Posted by Monica Cardenas on 28 March 2022, in Byte Experts, News

Overwhelm is a challenge that comes up for many of my clients. That feeling that there’s just so much to do you don’t know where to start. It can be really debilitating and hold you back from what you want to do. Whether it’s feeling like there are so many things to think about to promote your book or feeling stressed or stuck about finishing your book, overwhelm can be hard to navigate.

Here are my tips for how to deal with feeling overwhelmed.

Stop, breathe and get present

if you are in the middle of that feeling of panic and overwhelm stop and take time to breathe slowly to ground yourself and come back to the present. It is easy for our minds to rush ahead and think of everything that needs to be done, I want you to bring yourself back to right now, the present moment.

Change your environment

Step away from your desk. ideally go out for a walk, or get into nature. Get some fresh air.

Make a list

Get all of the things that are worrying you out of your head and onto paper. Once you have that list go through it and sense check what really needs to be done, and when does it need to be done by. It’s very easy to think of everything on your list as all needing to be done right now, but if you break it down and look at your deadlines very often you can space out when you can do things.

Delegate and say no

Is there anything that’s on your plate that you can pass to someone else? What can you say no to to free yourself up a bit? Are there things on your list that are really not that important that can wait, or even come off the list altogether?

Time block to plan your day

Do you plan your time so you can see what you can do and when? It’s a good way of being in control of your day so when you sit down you know exactly what you’re going to do rather than looking at a long to do list unsure of where to start.

Set yourself realistic expectations

Often much of the pressure we’re under is self-imposed. When you decide what you want to do and by when, question whether it’s realistic. What would be the impact of giving yourself a bit more time? Are you expecting too much of yourself with all the things you think you ‘should’ be doing?

Concentrate on one thing at a time

The key to getting past overwhelm and feeling stuck is to get moving and take action. Pick one thing and move forward with it. There are lots of different tools and methods to help concentration to get things done. I like the Pomodoro technique where you time yourself and focus on one thing for 25 minutes, then stop and have a five minute break. Then start with the next 25 minutes.

Break things down

If the thing that is overwhelming you is a big task like writing your book, or building a social media presence break it down into smaller steps. What are the different elements of the task and which one can you start today? Then when you’ve done that step move forward to the next, and then the next. You’ll quickly make progress.

Celebrate your achievements along the way

It really helps to see that you are making progress which is why I like to celebrate my achievements along the way. At the end of each week look back at what you’ve done and ticked off. Be proud of yourself for making progress, you’re doing great.

Don’t compare yourself to others

It’s so easy to look at what someone else is doing and feel like we’re not doing enough in comparison. Or that you need to be doing all the things they’re doing. Stop. Your journey is yours, theirs is theirs. Focus on your own progress rather than other peoples.

Make sure you’re looking after yourself

If you are not feeling good physically and/or emotionally you are going to be even more susceptible to overwhelm. Remember the saying you can’t pour from an empty cup? You need to look after yourself. Physically this means making sure you’re nourishing your body with good food, drinking plenty of water, getting exercise and prioritising sleep. Emotionally how can you fill yourself up? Make a joy list of the things you love doing whether that’s a walk and a chat with a friend, a long afternoon bath or simply a cup of coffee in the sunshine with some time to savour it. Try and do one or two things from the list every day.

Overwhelm can strike us all. The key is being compassionate to ourselves and moving forward through it. I hope that the above tips will reduce the overwhelm you feel.

© Kelly Weekes 2022

Kelly Weekes is a Marketing Mentor and Confidence and Mindset Coach for Authors. Find out more at www.kellyweekes.co.uk.

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