Too much to do?
People often feel overwhelmed when there’s too much going on all at once. Even if they don’t actually have to “do” too much, simply having to pay attention to too many things simultaneously can cause sensory overload.
Different people react to sensory overload or feelings of overwhelm in different ways.
A client of mine actually tried to do more stuff — not less — when she was overwhelmed.
When we first started working together, this client mentioned to me how helpless, resigned, and fearful she felt. Here’s what she said:
“When market conditions ‘downsized’ my great job as a Senior Manager, it was as if the rug had been pulled from under me. I have tried getting another job using any, if not all, of my skills and talent but nothing seems to work. Having had the stability of assured money and an outlet for my creativity for a very long time, I am now at a loss to know in which direction I should go.”
It wasn’t as if she was at a loss for ideas. On the contrary, she had so many ideas and thoughts racing through her mind all at once, that she was totally overwhelmed.
She was trying to pursue many ideas and do many things simultaneously. As a result, she was often late for appointments, and totally exhausted from all this running around.
Interestingly, she also noticed that when things were going well for her — such as, when she was getting things done, or when she didn’t have too much to do — she felt uneasy. So she would take on more things to do, which resulted in getting overwhelmed again.
In other words, she was actually creating the very environment that caused her to become overwhelmed.
So I gave her an simple exercise to do.
- When she felt the urge to jump up and “do” something, this exercise helped her break out of this pattern.
- It helped her slow down enough to see what was going on.
- It also gave her mind the time to complete all the fragments of thoughts running through head during the course of the day so her ideas had a chance to gel.
- And it allowed her to develop the ability to “stay the course” through uncomfortable times and events.
In her words,
“[this exercise] made me look at working independently - something I was too afraid of, to even consider. It made me look at my ‘whole’ self and not just the financial area. The best tool you provided me with was the ability to take stock of myself and to understand my real talents.”
When you identify what causes you to feel overwhelmed, you can take the necessary steps to prevent it in the first place.
A Powerful Tutorial
The next time you feel overwhelmed, pause long enough to reflect on these questions:
- What is making you feel overwhelmed?
- What are you doing about it, or feeling compelled to do?
- What are your thoughts and assumptions during this time?
- What sensations do you notice in your body?
- What is your mood? How do you feel emotionally?
Write this down. Then read back what you’ve written.
What did you learn from answering these questions? How will you use this information?
For more information on this simple yet effective approach to preventing feeling overwhelmed, schedule a free (and nondecision-making) consultation. There is no obligation to buy anything, ever.
Call 650-704-5384, or submit the form below:
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