We live in an incredibly fast-paced, always-on society, where “busy-ness” seems to be celebrated.  We are at the mercy of constantly pinging notifications, emails, using screens for everything that we do.  Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the lines between “work” and “home” are more blurred than ever, for employees as well the self-employed. 

As women we are juggling more than ever, striving to “have it all”.  We are trying to be everything to everyone - the perfect mothers, wives, businesswomen, whilst (in most cases in my experience) still shouldering the majority of domestic duties and childcare responsibilities.  We are juggling too much and we are overwhelmed.  Feelings of overwhelm can be momentary, or they can lead to brain fog, procrastination, stress and anxiety.

As we move out of what was perhaps a slightly slower pace of life during the worst of the global pandemic in England and back into some kind of normality, it’s now more important than ever that we have the strategies we need to cope.

So, I have put together three simple strategies to help you to move out of this state of overwhelm and back to feeling in control.  These strategies can be used in isolation, or it makes sense for you to work through them in the order that I have presented them, from Strategy One to Strategy Three.  I have written the tools from a business or work focussed perspective, but you can apply the strategies to more emotional challenges as well.

OK, let’s dive in!

Strategy One – Inside/Outside My Control & Pass It On

1. Grab a large piece of paper and some pens and brainstorm all the things that are nagging away at you: relationship challenges, items on your to-do list, large business tasks, big house projects, training courses, finances, etc.

2. Draw a circle in the middle of a new piece of paper and label “Inside My Control” and another larger circle around this labeled “Outside of My Control” (see the example image below for inspiration)

3. Then space for a list at the bottom entitled “Pass It On”

4. Categorise everything on your original brainstormed list into one of these sections

5. Essentially dismiss everything in the “Outside My Control” section

6. Set action steps for the Pass It On section – Who to?  When?  How?

Strategy Two – “Eat That Frog”

1. Take either your list of Inside My Control items or, if you haven’t done this exercise, your to-do list and “Eat That Frog”!

2. As per the premise of the brilliantly helpful book, “Eat That Frog” by Brian Tracy, order and prioritise the tasks in your to-do list according to how much impact completing them will have on your overall goals

3. It is likely that the most impactful tasks are the most challenging to do, but you must endeavor to “eat that frog” first

4. The idea is that once you have tackled it, it will free up your mind, boost your confidence and give you serious momentum to carry on doing the other things you need to do

But how do I tackle such huge important tasks?  (I hear you say) – check out Strategy Three below, that’s how!

Strategy Three – Break It Down

1. Ask yourself: what are the major milestones, tasks, or steps that you would have to complete to get this huge, burdensome task done?

2. Write these steps down in the order that they would need to be completed to achieve your end goal

3. What is first on the list?  Do it!

4. Set a date and time, ideally within the next 24 hours, that you will get it done.  This will give you a quick win, which will give you further clarity and the confidence to keep moving forwards

5. Set yourself up for success – clear your diary, get the resources you need ready, create a pleasurable workspace

6. Decide how you will reward yourself when you have completed the entire task (or when you have “eaten the frog”!) and make sure it’s really incentivising

And there we have it, three strategies that you can use together, or in isolation, to help move you out of a state of overwhelm and back to feeling in control.

Good luck and, above all, enjoy the process!

When we are feeling overwhelmed, if left unchecked, it can so often lead to procrastination.  If you would like to grab a copy of my complimentary Procrastination Workbook to get you back into a state of productivity, you can grab a copy here.

Vicki Messenger helps empower aspiring and early-stage female founders to confidently create, launch and grow purpose-driven businesses in harmony with their ideal lifestyles.  You can find out more about how Vicki can support you, along with further articles and heaps of complimentary resources at: www.vickimessenger.com.

You can also find heaps of insight and inspiration by grabbing a FREE copy of her e-book: ‘“What I wish I knew…” - Pearls of Wisdom from 10 Incredible Women in Business’ right here.

And, why not join our growing community for women in business: The Collective. You’ll gain access to daily tips, tools, inspiration, and mindset matters, as well as weekly live trainings and quarterly guest interviews. Find us here.