3 TIPS TO BEAT PROCRASTINATION AND STOP FEELING

OVERWHELMED WITH WORK

Have you ever wished there was more time in the day to accomplish goals? Is your work/life balance unbalanced/heavily weighted in work? You’re not alone. In our busy, success driven culture, most people feel overwhelmed. Emotional overwhelm is a state of being your mind creates when you believe there’s too much to do and not enough time to get it all done.

Ready to release the feeling of being overwhelmed . . . and get things done instead? Here are 3 tips to help you fractionalize and eliminate stress from your to-do list.

When it comes to making decisions and prioritizing your work related tasks, think in terms of what’s crucial and urgent and what isn’t as important or pressing. For a visual reference, have a look at Eisenhower’s decision matrix.

According to Marla W. Deibler, PsyD, “When we think a stressor is too great for us to manage, we feel overwhelmed.”

However, feeling overwhelmed is only an emotional state; it can be overturned by retraining your brain. And the latest research in neuroscience recommends fractionalizing tasks in order to maintain focus and free yourself from the symptoms of overwhelm (i.e., worry, anxiety, and panic).

1 Focus on what’s truly essential.

WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS SELDOM URGENT AND WHAT IS URGENT IS

SELDOM IMPORTANT.

- EISENHOWER DECISION MATRIX -

IMPO

RTAN

TN

OT IM

PORT

ANT

URGENT NOT URGENT

Quadrant 1Important And Urgent

CrisisDeadlinesProblems

Quadrant 2Important ButNot Urgent

RelationshipsPlanning

Recreation

Quadrant 3Not Important, But Urgent

InterruptionsMeetingsActivities

Quadrant 4Not Important Not Urgent

Time WastersPleasant Activities

Trivia

The key to avoiding becoming overwhelmed while you’re working is to think about what’s most essential. If there are little tasks you can easily cross off your to-do list, then by all means: automate, delegate, or delete the things you’re doing that aren’t getting you any closer to accomplishing your goals for the week.

Write a vision statement of approximately 14 words by April 14, 2017.

Yes, 14 words by April 14, 2017.

Yes, if action steps are taken (see below).

Yes, you can do this.

Yes. A vision statement describing the direction of the business and its aims in the medium to long term will be created by April 14, 2017.

To sustain your ideal work/life balance, take your big task or goal and create SMART subgoals, which will basically keep you from getting overwhelmed by what you need to do to accomplish. By setting subgoals, you’re better able to maintain clarity and focus on what needs to get done.

A SMART subgoal is a big step that needs to happen in order to achieve the big task or “stretch” goal. In order to accomplish this SMART subgoal, try breaking it down into chunks of action. When you break things down into smaller steps, taking action isn’t so overwhelming.

Stretch goal: Rebrand businessSMART subgoal #1: Write a new vision statement

2 Break your goals into smaller pieces.

This is an example of how to fractionalize goals into actionable, smaller steps.

easurable:M

ttainable:A

ealistic:R

ime bound:T

pecific:S

The strategy outlined above will allow you more time to take care of yourself and do other things like spend time with your family and friends. Planning ahead and creating a stretch goal + SMART subgoals + action steps, leads to a healthy and happy work/life balance.

Now make a list of action steps required to accomplish your SMART subgoal. These are the things you need to do in order to move forward. You’ll want to give yourself a deadline and the approximate amount of time to spend on each step as well. Here’s an example.

Review past performance (1 hour). Which area of the business worked well, what could have been better, and what opportunities lie ahead? Due April 12.

Research what’s happening in your industry now (2 hours). Figure out everything you can about your business and the industry that you’re (re)entering. Read everything you can and talk to your audience. Due April 12.

Brainstorm ideas for the vision statement (2 hours). Due April 13.

Write the statement (1 hour). Due April 14.

Revise and edit (1 hour). Due April 14.

Once you’ve completed your first SMART subgoal, move on to the next one (i.e, identify objectives, create company profile, develop marketing strategy).

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“ Little hinges swing big doors. ”

- JJ VIRGIN

The most overlooked of the work/life balance supporting practices is taking care of mind, body, and spirit. Self-care acknowledges the importance of rest and relaxation; “time off” or “me time” or “down time” is a vital component of our life experience. And without regular self-care, we can easily get sick and tired.

So instead of waiting for your next headache, sore throat, and running nose, take some time out to nurture yourself each day. Here are some helpful techniques and great ways to rest, relax, and restore:

Give your body 10 minutes of undivided attention in mindful meditation (either lying down or sitting).

Use the body-scan technique to check in with your body. Notice how you feel.

Breathe deeply. Allow for at least 4 healing breaths to enter in through your nose and out through your mouth. As you breath out . . . sigh to release any stuck or unwanted energy.

Play your favorite dance music and get up and boogy. Let loose and have fun!

Take a power nap in the sunshine.

Stretch your body and/or go for a walk in nature.

Take a warm bath with epsom salt and a few drops of a relaxing essential oil.

3 Practice self-care.

Self-care is not a selfish practice. It’s actually a selfless act because when you feel calm, nourished, and relaxed, you not only feel better . . . you’re more inclined to be kind and help others.

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