What to do when you are feeling overwhelmed: Tips from the author
Sometimes no matter how well you implement peak performing strategies, life just comes at you too fast to handle. When that happens, these short-term strategies will help you manage things better.
1. Breathe deeply to counter the stress-induced distorted perception of time. Use the counter- intuitive but neurologically apt brain trick reflected in the Japanese proverb, “When you are in a hurry, walk slowly.†It will immediately expand your perception of time.
2. Be kind to yourself. You are overwhelmed because you perceive that you have too much to do. Give yourself permission to not be at the top of your game on all that you do. Make sure you continue self-care to keep your machinery running properly. Work out, sleep adequately, and eat nutritious foods even if you have to buy them from your local, extremely overpriced organic market.
3. Write everything that you need to do down (on paper or electronically). Working memory, your mental workroom where you move around ideas that you are thinking about or solutions you are considering, has a more limited capacity than long-term memory. Unload all of the tasks being held in your memory onto paper or screen and give yourself space to focus on the tasks in front of you.
4. Categorize the tasks into groups that make sense to you such as household, research, and teaching. Prioritize within and across categories asking yourself these questions: What tasks will have the most far-reaching benefit to me and others if I can get them done? What tasks, if not done, will cause the most trouble?
5. Start anywhere you can on tasks that you are uniquely qualified or required to do and then delegate, drop, or park tasks that aren’t rising to the top of your priorities. Save the tasks that are great ideas—for another time.
6. After you whittle down the most important tasks, take a deep breath and ask yourself if there is anything you can do to prevent this kind of overwhelm in the future.