Stop counting sheep today. Fall asleep to the sounds of nature or comforting ambient noise. When I have too much on my plate my reaction is usually to just shut down and avoid work altogether this is when Settlers of Catan gets a heavy workout on my iPad. In the past I've been prone to other distractions like TV binging, but each of these amounts to the same unconscious purpose: to occupy my mind so I don't have to face the reality of my workload.
Obviously succumbing to workload paralysis is unproductive, but worse than that, it can also put you into a continual cycle of low motivation: You avoid work that needs to be done then get disappointed for wasting half the day playing games or watching TV, which means you don't have the motivation to get started back on your work and then end up wasting the other half of the day the same way.
To top it off, all this does is add to your workload, increasing the likelihood that you'll do the exact same thing tomorrow and the day after. I've found myself sucked into this cycle a few times now so I'm at least at the point where I can recognize when it's happening—that's where having an action plan becomes crucial. I highly recommend creating your action plan before you need it as when it comes time to fight against the paralysis you won't be in the right frame of mind to develop one.
If you're anything like me you'll be lucky if you can execute the one you've got. These are the four things I've found that work well to get me out of this cycle of inaction. You know that little rush you get from crossing something off your to-do list , or sharing a link online to something that's finally ready for launch? Nothing gives me quite so much momentum as the feeling of accomplishment that comes from finishing something. Remembering that feeling when I'm struggling with an overwhelming workload gets me to pick just one thing to focus on each day.
I put all the energy I can muster into getting that one thing completed knowing that if I can get there I'll feel a bit better about my workload overall since it will reinforce my confidence in my own ability to get things done.
The problem with this type of paralysis is you rarely know where to even begin. For me, I usually start by getting things down on paper or a whiteboard. Seeing everything I have to get done helps me wrap my head around it and work out where to start.
Author Scott Berkun does this too :. When thoughts are written down you can move them around, compare them, combine them, or divide them as your thinking progresses. Scott loves to work with lists , since they help him break each task down into smaller chunks until it's more manageable. I like planning my tasks out on a calendar and working backwards to plan each step that needs to be done along the way.
However you work, just get your workload down on paper so you can find a place to get started. Sometimes I'll choose something small to start with, just because it's doable. Maybe it's an email to a client I've been putting off, or some invoices I need to send. Necessary tasks in my workload that are small in themselves are sometimes the best ones to start with. I can use that rolling momentum from each small task to build up to tackling bigger tasks that are really overwhelming me.
There's no time I've found prioritizing to be more important than when I'm overwhelmed. There are, however, optimal moments during which decisions can be made.
Stair step your decisions. Rather than looking at the decision to be made as a one-time, main event, consider smaller yet actionable decisions that can be made now or that lead up to the main one.
Decisions are never final for the simple fact that change is never absolute. Rather, change is ongoing. To stay competitive and progress at the rate of change requires adaptive decisions that can be iterated and improved upon on the fly. I share leadership lessons and insights from the military and translate them to the business world.
This is a BETA experience. You may opt-out by clicking here. More From Forbes. Oct 24, , am EDT. Oct 22, , pm EDT. Oct 22, , am EDT. Loved Dr. Thank you for this post, Kindred. Excited to hear more about your writing journey in the days ahead! I tend to way overanalyze. Thanks for this advice, Bonnie.
Then put everything else on God. Once again, Bonnie, you hit the Bulls-eye for me. Thank you for being so vulnerable and willing to share. In your sharing you are helping others move forward in faith. So thankful we are on this faith journey together…. I was told by my doctor this week that the abnormal cells are back and I need to have the horrible chemo shots and steroids again.
All of a sudden my back started hurting again and some psychosomatic pains are surfacing or maybe it is just my imagination. I am afraid. I am only Please pray for me.
God, open the way to friends and healing for her… thnx for sharing. I utterly thought something was wrong with me. I shared this blog post on my Facebook wall today. Thank you once again for being a vessel whom God uses to help me write the way He intended for me to, which is to NOT feel any condemnation whatsoever being lovingly transparent and flowing from heart and experience. When I focus on Him, the confusion of too many decisions fades away and the direction becomes clear: let the Holy Spirit lead.
I love this post, Bonnie! Such helpful, wonderful thoughts here! I just saw my youngest child graduate and in the fall she will go off to college! I keep expecting fear and anxiety — but I am finding joy!
This post was a great reminder to me! God surely has a delightful plan that will bless others and fulfill you. Just felt compelled to share that!
Nancy, Thank you so much for the kind words of encouragement! I am so touched! He has definitely given you the gift of encouragement! Sending up prayers for you on your new adventure! Retirement maybe but still He uses you! Reading this article is very timely for me. I started having panic attacks a few years ago and the last couple of years I have been dealing with adrenal fatigue along with anxiety that makes me isolate.
I am exhausted most days and while I am taking steps to heal my body it is a long journey and I get tired of being tired. Before these things happened I was a very strong and independent woman with a plan and was organized. I hate how vulnerable and dependent these struggles make me feel, but I have seen the Lord use them to draw me near to Him.
Your 2 step sounds really scary to me, but I want to take it. So appreciate Point 2: Follow God with your heart, not a plan. Leave the results to Him. That thought alone creates delightful whitespace in my soul! Thank you, Bonnie. Thank you for your inspiration!! I feel like restoration and renewal are such God things and I want to follow in that path, but there are so many paralyzing decisions to be made…!
Bless you Bonnie and I know whatever you write on next will be spot on! We are in a holding pattern with the selling of our home.
When we think of the move it feels right but the waiting is driving me crazy at time! Bonnie, thank you so very much for this post. I have read and re-read it and shared it with close friends.
It has been eye-opening and a confirmation at the same time. I am now starting to understand where my indecisiveness comes from: a since childhood-held feeling of guilt and shame in choosing to nourish and feed my God-given needs and deepest desires of the heart at the cost of what I saw as serving the bigger needs of others around me.
But what my eyes are being opened to is God our Provider, who will even or perhaps rather as a result of my quietness and inactivity before Him, move to minister and provide to those around me, while beginning to heal the brokenness deep inside of me from years of soul-neglect. Thank you, Bonnie for sharing your God-given wisdom and encouragement.
You have no idea how timely is your post! How you have felt is exactly how I have felt the last three months and especially this week. Do it because you are the beloved. God bless you Bonnie for always being transparent and for opening your heart to your kindreds. Such truth. Satan is having a hey day with me in this place.
Yet I know trusting whole heartedly in the love of Jesus is all I need to cast out feat. My best friend encourages me to go for it, but my mind continues to waiver.
Thank you for your message. I needed it badly!! Thank you for these Words of encouragement, and more importantly the Word of God as it relates to nurturing and growing the seed he has planted in each of us.
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