You are not alone if you are feeling overwhelmed in work and life!  This week, I was on a Zoom Call with some interesting, diverse solo entrepreneurs, consultants, and coaches. The hot subject for discussion was how “overwhelmed,” beat, tired, and burned-out many people were feeling due to the “too much to do / can’t stop now” syndrome.

If you are one of those people who can’t seem to stop “doing?”

I have yet to meet anyone who hasn’t felt overwhelmed from time to time. Since it tends to feel uncomfortable, if not downright unpleasant, we view it as unfavorable and a weakness. We don’t dare to admit we are overwhelmed or dare to talk about it, which can leave us feeling isolated and alone, further exacerbating the feeling. We often deny we are overwhelmed because we do not know how to stop the frantic behavior that leads to this feeling. So we do nothing. Why do we do this to ourselves? Primarily, this syndrome occurs in our work life, but it can carry over to our personal and family life, and it frequently does.

Focusing on projects often begins with good intentions, but we can quickly and easily be overwhelmed if we do not have a plan to minimize and balance our work. Getting the project finalized for your team, writing the copy for your website, designing the new sales brochure, or completing the 90-day marketing plan is extremely important – but having a plan to maintain a healthy life is equally important.

This stressful pattern is telling you to change your life! Once you get this message, it is easier to identify the steps you need to take to shift out of the behavior quickly.

Following are helpful strategies from my personal experience and from my work with coaching clients who are burned out, growing cranky, frustrated, and even depressed. These strategies immediately diminish feelings of being overwhelmed so you can refocus and make some work and life decisions.

Stop what you are doing for a few minutes and take a break. Go for a short walk, sit outside under a tree, meditate, breathe deeply, call a friend to have coffee, and share what is going on.

Get a piece of paper and make two columns. In one column, list urgent things you need to do this week. In the other column, list those projects that you can delegate, hire or barter to be done.

Eliminate, eliminate, eliminate. Unsubscribe to unnecessary e-mail, organize your desk and office to decrease clutter, stop attending meetings, get off committees, and reduce volunteering at fundraisers unless you have a real passion for the organization and the cause.

Decide what is most important in your life right now. If you need to spend more time at work set a clear time frame and communicate it to your family, and vice versa for work if you need some family time. That takes some time and planning but it will be well worth the improvement in your life!  **side note stop thinking that life should be in balance it’s a myth.  For a great book on the subject check out “Off Balance: Getting Beyond the Work-Life Balance Myth” by Matthew Kelly on Amazon or where ever you buy books locally.

Take an action step today to make a change in your life! Call a friend who will support you, take a class to get organized, or work with a coach to support and motivate you to have a more balanced life.

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