"8 Proven Ways to Save Yourself from Overwhelm... When you're already overwhelmed," Employee Engagement Coach Rachel Boehm
Do you ever have a day or week or month when EVERYTHING needs your attention at once? And you feel like you might be drowning? And you want everyone to stop contacting you and at the same time, you want everyone to contact you because that’s your livelihood? And you need help but aren’t sure whom to ask or how or whether it’s OK to show your humanity by asking? And so you just...bullishly plow on until you burn out? It happens to the BEST of us.
Just because I’m an expert in preventing burnout and managing overwhelm, doesn’t mean life doesn’t occasionally come at me all at once and threaten to feel like a punch or 50 in the face. It just means that I’ve developed kick-ass skills to recognize it sooner and take action to prevent the blows.
Here are a few techniques I use, and that I teach my clients how to use too.
Give myself permission to pull back in any area that I need to. This includes saying no to invitations, rescheduling meetings, blocking off time from my calendar, posting less frequently
Give myself permission to practice “good enough to move on”
Give myself permission to practice “always something not all or nothing”
Repeat the mantras, “whatever happens I will handle it” and “this is just for now, not forever”
I give myself deadlines to make decisions.
I use the Eisenhower Matrix (see prior reel): delegate, delete, schedule, prioritize
Use the Premack Principle (see prior reel): reward myself for completing a high-demand task by working on a less-demanding task. Like, finishing a school assignment and then raking leaves. I get outside, I get some movement, and I check multiple things off my to-do.
I ABSOLUTELY DO NOT stop working out, nourishing my body, sleeping, or practicing my skin and hair care routines. Because these build self-confidence outside-in which is critical for self-efficacy and stress relief. Both of which are crucial to preventing burnout.
Bottom line: it’s OK not to get everything done in a day or even a week, to say no, to move an appointment with a client, or to ask your coach or provider to reschedule.
If I hopped on a scheduled call with my client and they said, “I’m overwhelmed…” I would offer to reschedule that day’s call so they can take care of themselves and their shit. A lot of coaches won’t do that. They will push you through the scheduled call because it’s scheduled and that was the agreement.
Wouldn’t it feel nice to know you’re going into a relationship like that? With someone who gets you and gives you grace? This is also why I don’t book client calls during December. What kind of coach would I be if I didn’t help us both practice walking the talk?
Think about this way, this is a story from episode 32 of the West Wing. Leo says to Josh:
“This guy's walking down the street when he falls in a hole. The walls are so steep he can't get out.
"A doctor passes by and the guy shouts up, 'Hey you. Can you help me out?' The doctor writes a prescription, throws it down in the hole and moves on.
"Then a priest comes along and the guy shouts up, 'Father, I'm down in this hole can you help me out?' The priest writes out a prayer, throws it down in the hole and moves on
"Then a friend walks by, 'Hey, Joe, it's me can you help me out?' And the friend jumps in the hole. Our guy says, 'Are you stupid? Now we're both down here.' The friend says, 'Yeah, but I've been down here before and I know the way out.'"
Give yourself permission to be human. And remember, I’m the friend (coach) who’s going to jump down into the sewer with you and help you navigate your way out.
PS, you can also try the Pomodoro Technique to help prevent the feeling of work overload in the future.