How to Overcome Overwhelm in 4 Simple Steps
“There’s too much to do”, “I don’t have time”, “I don’t know what to do”.
Think about the last time you felt overwhelmed… what created it?
If you answered: to-do list, money, work, kids, food, partner, parents, co-workers…
Let me tell you a secret. NONE of these things are ever overwhelming.
You will want to argue with me on this one. (Trust me, overwhelm is an emotion I know all too well.)
Overwhelm is NEVER caused by your circumstances, it is ALWAYS caused by your thoughts.
Here is a thought I have replayed in my mind on many occasions:
“I have too much to do.”
And here’s how I’ve reacted to that thought in the past:
Go to the kitchen and make tea.
Check email for the 400th time.
Message my friend and tell her how overwhelmed I am.
Make a snack.
Clean the kitchen.
Then, an hour later and not having actually achieved anything important, I have less time to complete my tasks and I still have “too much to do”.
Overwhelm is always an excuse for inaction. You can’t be in overwhelm and take action at the same time. The 2 cannot co-exist.
Overwhelm is a feeling created by one of three kinds of thoughts:
1. Out of control: “It’s out of my hands.” “There’s nothing I can do”
2. Indecision: “I don’t know what to do.” “I’m afraid of making the wrong choice”
3. Resistance to action: “It’s hard.” “It’s going to take forever”. “I won’t do a good enough job”
Which one did you use the last time you felt overwhelmed?
You can’t change your thoughts until you first understand your current patterns of thinking. Awareness is always the first step.
Here is a 4-step process to overcome overwhelm:
Step 1: Become aware of your thinking. Ask yourself: “Why am I feeling overwhelmed?”
Step 2: Notice what you DO when you’re feeling overwhelmed. What actions do you take?
Do you eat? Distract yourself on your phone? Drink? Shop?
Step 3: Ask yourself the following questions:
“What can I control in this situation?”
“What is the smallest step I can take to move forward?”
Step 4: Take action. You need to set aside your need to be comfortable and muster up the courage and strength to do what needs to be done. It requires you let go of perfectionism, fear, doubt, worry, all-or-nothing thinking, nervousness… and do it anyway.
To re-cap:
Overwhelm is an indulgent emotion caused by your thinking (never your circumstances).
It’s a sneaky way your brain prevents you from taking action (your brain likes to keep you safe and not exert too much energy – this is normal).
It will come up with reasons why you should stay in “overwhelm” instead of moving forward. Victim mentality, indecisiveness, procrastination and perfectionism will show up as attempts to keep you stuck in a cycle of self-sabotage…which ultimately lead to MORE overwhelm.
Nip it in the bud with 4 simple steps:
1. Understand the real reason you feel overwhelmed (what thought is creating it)
2. Recognize what is in your control
3. Make a decision and commit to it
4. Take action
Overwhelm is always a choice.
Action Step: Grab my free Willpower Tip Sheet to help you take aligned action and feel in control of your life.