When things become too hectic or too much to bear, what do you do to cope? How do you put things into perspective so you can deal with them? Do you throw your hands in the air? Do you curse and vow to forget whole mess for a while, or do you sit down and try to think about the situation rationally?
Many times we react out of frustration when we become overwhelmed. It’s a normal response. The key, I have found, is to remain calm in any circumstance, and not react instinctively or hastily. But how do we do that? How do we remember to keep our composure when we become overwhelmed? We must be aware of what we’re feeling and our actions that tell us we are overwhelmed. Being aware that things are getting to be too much takes some practice. We have to be able to realize our emotions in order to deal with them.
Being a small-business owner, I know how quickly things can escalate if there’s a problem. One thing can turn into ten things like a domino effect. Some issues require immediate action, and you have to determine which those are. Other issues may not be so critical but because everything seems to happen all at once it seems like they all need attention simultaneously. That is not usually the case. Rarely do things culminate to the panic level though sometimes that’s exactly what we believe.
First, and foremost- take a deep breath. Breathe-that is number ONE. Calmness is key. Remember that being overwhelmed is something you allow to happen. You can just as easily allow yourself to remain calm. All it takes is a little practice.
Do you struggle with paying the bills on time when they come due? Does it seem like there’s more outgoing payments than incoming ones? Is it hard to get your billings and invoices out on time? Do you stay up late doing payroll, or ordering more supplies? I try to make things easy on myself by writing down a to-do list for each and every day. Make a to-do list- that is number TWO. That list is comprised of all the things I need to accomplish that day. It may have several items or just a few, depending on what I’m doing, but I look at it every morning, planning out my day, and the route I must take in order to get things done. Usually I have supplies to pick up, jobs to stop by and check, or jobs to attend to myself, customers to meet, proposals to write, along with overseeing my retail shop, answering emails, and doing Facebook “Live” videos, and personal errands. Sometimes it gets to be a lot, but I keep it from becoming overwhelming by sorting through it all and prioritizing.
Prioritize- that is number THREE. Go through your list for the day. What must absolutely happen that day? Do those things first. Then go through the rest and sort by location and amount of time needed to accomplish. Save the bookwork items like billings, invoices or check-writing for when you can sit down without interruptions.
Always keep your appointments- that is number FOUR. Regardless of whatever comes up, and what you need to get done, make sure you keep( and are on time for) your appointments with your customers. They are your most-important priority. Being on time and prepared is crucial to your business, and should be the number one concern that you maintain every day. Answer your customers’ emails, texts or calls as warranted but never longer than one business day. Keep your customers happy!
Do everything with purpose- that is number FIVE. Don’t jump from one item on your list to another without any thought. Be systematic and keep moving forward with order through your list. When you made your list, you planned it out carefully so there wouldn’t be wasted time, or back-tracking. Make sure you follow that throughout the day.
If you find yourself with a few extra minutes, use them wisely. Place an order, answer an email, or set up an appointment, etc. A full day moves quickly, and when you have it planned out to minimize wasted time, you’ll be amazed how much you get accomplished. One thing to keep in mind though- nothing always goes as planned. Expect changes, delays, detours, and snags; when they occur don’t panic, just remember to breathe and react calmly. No matter how mixed-up things get, in the big scheme of things it doesn’t matter. Anything can be fixed with a little thought and ingenuity. Your productivity doesn’t have to decrease just because of a snag. Delegate tasks to other members of your team, when you can. That’s why you have a team, or an assistant.
Deal with your overwhelm before it becomes your overwhelm. Recognize the signs that things are heading toward a spiral, and take control of them. Plan ahead for last-minute changes. The most important thing you can do to not feel overwhelmed is to stay organized. Go through the steps above that I have highlighted for you. They will help. Feeling overwhelmed is a natural response when things pile up on us. It happens to everyone. You can feel overwhelmed in your job or in your personal life. Being a stay-at-home parent can be overwhelming at times, too. The same steps that I use for my business can be used at home. Your family would be the “customers.” They come first, and their happiness is your number one goal.
So to sum up everything, here are my steps again:
- Breathe
- Make a To-do list
- Prioritize
- Always keep your appointments (keep your customers/and or family happy)
- Do everything with purpose
Tami Loves…taking the stress out of everyone’s day.
