Today, I started my women’s group by asking everyone to pick one word to sum up their feelings.

The word “overwhelmed” came up multiple times.

Becoming overwhelmed is a common challenge among high-achieving people. If this is something that you can relate to, check out my suggestions for dealing with it.

Keep the Lights On

What are the most important things you need to focus on to “keep the lights on?” You’ll likely never finish your to-do list, so zero in on the things that must get done, or there will be dire consequences.

Share the Love

What can be done by someone else? Consider outsourcing some of the things on your plate to empower others and “share the love.” Here are some examples:

• Help someone earn an income by hiring them to clean your house, be your assistant, watch the kids, etc.
• Invite a co-worker to partner with you on a project so they can gain exposure or learn something new
• Empower a subordinate to take on some additional responsibility and accelerate their career growth

Scale Down the List

What would you take off if you were forced to remove 1 or 2 things from your list? What are the consequences of NOT doing those things? I stopped sending a monthly report to my boss and waited for him to ask about it. He finally asked a YEAR LATER and then realized that creating the report was a waste of my time. 

Learn to Say “No”

You may have developed a reputation for getting things done, which causes people to give you more to do. Manage your boundaries by not adding more to your plate unless something comes off.

• When your boss adds to your plate: “I’m currently prioritizing X, Y, and Z. Which of those would you like for me to put on the back burner so I can work on this?”
• When you’re asked to volunteer for something: “I wouldn’t want to disappoint you by not being able to fulfill the commitment, so I need to decline until I have more bandwidth.”
• When your spouse asks you what’s for dinner: “I don’t know, what would you like to cook tonight?”

Take Breaks

When you’re extremely busy, a common mistake is to hunker down and work a ton of hours to get through your massive to-do list. You will increase your efficiency and productivity by taking breaks. Every 90 minutes, stop and do something mindless for 15-20 minutes. You’ll find that you’ll return with more energy, creativity, and stamina to power through that list!

Hopefully, these suggestions didn’t add to your overwhelm! 

Wishing you the best!

Contact me with your questions about individual coaching, group coaching, talent development, and speaking engagements.