consultation call so you can find out more about my offerings and my process!