Overwhelm is like sitting in a sinking boat where you know you need to start bailing water but instead of bailing water, you sit there worrying about drowning.
How is it that one man, named Viktor Frankl, was able to endure a horrific and demoralizing event such as the holocaust at the Auschwitz concentration camp all the while forming a new perspective on life which not only helped him get through the dire situation but went on to influence many others since?
For the large majority of us, we don’t experience anything close to what Frankl experienced yet we struggle to deal with our day to day overwhelm. That’s the thing about overwhelm, you become so absorbed with sitting in inaction it debilitates you. It’s is what you experience when you’re not in action to address the situation. It also comes from not accepting what is, being stubborn, blaming others, trying to fit 10 blocks into spaces designed for 6.
Everyone has things they’re juggling. As business owners, you know this feeling better than anyone else I’m sure. Running your own business means wearing many hats all at the same time and juggling responsibilities. When dealing with the overwhelm you come up against it’s about taking yourself out of the park and putting yourself into drive. One step at a time.
Follow these three killer tips to combat your overwhelm:
- Create some mental space by doing a brain dump. Get everything that is swirling around in your head out onto paper.
- Follow the 3 step process called AMP:
A – Accept things as they are.
They aren’t good, they aren’t bad, they just are.
M – Move on.
By this I am referring to moving on by finding your purpose, why are you experiencing the overwhelm, what are you going to gain from it? Viktor Frankl had to get out of Auschwitz concentration camp so he could finish writing his manuscript which went on to be one of the best-selling books post-war: A man’s search for meaning. I’m guessing you are experiencing overwhelm because you want a successful business or the freedom to live a life created on your terms. So ask yourself: What is the purpose of this? Once you answer this, as Frankl demonstrates, you can endure almost anything!
P – Plan.
Put everything that you scribbled down earlier as is important into an actionable plan to help you manage your day and get yourself out of the park and into drive taking ensuring action.
- Create habits and rituals that set you up for success each day and give you mental clarity to avoid overwhelm in the first place. Start by looking at the time you get up and get some exercise. Being in reactive mode is no way to run your day. As Jim Rohn’s quote goes, “You run the day or the day runs you.”
Lastly, remember that your mind is a suggestion engine. It is offering you many suggestions all day long and they are simply that, suggestions. You have the power, you can choose to stay stuck in overwhelm, or you can choose another suggestion and take action.
We love nothing more than helping people create the kind of life they want. If you’d like more help or have any questions in this area reach out to us at ask@upcoach.com.au
