“How’s it going?” I asked one of my colleagues.
“I’m overwhelmed,” they replied. “I’m so busy. I can barely keep up. Everything just feels like a lot to handle.”
“Overwhelm” has become a common feeling. What does it actually mean to be overwhelmed?
Here’s the Oxford dictionary’s definition of “overwhelmed”:
“bury or drown beneath a huge mass of something, especially water.”
If we substitute “something” for global inflation, the COVID-19 pandemic, war, and social and political unrest, it’s easy to see why people feel overwhelmed.
They’re buried and drowning beneath a huge mass of life.
As much as we’d like things to chill out when they start to feel overwhelming, life keeps moving. That can make our daily lives harder to live and manage.
Despite this, there’s a silver lining:
No matter how much is going on in our lives, all we can ever truly do is take one small step at a time.
With that in mind, if you’re feeling overwhelmed or are anticipating a busy period ahead, try this 3 step exercise to help you gain clarity, reduce feelings of overwhelm, and take action:
Step 1 – Define Your Goal
What are you trying to do? What do you want? What do you need?
Maybe it’s exercise more consistently. Or get your work inbox to zero. Or practice mindfulness. Or clean your house.
Whatever your goal is, start by clearly defining it.
Step 2 – Break the Goal Down Into Small Parts
Once you’ve defined your goal, break it down into as many small, actionable parts you can think of.
For example, you might break down cleaning your house like this:
- Vacuum living room
- Mop kitchen
- Dust bedroom
- Wash dishes
- Run laundry
- Clean bathroom
If this still feels overwhelming, break it down even further.
“Vacuum living room” becomes “Vacuum sitting area” and “Vacuum dining area”
“Wash dishes” becomes “Wash plates” and “Wash bowls” and “Wash silverware”
“Clean bathroom” becomes “Scrub toilet” and “Wipe down mirror” and “Wash floor”
Continue breaking your goal down into smaller and smaller parts until you feel calmer and have a clearer picture of what needs to be done.
Step 3 – Pick One Part, Assess Your Readiness, Then Do It
Finally, once you feel calmer and clearer about what needs to be done, pick one of the small actions on your list.
Then, assess your readiness by asking yourself, “On a scale of 1 to 10, how confident am I that I can do this thing right now?”
If you answer anything less than a 9 or a 10 out of 10, either a) break the action down into even smaller parts and reassess, or b) pick another action and reassess.
Once you’ve picked your action, the final step is to simply do that thing – and only that thing.
Don’t think about all the other things you “could” or “should” do; just focus on doing, right now.
What are the results of following this 3 step exercise?
- You clearly define your goals, wants, and needs
- You break complex goals into small, simple actions you’re confident doing
- You actually take action, which is the surest way to reach your goals and reduce feelings of overwhelm
Remember, no matter how much is going on around us, all we can ever truly do is take one small step at a time.
As author AJ Jacobs once said,
“It’s easier to act your way into a new way of thinking, than to think your way into a new way of acting.”
Use this 3 step exercise to help you take action today.
Ian Estabrook 