Has Overwhelming got you Trapped?

Is something in your life overwhelming you? If you are honest, I think you just said “Yes”. Most of us today have “something” that overwhelms us.

Like many other people, I more than one “something” is overwhelming. I started thinking why the tools I use to help me “get out of overwhelming” still overwhelm me. Like many others, I’m a list maker. For years, I used my Daytimer faithfully to rewrite my very long list every day. Currently, I use Todoist, an application to help me. This isn’t the core of the problem.

Overwhelming? Too High of Expectations

My problem is I set too high of expectations for my day. For example, I end up with 109 items on my daily list. Crazy, right? This morning I trimmed the list to 35 items, knowing that would be too long too but a step in the right direction.

Do you make everything Priority #1?

I prioritized my list to hone in my focus on the critical items. Often, I make everything Priority #1 and then I don’t know which way to turn.

When you are in Job Search mode it can be very overwhelming

How do you know where to start? Many times it is overwhelming even if you are currently employed but if you are downsized, restructured, or your company closes, it can really throw you for a loop. How do you know you can land again?

Recognize that your value isn’t gone.

You have a new opportunity to start again. Many times people find that in starting in a new setting, they are better off than they were in their old role.

A few years ago, I worked with a leader in the telecommunications industry. He had been with the same company for a long time, 35 years, but it was time for a change. We marketed him with a new resume, taught him how to leverage LinkedIn, and he accessed industry resources to search for a new role. He was hired as the Chief Executive Officer for a rural telecommunications cooperative in another state and was successful for two years when a board shift left him without a job.

His first step was to contact me to rewrite his resume and update LinkedIn on April 6. He emailed to say he accepted a new role as Chief Operations Officer on May 17th and would start on June 19th for a telecommunications organization that is focused on implementing state of the industry technology. Just what he was looking for in a new opportunity! He’s in his late 50’s. Think you are too old? Maybe not.

When you are overwhelmed, take time to refocus your priorities. Take one step at a time. Coach yourself forward.