Do One Thing to Avoid Overwhelm

It’s easy to get overwhelmed when it feels like there’s way too much to do and not nearly enough time to get everything done.

Sometimes a list can be helpful just to get things out of your brain and onto paper so you won’t forget. Other times, this can be even more overwhelming, especially when the list gets too long.

If a list is not helpful, a small note with only the most important task(s) that must be accomplished immediately, can be a nice compromise.

Regardless of how you remember your “To Do” List, how do you actually get yourself to move forward when you’re in the place where you just want to run away and avoid the list altogether?

Here are some strategies that I’ve found really helpful:

• Set a timer for 15 minutes and just get started on whatever it is that you need to get done, but really don’t want to do.

  • If it’s not a priority task, let yourself be done after that 15 minutes.

  • If it is a priority, reset the time and work for another 15 minutes until the time goes off again. Often, the hardest part is getting started and you’ll be fine once you engross yourself in the job.

• If there’s nothing urgent but you have a long list of things that need to get done, pick one thing that’s the easiest for you to do.

  • If I have a choice between food prep, yard work or quickbooks, I’m almost always going to pick food prep because it’s the easiest for me.

  • Finish one thing if you can and if motivated, move onto the next. If unmotivated, take a break and enjoy the fact that you’ve gotten something done.

• Take breaks with rewards.

  • Do something fun for an hour (e.g. read a book, watch TV, go for a walk) and then accomplish something from your list that takes approximately the same amount of time.

  • When you’re done with your task, give yourself another break and do something more enjoyable. The transition in and out of “work” can make it easier when you’re just not feeling motivated.

• If something really is essential, break it down into smaller, more manageable tasks and commit to them one at a time.

Sometimes, nothing works and you just need to give yourself permission to let it all go.

An Important question to ask yourself when you feel stuck is: Does it really matter?

If so, do one small thing to move forward, and then do another, until you are at a place where it’s reasonable to say it doesn’t matter any longer, or even better yet, you are done.

If it really doesn’t matter, meaning it’s not something that must get done immediately, either give yourself a break and do something more fun or accomplish anything at all that will help you feel a sense of accomplishment

Action Steps:

• Figure out one thing you can do today that will improve the quality of your life in some small way and can be accomplished in less than 30 minutes (even if that means you’re not done with it).

• Now Go Do It and feel good about yourself!