Occasionally I will feel that I have too much on my to-do list. Granted I would have to admit that many of those very items are my own doing because I always want to fit more into a day. Other times I do feel that I am under the gun and have several projects that need to be done all at once.
Every now and then I get inundated with so many things that I start to feel stressed. A few of these times I have been so overwhelmed and stressed that it becomes a problem. For example many years ago I was working, going to college, had my sister with her three year old living with me, and taking care of my home. It was just too much. The stress level was building with exams and work demands that I ended up in a serious accident. I believe this happened because I was so overwhelmed and distracted.
My sister used to get overwhelmed from procrastination. It’s an easy trap and I have done it as well. I put off things that I find unpleasant or boring. It builds up and before I know it I am under a deadline to get that very thing done and so the pressure begins.
So many times we just get to a dead-end. We don’t know how to deal with what is really causing us to have anxiety and the feeling of being weighed down. The resulting feelings will leave you negative and beating yourself up. Here are a few tips to discover what the core issue may be that is causing your problem and how to move forward.
Like my sister are you procrastinating? If you see that you are putting off the very thing that is causing your stress try to develop a schedule or routine to deal with the problem. If you don’t like to clean your home, try getting someone else to do it. Perhaps you have children that can help to earn their allowance. Or perhaps you budget differently so you can hire help.
Possibly you need to look at what your goals are and see if you are adding too much to your plate at one time. You may be surprise what you can get done if you plan and schedule what you want to accomplish. This will help by showing you that you do not need to juggle it all at once. Also by writing it down you may find that some of the things on your list don’t really have to be done at all. If so take it off your list physically and mentally.
Look for and recognize the feelings you have when you are feeling overwhelmed. Take a moment to try to understand why you have those feelings and what you may do to change them. Try to complete a project before you begin another. Many times this is not possible but if you recognize the ones that are and follow through you will complete them. You will feel accomplished and rewarded knowing it’s done.
Remember if you can take the things in your life that need to be done, break them down, prioritize them and work on them one at a time you will find that you are moving forward and your projects will not seem to be such mountains before you.
"I know that each of us has much to do. Sometimes we feel overwhelmed by the tasks we face. But if we keep our priorities in order, we can accomplish all that we should. We can endure to the end regardless of temptations, problems, and challenges." Joseph B. Wirthlin
Comments
Post a Comment