Overcome Overwhelm: Dealing with the Feeling of Being Overwhelmed
When you feel overwhelmed by all the things you need to do, it can freeze you into not doing any of them. This will only make the situation worse. So, you need to seize control. And there’s the way. It’s my Overwhelm Routine.
Watching this video is worth 3 Management Courses CPD Points*.
(See below for more details)
This video is part of course module number 1.6.1
Program 1: Managing Yourself
Course 6: Personal Productivity
Section 1: Effective Working
Relevant videos in the same section as this video include:
==============================================
– The Power of Habits: Productivity through Effective Working
… https://youtu.be/kXmz_E8yUGw
– Organization: How to Enhance Your Productivity by Being Organized
… https://youtu.be/2eUYH0z2yiQ
– Planning, Preparation, and Follow-up: Effective Working for Better Productivity
… https://youtu.be/XZUCfd9xov0
– Use your Energy Cycles for More Effective Working and Greater Productivity
… https://youtu.be/q_s0FkWISLo
– Wellbeing: What to do to Increase Your Productivity
… https://youtu.be/dkJEtKSR_Yw
– Failure of Multitasking: The Multitasking Myth
… https://youtu.be/IEN_hP9dtIM
– Monkey Management: How to Deal with a Monkey on Your Back
… https://youtu.be/itwtlfwE6fY
– Email Wrangling: How to Manage Your Email Effectively
… https://youtu.be/Z_yz27nTu1M
LESSON NOTES
=============
Overload vs Overwhelm
Overload is an objective state
Too much to do in the time available, with the resources you have. We will deal with overload in a later video in this course.
Overwhelm is a subjective state
The feeling of not having control of your workload – and therefore not able to cope. Overwhelm is a stress response.
When you feel overwhelmed by all the things you need to do, it can freeze you into not doing any of them, which will only make the situation worse. So, you need to seize control.
The Overwhelm Routine
1. Know your enemy
Make a ‘Now List’ – all the things that are overwhelming you.
2. K.ll off the weaklings
Cross through any items that are not important.
3. Send the stragglers to the back
Find items that can wait 24 hours or more. Transfer them to a new sheet (‘Tomorrow List’), and cross them off your ‘Now List’.
4. Tackle the tiddlers
Put a big asterisk against all the items that will be quick to do (five minutes max). These are your ‘Tiddlers’.
5. Fr-nzied attack
20 minutes of doing as many Tiddlers as you can. Start with the first on your list and work down.
6. Regroup
After 20 minutes, cross off the Tiddlers you killed off, and take a five-minute break. Decide which of the unmarked items (‘Big Fish’) are most pressing.
7. Measured Attack
Start work on your Big Fish. Only tackle the steps that are urgent now. Transfer the rest of the task to your Tomorrow List. Work for around 45 minutes then cross off any work you’ve completed and take a break.
After your break, return to step 5 and keep cycling steps 5, 6 and 7 until you feel back in control.
RECOMMENDED EXERCISE
======================
No exercise here.
Just use the overwhelm routine when you need it.
You can download a free PDF at: https://gum.co/ROxyJ
DOWNLOADS
===========
Free Resources
– CPD Tools: https://gum.co/MC-CPD
– Overwhelm Routine: https://gum.co/ROxyJ
Paid resources
– Management Courses Onboarding Kit: https://gum.co/MC-ObK ($3)
RECOMMENDED READING
=====================
Overwhelm is a Stress Response.
I recommend How to Manage Stress (Brilliant Stress Management)
… https://geni.us/AxTfrH
I’ll be as modest as I can. I’m something of an expert on effective working, personal productivity, & time management, with 4 best-selling books by 3 international publishers:
– The Time Management Pocketbook
… https://geni.us/gHa4
– How to Manage Your Time
… https://geni.us/Cpvp
– Powerhouse: Turbo Boost Your Effectiveness and Start Making a Serious Impact
… https://geni.us/H7GDizc
– The Yes/No Book: How to do less… and achieve more
… https://geni.us/yhF90n
And here are my picks from the thousands of other books on personal productivity, effective working, & time management:
– The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
… https://geni.us/Zulp
– The Power of Habit: Why we Do what we Do, and How to Change
… https://geni.us/vNtXd4
– Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less
… https://geni.us/JxTY
– Eat that Frog! 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating
… https://geni.us/48Y1LlC
Management Courses Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Points
===========================================================
You can record your Management Courses CPD points on our free, downloadable CPD record log.
Download it here: https://gum.co/MC-CPD
Each video has two levels of MC CPD points. For this video:
– If you simply watched the video, record 3 MC CPD points
– No recommended exercises for this video
___
Note:
Links to our book recommendations are affiliated through Amazon
#Productivity #EffectiveWorking #Overwhelm
source