Commentary

That Sense Of Overwhelm? It's Not Just You

Do you ever get the feeling that you're swimming in the deep end?  Are there days when you just can't get moving because there's so much to do that you don't know where to start?  Don't worry, you're not alone; this feeling is something most people experience on a fairly regular basis.  

There is unfortunately no silver bullet when it comes to overcoming this feeling, but there are a couple of small steps you can to try to deal with things in a way that helps. 

The first step is one that you've probably forgotten about.  Start by sitting down to set some personal goals.  You probably did this when you started your career, but maybe not for a number of years.  In many cases you may have even achieved those personal goals and you never thought it necessary to revisit them. 

The process of setting personal goals, ones that can be achieved in a three- to five-year cycle, is very important because they give you somewhere to go.  They create a sense of direction and can provide context for evaluating the ideas and opportunities that arise in a way that is constructive and beneficial to you.

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 When you have goals set, you've laid out a roadmap with some milestones along the way. When something new pops into focus, you can determine whether it fits with the direction you want your life and career to be going.  I know it sounds a bit "new age," and since I live in California I rightly deserve to be poked fun at, but goal-setting is an integral part of my life.  The three- to five- year cycle also works because that's not a lifetime away.  Those goals are close, and you can aim for success without having to wait forever to see the outcome.

Of course, some people will say, "five years is a long time, how do I balance each day of the week?"  Day in and day out can be tough, but one of the best ways to not get overwhelmed here is to break your day down to digestible chunks.   Everyone has a to-do list and in most cases those lists are endless, with hundreds of items scratched down in poor penmanship. 

One little trick is to take three items from the list, place them on a post-it note on your computer, and agree that you're day won't be done until those three items are complete.  What that does is give you something to focus your day -- something to come back to when you get distracted. Having a short list of immediate to-dos means the large list won't overwhelm you.  It also creates space in your day, allowing you to feel a sense of accomplishment when something on the short list is completed.

Of course that short list can be a burden when you factor in distraction.  Believe it or not, the majority of distractions are your own fault because you allow yourself to be distracted.  Sometimes it can be as simple as closing the door, turning off the phone, or shutting down your email for an hour.   Maybe it means setting aside 30 minutes for "fun stuff.", and following that time with 60 minutes of work. 

By breaking the day down into 30 and 60-minute components, you can achieve more than if you try and tackle the day in three, four, or eight-hour shifts.  If you ask novelists how they write their books, they'll tend to tell you it's a series of these digestible writing periods (followed, of course, by the five day sequestered periods where they have to hit a deadline, but that's because writers are famous procrastinators). 

That sense of overwhelm can be replaced with a sense of accomplishment if you manage your day the right way, suited to how you work.  A series of daily accomplishments can string together a very positive few weeks -- and before you know, it you're getting things done in an effective and efficient manner!

At least, that's what my therapist tells me ;-)

2 comments about "That Sense Of Overwhelm? It's Not Just You".
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  1. Rita Allenrallen@freshaddress.com from FreshAddress, Inc., October 20, 2010 at 10:45 a.m.

    Terrific suggestions, Cory. I also find it helpful to work backwards, from the goal, for example, Q4 or year end to the present time, chunking the quarter goals, monthly goals, weekly and then daily goals to get the big picture into focus. We work with our clients that way in their planning. Another idea might be to create a routine to revert to so that you have the freedom to get back on track when a lucrative interruption presents. Thanks for your timely comments!

  2. Rich Benci from Benci Consulting, LLC, October 21, 2010 at 11:35 a.m.

    Goal setting is extremely important across all points of life. I've found that in the business environment, each person should have 3 sets of goals: (1) The typical annual goal (likely to have a bonus / review associated with it); (2) a 3-year professional progression goal typically set with a mentor; and (3) a 90-Day goal set twice a year between employee and manager (to cover the March to May timeframe after annual goals are set, and August to Oct).

    These two 90-Day goals help set the tactical steps against the annual goal by providing long enough time to accomplish progress but short enough to be specific to the ever-changing environment. Also gives manager-employee structured communication outside of the awkward annual review/ pay raise talk.

    Rich Benci
    90-Day Guides, Inc.

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