Poor old Mama Vic. She lives in a boggle bubble. So many things to learn, so little time. Gotta’ fix this before the top of my head blows off.
One thing I do know is when my brain gets boggled, it’s difficult to get anything done. Then really ugly thoughts start to enter the picture. “There’s no way I can ever keep up. Every time I master one techie thing, it gets changed and I have to relearn it.” “There just aren’t enough hours in the day for me to get done all the important things on my to-do list.” “Maybe I’m just not smart enough.” “All I want to do is help my kids have happy, healthy and successful lives, but the wall of information and skills I need is too high.”
Okay, that’s the plight. So, how do I fix it? It seems simple on the surface. Write a helpful post on the Mama Vic blog and publish it. Take things one step at a time and don’t try to make everything perfect. Unfortunately, when my brain boggles down with a zillion must do tasks, nothing seems as simple as that.
I know some of you kids have the same problem, therefore, it’s important to find a solution for both of us. What follows are the top solutions to the problem.
One: Follow a 15, 45, 10 plan
- 15 minutes of crossing off easy do things like making a phone call or sending an e-mail.
- 45 minutes of working on a more difficult and/or more important task (shut off phones etc. to allow for 100% focus.)
- 10 minutes of exercise – even if it’s just get up and walk around
- Go back to #1 and repeat.
This is how Peter Bregman, CEO of Bregman enterprises, helps reduce his overwhelm. To read the article which appeared in the Harvard Business Review go to https://hbr.org/2010/09/a-practical-plan-for-when-you-1.
Two: Just do it
- Make a list
- Pick one thing off the list and do it
- Reward yourself
This was a post by Sarah Fader, a New York gal who lives with panic disorder. To read her story about how she conquers overwhelm go to https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/panic-life/201407/combating-anxiety-im-not-lazy-im-overwhelmed
Three: Taking control
- Increase hardiness – involves changing our viewpoint to see tasks as challenges versus problems, feeling powerful, motivated and committed.
- Practice mindfulness-based stress reduction
- Exercise self-compassion
- Quiet your inner critic
This is an extensively researched and well-written article featuring experts in their respective fields. The article was penned by the editors of Psychalive at psychalive.org. You will need to allow yourself plenty of time to read the entire article, but I think it’s a worthwhile read. You can find it at http://www.psychalive.org/how-to-stop-feeling-overwhelmed/
One thing I have done in the past that has helped me when things are starting to get me down is to make a list for my eyes only. I title it, “What’s Bugging Me Today.” I throw everything on there and get it out of my head. After it’s complete, I read it through once. That’s it. The nagging worries and irritations disappear. I’m thinking I could do the same thing when I’m feeling overwhelmed. Maybe it will work, maybe it won’t, but it’s worth a try. I’ll report back on that after I try it.
Maybe a what’s bugging me list plus employing some of the tactics others have used and experts recommend will solve our overwhelm problems. My hopes are high.
Anyway, kids, I hope you glean some benefit from this post. Be sure and leave a comment below and let me know what you’re thinking. Also, don’t forget to share any tips you use to conquer overwhelm.
