There are times, like right now, when I have so much work on my plate, it’s easy to become completely paralyzed. With a hundred important things needing attention all at once, I reach a point where I can’t think straight, get anything done, or even begin.
A lot of people seem to have an overload of work right now because of the current economic conditions and having to take up as much as possible to pay the bills.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed as well, here’s how to get a grip.
1. Forget prioritizing
Sure, it’s important to know what’s due when, and which things need to be done first. But if you’ve got 15 important things that need to be done NOW, forget the list-making and just tackle them. Put them on the list as you remember them, and start ticking them off as you get around to doing them.
2. Absolutely no procrastination
It’s easiest to fall into the procrastination trap when you have too much to handle. Set ten-minute alarms and do nothing but uninterrupted writing/work during those ten minutes. Once you’ve been able to cross a couple of big items from your list, it gets easier.
3. Try to tackle many projects at once
What doesn’t work for me is doing work project by project. If I have fifteen major projects to handle, and I spend three days working on one, I still have fourteen more to go at the end of those days of hard labor. Not very motivating. Instead, I try to make a dent on every one at least once a day so that there’s constant progress on each one.
4. Multitasking isn’t such a great idea
One of the ways to stop feeling overwhelmed is to focus on one task at a time. If you’re reading your e-mail, forget everything else and concentrate only on getting those answered. If you’re writing, resist the temptation to keep browser or chat windows open. When you’re doing something, even if for five minutes, give it your full attention.
5. Anytime things get too hard to handle, or you feel like you’re about to explode, detach
Go outside and watch the rain fall. Call a friend and discuss something inane. Listen to a favorite song that helps you relax. Five minutes won’t make or break your deadline, but even a few minutes doing something relaxing helps calm you down.
Have you been feeling overwhelmed lately? How do you cope?