Is this you?
You wake up excited about the morning ahead of you. After all, you have goals to reach and you know that each task leads you closer to your purpose.
But you look at all you need to tackle, the to-do-list that seems miles long, the emails, the Facebook postings,—the everyday tasks you must take into account—and it’s not long before you feel you are in a crisis. That’s called the state of overwhelm and it can be crippling, leaving you unsure of what to do next.
In fact, this wonderful age of technology seems to have added, not subtracted, from what you need to do. And underlying it all is the continuing sense that you should be doing more.
Well, that sense of overwhelm can lead to a feeling of being stuck which can lead to stress and we all know that sustained stress is a foundation for health problems. Overwhelm can steal the joy of your journey in your God Assignment.
We are intent on living a life on purpose but without balance, even living up to our purpose won’t feel gratifying. It’s go, go and do, do. If that’s your motto, then overwhelm is probably not too far away.
So, what can you do about this stultifying feeling of overwhelm? One of the best and most powerful things you can do is relax and take the time to do absolutely nothing. Power down; tune out. But that’s just one thing. Here is a list of other things to do if you become overwhelmed and some suggestions for you not to reach that point.
1. Slow down.
Recognize that you are at the point where you can’t seem to get a handle on things because there is just too much to do. You may want to take the time to pray or meditate.
2. Use your calendar wisely.
Just because there are blank spaces, don’t think you must cram something into every minute of the day. White space is good. Be strategic in adding to your calendar.
3. Admit that you don’t know or can do everything.
Delegate tasks that don’t need you, hands-on.
4. Be mindful of what you choose to do.
If you are overwhelmed because of too many projects, learn to say “no.” Don’t take on anything that you intuitively know you can’t complete or sustain. It is important to complete tasks because incomplete tasks are one of the major components of overwhelm.
5. Be realistic about how long any task or project actually takes.
Objectively analyze the components of the task and assign time limits.
6. Establish priorities.
Decide what you really need to do and let go of what is unnecessary.
The bottom line is that you are not alone in feeling overwhelmed with everything going on around us. But it is important not to let it get in the way of living on purpose. You must establish balance in your life and it usually only takes a few minor adjustments to make it through overwhelm.
Sometimes it takes an objective look at your situation to be able to tell you where you can set priorities or even where you can eliminate some of your tasks. Don’t hesitate to contact me, Dr. Walter Sims. I can help you navigate through the state of overwhelm.
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