Take a deep breath and read this to find practical ways to calm your brain and get the job done.
Deadlines and limited resources are two common stressors that lead to feeling overwhelmed at work. Not to mention, the amount of work, the difficulty of the work, or a limited understanding of what you’re supposed to accomplish can also lead to stress.
Sound familiar? Most of us have experienced at least one if not all of those causes.
Good news: There are ways to reduce or even eliminate these overwhelming feelings. But first, stop long enough to put some strategies in place and figure out what combination of these seven tips work best for you:
- Create a to-do list: Start by making a list of all your upcoming tasks and the deadline for each assignment. Then organize and prioritize the tasks accordingly.
- Build and follow a schedule: Seeing the list and having a plan to accomplish it moves you from overwhelm to doable (“just work the list”). Create a schedule/block out time on your calendar to work the list.
- Ask for guidance when needed: If you feel you’ve been given little to no guidance on how to complete your assignments, ask your manager, coworkers or other employees for help or clarification.
- Express your thoughts or concerns to team members: It can feel refreshing to talk about the challenges and how you’re feeling with coworkers. They often can understand what you’re going through and can offer advice or support.
- Receive feedback on your work: Especially when you are unsure about meeting the intended expectation on an assignment, consider having checkpoints along the way – whether that be with other team members or directly with your manager. This allows for valuable feedback and prevents reaching the goal line without meeting the desired assignment outcome.
- Be honest about your workload: As Jonas Salk says, “The reward for work well done is the opportunity to do more.” It can be easier to assign tasks to reliable and dedicated employees. If you feel overwhelmed or as though the workload is disproportionate, be sure to speak up for yourself – that could mean asking for the task to be assigned to someone else due to your current workload or simply asking for a later deadline.
- Maintain a healthy work-life balance: Give your brain a break so you can re-energize before returning to work and the next set of tasks. You’ll feel less overwhelmed if you take time to relax and engage in a favorite hobby, spend time with friends and family, or rest your brain with a good book or movie.
Source:
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/overwhelmed-at-work