- You’re juggling too many things and don’t know where to start
- You feel there’s never enough time in the day
- And you feel burnt out and exhausted
- Overwhelm comes from feeling like things are completely out of your control and can lead to health issues, anxiety and depression, and worsened mood.
- One-third of Americans experience overwhelm.
- Overcoming overwhelm IS possible when you plan ahead, track your time, and set boundaries.
- Plan ahead
- Track your time
- Get clear on your priorities
- Overcome perfectionism
- Set boundaries
- Stop doing busy work
- Give yourself time
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What is the psychology of overwhelm?
We get overwhelmed when things feel completely out of control, whether at work or home. Some common causes of overwhelm include:- Too many responsibilities
- Poor time management
- Not enough clarity
- Excessive workload or stressful work environment
- Major life changes
- Traumatic events
- Personal conflict
- Financial problems
- Anxiety
- Lack of concentration
- Health issues, including stomach problems and irregular heartbeat
- Headaches
- Worsened mood
- Sleep problems
- Anxiety and depression
How to overcome overwhelm
When clients ask me how to overcome overwhelm, I always take time to remind them of this one crucial thing: You can’t do everything, so don’t try to! That’s the quickest road to burnout. The best methods for overcoming overwhelm are:- Planning ahead
- Tracking your time
- Getting clear on your priorities
- Giving up perfectionism
- Setting boundaries
- Ditching busy work
- Giving yourself time
1. Plan ahead
When you’re so overwhelmed that you're just trying to stay afloat, it becomes all too easy to step on what I call “landmines.” Landmines are those unexpected problems that cost both time and energy – but could have been avoided by planning your week ahead of time. 🏆That’s why I created the Winning the Week Method. It only takes 30 minutes, but this type of planning will save you hours of overwhelm.
Here’s how it works:
- Review the past week: What went right? What went wrong? What did you learn?
- Set a priority: What’s most important for the upcoming week? The Champagne Moment exercise is great for this.
- Review your calendar: Get an accurate picture of how much time you have available.
- Review your to-do list: Determine how many things are competing for your time.
- Calendarize your tasks: Align your time with your priorities by assigning each task to a time slot.
2. Track your time
👀Chances are, you’re suffering from time blindness. We all are! We think we know how we’re spending our time, but the truth is, there’s no way to truly know without hard data. That’s why I have all my clients track their time in half-hour increments for two weeks straight. Sure, it might sound like a chore right now. But it’s actually a huge step in overcoming overwhelm because it shows you things like:- How you spend your time
- What you spend the most time on
- Where you can streamline, outsource, or delegate
3. Get clear on your priorities
To really start overcoming overwhelm, you NEED to get radical clarity on your priorities. Why? Because when you have dozens of tasks cluttering your mind, it can feel impossible to figure out which ones truly deserve your focus and attention right now. 🎯Start by asking yourself: What’s my Definite Chief Aim (DCA)? In other words, if you could accomplish just one thing, what would it be? The clarity that comes with that answer changes everything. It becomes easier than ever to identify what’s important, which tasks have the most leverage, and which ones to sacrifice, even when it’s not easy. Best of all? You’ll be able to do it without second-guessing yourself.
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Get clarity about your #1 priority
A step-by-step guide of our Champagne Moment process to identify your #1 priority every week.
4. Give up your perfectionism
Here’s the hard truth about perfectionism: the more you chase it, the less you get done. When you’re overly focused on minor details, you lose sight of the big picture. You end up procrastinating and waiting for the “perfect moment” to start. Plus, if the moment feels perfect, it’s probably too late. Seriously, science says so! Perfectionism can:- Demotivate you
- Isolate you from others
- Decrease your productivity and efficiency
- Increase procrastination
- Massive: Take on a task and give it everything you have. Does it need one unit of energy? Give it ten.
- Imperfect: Perfection is a myth, so don’t stress about the little things!
- Action: Stop planning and start doing. Remember, big results come from small, consistent actions.
5. Set boundaries
Overworking isn’t a badge of honor (even though Demir and I used to think it was). It’s a productivity killer. Research by Stanford University found that putting in 60 hours or more each week can actually decrease the quality and output of your work. 🛑Our solution? Don’t work more than 40 hours a week! Sticking to an eight-hour day keeps you well-rested and helps maintain the energy and focus you need to make better decisions, manage your workload more effectively, and get more done. Setting boundaries and learning to say no is key. Clearly define your work hours and communicate them to those around you. Protecting your time isn’t selfish, and it won’t hold you back – it will actually become the foundation for doing your best work. For more, take a look at this video, where I explain how you can take charge of your own time and stop others from distracting you:6. Stop doing busy work
Time is your single most precious resource. So stop spending it on tasks that lead to overwhelm when they could be automated or delegated! 🌮Take a hard look at your to-do list and use the TACO method. Can any tasks be:- Terminated and taken off your to-do list altogether?
- Automated using an AI-powered tool like ChatGPT, Zapier, or Fathom?
- Consolidated with other related tasks?
- Outsourced to another team member or virtual assistant?
7. Give yourself time
Stuffing your calendar to the brim takes away any chance of having “you” time, and it’s one of the fastest ways to burn yourself out. So, if you’re serious about overcoming overwhelm, make sure to set aside at least 30 minutes of “do-nothing” time each day. How you spend it is up to you – you could take an afternoon break, a walk around the block, or just… do nothing at all! In fact, Demir and I make it a point to block off unscheduled time in our calendars so that no one bothers us. And when you’re planning your week, don’t forget to factor in time for self-care.
What works in terms of self-care is different for everyone.
For example, I like to take a ten-minute break at the end of each work hour and leave early every Friday afternoon to get a pedicure.
For you, it might be:
- Setting boundaries between work and personal time 🕠
- Getting enough sleep 😴
- Moving your body regularly 🚶
- Eating healthy, balanced meals 🥗
- Taking breaks during work 🧘
What’s next?
That’s everything you need to know about how to overcome overwhelm. Now, it won’t happen overnight. But you CAN start overcoming overwhelm today with our Win the Week worksheet. This simple front-and-back planning guide will help you take control of your week and get immediate relief from overwhelm.
FreeWORKBOOK
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Get clarity about your #1 priority
A step-by-step guide of our Champagne Moment process to identify your #1 priority every week.
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Demir & Carey walk you through the Winning the Week Method®: the 30-minute weekly ritual our members use to reclaim hours every single week. Pick a time and watch.
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