So often, my first contact with prospective coaching clients finds them in a state of simply being overwhelmed.
Most often, these are people who live in the day-to-day tactical mode of survival, typically putting out one fire after another.
My first piece of advice is simply to relax, take a deep breath, and begin to dissect exactly what’s so overwhelming. And I promise them, if they follow my advice, there are solutions that have both short-term and long-term benefits.
I ask them to write down all the categories of issues that they’re dealing with so that we can deal with each one individually.
When I went through this exercise with a newly onboarded client, here’s what we reviewed. What he wrote is in quotes, and then there’s a brief recap of how he and I calmly viewed the situation and how to minimize the pressure he’s feeling:
- “I’m in the middle of moving my office.”
Stressful, yes, but this will all be over in a week to ten days.
- “We have multiple big jobs that have to be completed.”
We prioritized the list of jobs, ranking each one from the highest priority down so there was a definitive timeline of what needed to happen first.
- “These jobs need my involvement plus I’m short-staffed.”
Does every job really need YOUR involvement? When we analyzed each job, we realized that there were many tasks that could be delegated, and some could be outsourced.
By writing things down and then discussing them with a neutral party, you gain a better perspective and realization that you may be making things worse than they actually are.
Also, for over 45 years, I have meditated once or twice a day for about 5 to 10 minutes. This helps me clear my mind. I use the “CALM” APP and if you just learn to do some deep breathing, I promise that you too will feel more relaxed and recognize just how much you were stressing yourself out. Don’t worry about being perfect at meditation. Just start doing it every day and you will see how it brings you into the “present” and helps clear your mind.
Additionally, thinking “positive thoughts” about how your business and your life are going to run more smoothly in the future will help you train your brain to more easily achieve your vision.
And finally, I once read an interesting quote from Gateway to Happiness that still resonates with me:
| #94 One Step at a Time Learn to deal with your difficult life situations one step at a time. Don’t view all that you have to do as a mountain to climb in one jump. Divide tasks into steps small enough for you to deal with little by little. Focus on the specific task at hand and take pleasure with every small amount that you do. |
Let me help you get to the root of your overwhelmed state. I’ve been there and can help!
Stephen
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