Today I was reminded of another one of life’s challenges – dealing with feeling overwhelmed.
Okay, so I started my day very early. Had coffee with my husband on the porch while we watched the sunrise, then went about preparing for the day ahead.
I gave hubby breakfast and then he left for work.
After giving my toddler his breakfast, I breastfed the baby and then I immediately delved into my normal routine. I started doing some work online while I supervised my toddler playing with his toys nearby and the baby slept.
I checked my to-do list and, as I usually do, I prioritize the most important task first. Fortunately, that I was able to complete in a decent amount of time.
I moved on to the next item on the list and that’s when things started to go downhill. As I started working on the second item I noticed there were some issues with my website. I did not anticipate this at all. Not only did I not anticipate it, I had no idea how to fix it, so as usual, I turned to trusty old Google.
I must admit that I was disappointed when I saw the results that came up after I did my research, as there were so many steps to get the problem fixed. This was going to set me back at least another day!
I took a deep breath, went to the kitchen to look for something comforting to eat, decided not to eat something comforting, drank a glass of water instead and went back to face my laptop. By then, (two hours since I started working) the baby needed another feed and my toddler needed his snack and a bath.
After tending to my babies, I started to work on the issue again and the more I worked, the more frustrated I got.
Times like these, it is easy to get overwhelmed and discouraged and feel like giving up.
Fortunately, I was able to recognize the feeling of being overwhelmed which for me is the first step to moving forward.
It is not the first time that I have encountered situations such as this and experience has taught me a few ways to handle it and find positive ways to make progress.
Here are six ways that can help to overcome feeling overwhelmed.
1. Put things in perspective
First of all, I tried to put things in perspective as to what is really important? This was just a minor bump in the road that there was a ready solution to. It certainly was not a worst-case scenario and I knew that once I dealt with it, I could move on, with a new skill to fix it should it occur in the future.
2. Give yourself credit for what you have accomplished so far
Secondly, even if I did not get my most important tasks done for the day, the fact that I try to put in some work every single day to work on my goal is a great achievement in and of itself that I can be proud of. I can look at how far I have come, how much work I have done on my own and think about where I would have been had I not been diligently working as I have.
3. Have an alternative plan
Next, life happens! We need to prepare and have an alternative plan for the days when things don’t go as we would like it to. Maybe we can use time on a rest day to catch up on work that we may not have been able to complete. Or we can ask a spouse or family member to sit with our children for an hour or two while we work on some tasks.
4. Just get it done
Sometimes you just have to do what you have to do! Put the pedal to the metal and get down to what needs to be done, without overthinking it.
There are times that we can become flustered just thinking about a project and all the tasks to be completed when instead we should start…just do it.
An example may be a sink full of dishes. Every time you pass the sink you add a plate or a glass and soon enough there is a mountain full of dirty dishes. Instead of feeling anxious about all the wares to be washed, just roll up your sleeves and do the dishes. This can be easier said than done, but if you just start and see it to completion then you will no longer have reason to feel overwhelmed.
5. Break it down into smaller tasks
I absolutely love the quote by Creighton Abrams, “When eating an elephant take one bite at a time.”
Whenever I encounter an unexpected task that is essentially a full day’s work to complete or solve, I can choose to divide it into small bite-sized chunks that would make it easier for me to work on it; then, do it over the course of two or three days. Focusing on each task one at a time and step by step makes it much easier to manage.
6. Take a break
When you encounter situations like this, just close your laptop, close your book or whatever it may be and go do something unrelated or even just have a shower and a nice meal. Maybe you could watch a video on YouTube, like how to cook a recipe you’ve always wanted to try.
This will help you to regroup and then you can come back with renewed motivation ready to tackle the task again.
As for me, this is what I decided to do today. I tend to work until around 3 p.m. I usually weave in housework and playtime with the boys throughout the day. After which I prepare dinner, feed the dogs, tidy up and watch my favourite show, Jeopardy, with the family.
Today, however, I stopped working at 11:30 a.m. When I felt the frustration coming on I knew it would only escalate given the way I was already feeling. Knowing that this does not happen too often, I decided to just let it go for the rest of the day.
I always try to remember that life happens and tomorrow is a new day.
I will stay motivated!
What about you? Do you have any tips to share to overcome days like this?
