You can’t calm the storm, so stop trying. What you can do is calm yourself. The storm will pass.
Running a business can be a lot of fun. But it can also be a lot of work and stress.
There’s always going to be too many ideas, too many deadlines, and not enough time to fit it all in – to a point where you feel overwhelmed. It’s comes with the “job” – especially these days of constant changes and challenges.
Here are 10 ideas how you can avoid feeling overwhelmed (while still being productive):
1. Calm Down
You cannot implement any of these ideas if you are stressed. Take 5 minutes to do something relaxing before trying any of these ideas. When you are overwhelmed, adding things to do won’t work! Calm down first…
2. Set Priorities and Goals
Where do you want your business to be in one year? What is most important, right now, to get you to your one-year goals? Pick only three main goals and add a new goal only when you complete one.
3. Simplify
Is your business too complicated? Should some of your manual tasks be automated? Take a look at every task you do and ask yourself if there is a better, easier way to do it, or if a piece of software could do that task for you.
4. Say No
Look at your to-do list and ask yourself if you can say No to any of the tasks. You are in control of your to-do list and your calendar. Only you can overbook yourself, so only you can say No to requests for your time.
5. Use Your Productivity Peak
When is your best, most productive time? Most creative time? Knowing and using your personal productivity peak times will help you be more productive and produce better quality work. Use your non-peak time for maintenance items that don’t require much brainpower (or willpower).
6. Get Rid of Clutter
When there are too many things in front of you, it is hard for your brain to concentrate on what you need to do. Find an easy-to-remember, intuitive place for every item and document in your office, and make sure that they always get returned to that place.
7. Ask Yourself, “What’s Most Important?”
Each morning, ask yourself, “What are the MOST important tasks to get done today?” Carefully balance between short-term emergencies and long-term tasks so that you can meet your goals without spending all your time putting down fires.
8. Do It
Sometimes, a hard commitment to getting things done is what you need. That proposal you’ve been postponing writing? Do it. That phone call to an unhappy client? Do it. That blog article? Do it.
9. Ditch It
Some projects were never meant to be. Enough said…
10. Delegate It
Ask for help. Look at all the tasks you do, and for each task ask yourself, “Am I the only person in the world who can do this task?” Some tasks you are the only one who can do them but the rest should be delegated to a VA, website developer, graphic designer, etc.
Now It’s YOUR Turn
For five minutes… come up with as many ideas as you can… what could YOU do to avoid being overwhelmed?
Let's Brainstorm
Please share your ideas (all of them or just one) in the comment box below… and let’s get WOWing.
Live fully, stay awesome,
Nisandeh Neta
Top Commenters – last 30 Days
Let's Brainstorm
Please share your ideas (all of them or just one) in the comment box below… and let’s get WOWing.
Live fully, stay awesome,
Nisandeh Neta
94 comments
Stop have a coffee and start putting things in order. If it is not working make take half day off to calm down and start fresh later.
112 comments
When you get overwhelmed step out even for 5 minutes. Feel what you need at this specific moment: a clear view, some rest, a walk in nature etc. Or take a simple task at hand which does not require too much thinking. You have at least done one thing for that day. This might just open the space to get all the other things done. You can also look if there is a task which require not too much effort, but has the most impact.
39 comments
When get overwhelmed,
Step out for a moment.
Shut down computer/ telephone.
Go for a walk, take a shower.
Life is not all about working or making money. It's also health, balance, friendship and love.
Love your life, health. Unstress at peak times.
412 comments
There's overwhelmd and there's short circuit. I agree with all the possibilities that others have already suggested as far as overwhelmed is concerned. Those are really helpful. But there are times that I feel a short circuit in my brain. The only thing that helps me then is going cold turkey on everything. I stop, take a day of and then I have a really good look inside: what is my WHY? Next: I prioritise, say no to some things and focus on what I really want. Working in projects works best for me, but I know it's not the case for everyone. So the best tip I can come up with: know and respect yourself, take the time to reconnect with yourself regularly and celebrate life.
47 comments
One year ago I decided to give my business another try. I learned a lot, but I did not reach the goal of having a warm group of customers around me. Besides selling one-to-one lessons in school-mathematics, regularly only possible remotely, it appeared to be difficult to attract other customers for the special projects in mathematics what I want to offer most. I decided to get help from a coach, but that did not turn out well. I think that my offer was too far from his target client, being coaches like him.
In this year I was regularly overwhelmed by all the offerings of coaches, with good intentions. They contradict eachother, and sometimes I feel that at the end they only ask for a lot of money. This long introduction brings me to the following observations:
1. Be clear and selective in who you trust and decide in which respect they can help you.
- If you have too many coaches around, for instance in making your website, you will get many promises, and many different opinions on how to proceed, and maybe a good website where you do not have the control on changes.
2. Prioritize for yourself, what is most helpful to reach your goals and also what gives most fun.
3. Having regular time in the morning to think over what next helped me a lot.
4. These brainstorm sessions also helped me to focus on what is important for me, and what applies to me.
5. For me, it helps a lot to stay in the flow once I found it, even if it means that I did not plan it as such.
- strictly prioritized to-do lists does not work always good, sometimes putting a deadline like a workshop to be held by me, is better as focus.
160 comments
This happens a lot indeed. Too many thoughts, ideas, projects...
I make to-dos per day and try to stick to them (most of the time). And every Sunday I talk with my accountability partner and reflect on what overwhelmed us, and how to change it. And make a doable plan for the next week.
And I hate phone calls, especially unexpected... so I let people plan a zoom call (or phone call) in my calendar. Not within 4 hours from now. This gives me less stress 🙂
175 comments
1. Helicopter view visualization - That's even better than overthinking the definition. When I get overwhelmed, I do a visualization of me in a helicopter. The wind in my hair, the noise of the rotating blades, me overlooking my tasks and my situation on the ground while holding on the helicopter's sliding door. It works.
2. Find out what's bothering you - When I get overhelmed, I'm sometimes not aware of the 'frog' I need to eat or the issue that makes me procrastinate. It's good to sit on a chair for 5 minutes and analyze why you're being overwhelmed. If you find the sting, pull it out by solving the problem immediately.
3. Go to bed early
4. Get offline for some hours - You'll find out nothing collapsed during your absence.
5. Dare to make mistakes and do your things quicker - This one is especially for perfectionists.
6. Have some self-deprecation and humor - Very powerful!
576 comments
Oh. That happens a lot.
To me, what really works, is to do something that I would LIKE to do but don't take the time. Generally, when the kids are with me, I took little time to workout- while I know that it gives me energy and a lot of willpower! So I added it as a "to do", and you know what? I still manage to do all the other things, and with a lot more fun and energy.
Find out if you can combine things. Having a long drive? Do that phone call that you postponed for so long. My mom wanted to come over and have coffee. I could have stressed out about how it might have taken me time, but instead I asked her if she'd be willing to dye my hair and she was. During dying we chatted and had coffee- win win.
Eat the frog. Start with the thing that HAS to be done- otherwise it will keep bugging you for the rest of the day. And it gives such an accomplished feeling!
Celebrate. Can't emphasize this one enough. Celebrating means have a look at what you did accomplish instead of what you failed to. You did a lot, you know. Even though you think you didn't do enough. Stop, hold your breath and celebrate.
Find a buddy to keep you accountable- especially when you have something that you really want to do, find someone to cheer for you and kick your butt if you need it.