How To Stop Being Overwhelmed

How To Stop Being Overwhelmed

There have been times when we have experienced the feeling of "being overwhelmed" in our lives. From the smallest of things to anything major like our bosses being around us, families pressurizing us for certain things that we are not ready for, personal goals that we wish to achieve but have taken more time than expected to complete and so on and so forth. Now, many of us may get confused between feeling overwhelmed and experiencing burnouts. They are not the same thing. 

Being Overwhelmed: The feeling of being bombarded or flooded with obligations at once that you are unable to handle can be termed as being overwhelmed

Being Burnt Out: If you have been handling away everything too long that may have got you exhausted can result in burnouts.

Sometimes it can also be a combination of both. Prior to finding out solutions to overwhelming we need to understand some of the root causes for it. A few root fixes that I believe can help us in fixing it as mentioned below:

1. Organizing Time: Some of us work on our tasks on a daily basis in the form of sprints. Sprints are nothing but tasks that are completed at one go without a break. Sprints can be short or long in nature. The core reason why some of us work in this fashion is either due to an existing tight deadline in hand or to ensure the opportunity is not lost. However, we fail to realize that the moment a sprint is completed and we have found success in one of our tasks, we feel that kick of success and go to the next one without a pause or a break. The cycle continues and over a period of time it results in the feeling of being overwhelmed at some point in time. Hence, at times it’s important to hit the reset button and take a break. There will always be tasks that you need to complete or projects that need your undivided attention. The smallest of things like sending out an important email to making that important phone call can overwhelm us completely. Organizing your daily tasks or activities can help your mind and body understand that there is a time table that is to be followed that will ensure you are not reacting to additional unnecessary tasks and getting the important tasks in hand done first. The rest can wait for another day. 

2. Transition Time: The transition time is the time taken for a person to move from one task to another. It helps in transitioning and also ensures that the transition is done smoothly. E.g. If you go for a run for say 30 minutes and you rest for 10 mins before the next 30 minutes run, you will be able to complete it more energetically & most probably in lesser duration then continuing the run constantly for 60 minutes. During this transition time, it’s not just about you transitioning from one task to another but also your mind and body is moving its attention from one state to another state (from the neutral state to an exited state) A normal human brain can focus on any task continuously with the same amount of energy and focus for a maximum of 45 minutes. Hence, multitasking is nothing but a myth. No matter how much you try, a human brain allows you to do just one task at a time. You may be doing multiple tasks at a time but that does not mean you are multitasking. It’s just that the transition time taken by you between the two tasks is less than what is required by you. Thus, those who do one task at a time are more effective and productive than those who multitask. ,

3. Routine Time: We are constantly working on different projects at the same time. These projects may consist of single or multiple tasks. Every project has its own set of planning, approvals and execution. Hence, at any point in time no two projects can have the same routine. It’s always advisable to adjust your time as per what your project demands for its successful completion. Restabilising a new routine kind of gives the whole project flow a new vibe altogether. It will also help you define new set of rules thus differentiating the current project from the previous ones. This will also introduce you to new challenges and you shall be mentally prepared for them. A good routine is something that balances work and play in a structured manner. It will eventually help you give the time you need for important tasks as compared to those that need less attention.

4. Catchup Time: Remember those moments when we choose a weekend to catchup with a friend or family member and spend some quality time. We always feel the need for some catchup time with one another considering the busy scheduled we follow today. These catchup times not only help us to keep in touch with one another but also help to keep those relationships intact. Similarly, projects also need some catchup time from us as we may get carried away with the core tasks of the projects. No matter how systematic and streamlined we wish to keep our routine while working on a day to day basis, certain situations may popup in between that may require your attention. E.g. Following up on a certain update, getting an approval for a particular task etc. To make sure you do not miss out on these important aspects of the project that you are working on, it is vital to keep sometime towards the end of the day for catchup. Catching up on things will help you wind up certain important tasks that you were unable to do during the day. It will also help you keep a track of your pending tasks. The tasks done during the catchup time may not seem too important at the moment, however if you look at the bigger picture it will make a huge difference to your project overall.

5. Development Time: Each one of us have a unique characteristic that helps us work in a certain way. Some are average performers while some are always above average. While some are leaders, there are many who don’t seem to be good at leading, however are excellent followers. These characteristics are our strengths when it comes to working with excellence. Hence, it’s important for each one of us to develop a character that suits best for us. A person who is able to keep his calm in the midst of a storm and take wise decision is a strong character that each one of us need to develop. It could take weeks, months or even years to develop these characters based on our current personalities and our experiences, however if you wish to control the overwhelming feeling in the long haul, this is critical. Everyone is a fan of a strong character. Whether a hero or a villain, these characters are much appreciated by all. During our free time we can either get into the habit of reading books or watching some personality improvement videos that can help us in improving our character. They give us the composure that is required to live our lives in a better way.

Some of us may not even realize when we come across that feeling of being overwhelmed. It’s important to educate ourselves and be ready for such occasions as it will help us to understand ourselves better and accordingly act upon it swiftly. A moment of wrong decision making can ruin a life. I hope this article will help you to recognize your inner strength and abilities and help you overcome this feeling of being overwhelmed in every possible way. It’s the need of the hour for all of us.

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Written by Jaison Noronha
Idea Source : Personal Experiences