I notice that nowadays, most people are overwhelmed more often than not. Whilst there are many positive ways to manage this, some look at negative ways of coping like smoking, drinking or at times worse – doing nothing. Others cope with being overwhelmed by using positive methods which include mindfulness, meditation or even positive thinking. One easy and simple way of managing this is by cutting back to take a deep breath and re-designing your Life.
When I am interacting with my clients who call me from across the globe to see if I can work with them, the one question which repeatedly comes across is “Why am I so overwhelmed”. There is no one answer to this question. I guess that most of us do not know when to say No and let go of things. Managing One self and conditioning your mind is all the difference between how two different people handle the same situation. Yes stress would be one of the biggest influencing factors but again it is also not the only reason for people to feel overwhelmed at the end of the day.
Feeling Overwhelmed is a state one can relate to when one has experienced it. It is a feeling of exhaustion and a lack of motivation to do anything constructive.This according to me is the major factor in substance abuse and the reason why people are addicted to a negative coping mechanism.The best way out is is not to get into this trap which is easier than said than done. The other important action is to recognize this and do anything in your capacity to overcome the same. Some of the things which each one of you can do in case you are overwhelmed or getting there are –
Cut back on your life: The first thing you can & must do would be to cut back on your life in general. Be it a punishing schedule, travel time or just about anything which might be taking more of your time during the entire day. I notice that many people spend far too much time on unproductive things. They then complain that they have no time for constructive things. Manage your time well or time will manage you, are the words etched in my memory. I feel that this is one area you might want to focus on going forward. Be as miserly as possible in giving your time to unwanted commitments.
Take a step Back: Have you tried doing this in your mind and seeing things from a third person’s perspective? Well this is one of the most important strategies with which you will be unbiased and will get a wonderful insight into your own life. When you see your own life by stepping back you tend to notice the grey areas which you can work on at a later stage.
Set boundaries: It may seem impossible but if you set boundaries for yourself you will be forced to choose only the essential. The actual boundaries aren’t as important as the act of setting them at this point. You can adjust the boundaries later depending on what works for you. I have set a boundary of heading back towards home @ 2100 hrs everyday. What this does to me is it sets the pace for the next day nicely.What boundaries do you want to build going forward?
Prioritize: Once you’ve set the limits, take a look at your long list of tasks and projects. Choose the ones you’re going to focus on. Which tasks and projects are the most essential? NOT the most urgent but the ones that will get you the most long-term benefit. Which ones will have the most impact? I have noticed that most people trip in this area and forget the forest for the trees. I am sure you do not want to tread on this road.
Be ruthless in elimination: I am more vocal in this one area because sometime you want to be clear in what distracts you. Be aggressive in eliminating it from your day’s/week’s schedule.Over the years i have identified what needs to be eliminated from my life and given it all my focus to ensure it does not eat into “MY” time.
Make some time for yourself: You must have heard that no man is an island but in this fast paced world where multitasking is the norm, making some time for yourself on a daily basis is the key missing in most of the stressed out people.This can be sitting alone in a corner or even taking a small break to get away from the familiar territory. This will ensure that the creative juices in your mind begin to flow.Remember ‘All work and no Play makes Jack a dull boy” holds good and you might have to work on this.For some of my clients I suggest a 15 minutes meditation windows to calm the mind and if possible a quick power nap which always rejuvenates a person by at the least 5 folds.
Design your idle day: All of us can create a vision but how many of us can live one. It does begin in simple things like just planning for the next day, be it at work or home.By doing this you are not leaving anything to surprise and going mostly as planned.This would also ensure that you can create a perfect day in your sub-conscious level and begin to live it the next day.What this does is it creates a pathway in your brain which you can replicate in other areas of your life.
I hope that this article has made you realise that it is always easier to fall but difficult to get back.However this should not deter you to put an earnest effort towards a better you.Do share your experiences on my Facebook Fan page or mail Id Coach@satishrao.in