I hate my to-do lists! My list of things to do, people to talk to, projects to complete -it never seem to end and every conversation I have ends in yet another “to-do” item. This is where I want to turn on the TV and binge watch all 14 seasons of NCIS. Fortunately, I have a very supportive and active accountability structure for all the projects I create.
HERE ARE A FEW OF MY STRUCTURES:
1. Create an incompletion list.
Very often we forget what we have promised to whom and those promises have a bad habit of waking us up in the middle of the night. When I get overwhelmed, I start listing everything I need to get done as a way of getting it out of my head and into black and white.
2. Take a deep breath.
I have a friend who answers my calls with the words “Okay Breath!” Believe it or not, abdominal breathing each day will reduce anxiety and reduce stress. Deep breathing also increases the supply of oxygen to your brain which not only helps calm but also allows creativity to flow – allowing you to get more done. Take another deep breath.
3. Have a really good structure for delivering on your promises.
Are you a paper agenda kind or person, or perhaps you all your commitments in a virtual system? Whatever system you use, make sure you use it consistently. Schedule a specific time in your day to review all the actions you need to take for your projects and schedule them accordingly. I’ve found this is a really good way to end the work day.
4. Stay in communication.
If you are feeling overwhelmed, reach out to your accountability partner, friend, or colleague. Perhaps it’s time to have a conversation with your boss and or your team about reallocation of resources. Staying in communication serves to communicate your reality to your team and to gain the necessary support to get the job done. If you are an entrepreneur, call someone in your network or check in with your client. You never know what may have changed since the last time you talked to them.
5. Say NO.
This is a severely under-utilized strategy for managing overwhelm. Yes, it’s important to be liked but it’s more important to deliver on what you promised when you promised it would be ready. Saying “no” allows people to know where your boundaries are. After all, wouldn’t you prefer to hold your head high and deliver on your projects, rather than feel overwhelmed, unappreciated and apologetic for missing critical deadlines?
So create some space for yourself by following the structures above. If you find yourself blocked, I invite you to revisit some ideas from an earlier post here.
Oh yeah, and “Okay Breath”…