Do you feel like you have so much going on that you’re struggling to cope with it all? Or are you going through something stressful that’s making it difficult for you to function? These are some of the signs of being overwhelmed.
The truth is, everyone feels overwhelmed from time to time and it’s a completely normal response to everyday stressors. I’ve definitely felt overwhelmed in the past and I know that I will most likely feel it again one day.
However, being chronically stressed out and constantly feeling overwhelmed can take a toll on your mental and physical health and we definitely don’t want that. In this post, I’m going to look at some possible causes of constantly feeling overwhelmed and how to stop them.
1. Always Feeling Behind
Coaching Programs
Have you ever been in a group coaching program where everybody starts at the same time and you get access to a new module or lesson every week? It’s always a ton of content and then life happens and you can’t keep up?
Before you know it, you tell yourself, I’m so behind, I’m so behind, and it actually stops you from progressing!
I’ve been there, and I heard it a lot from my students, which is why I don’t drip out content this way anymore. For example, in my program Blissful Biz Incubator, everything is available right away and we create a plan together on what you should focus on.
Social Media Overwhelm
Social media can also make you constantly feel behind because you might be trying to keep up with all of the platforms and creating content for each of them, whilst also showing up on stories and writing blog posts. The solution to this is to stop trying to do everything at once and just focus on one platform at a time.
Notifications
If you’re constantly looking at your phone and checking notifications, you never have time to clear your head, which means it’s always busy. It can feel like everything is important and needs your attention now.
What has helped me is not checking my emails all the time, reserving time to answer emails in the afternoon, after I’ve worked on my most important tasks for the day, and stopping notifications on my phone.
Digital Clutter
In the past, I’ve signed up for so many freebies and newsletters and was saving tons of things for later to look at (which I never did), and this led to me feeling behind all the time.
Of course, you should look around and be open, there’s a lot of great information out there that can help you progress, but not having clarity can really set you back. That’s why inside the Blissful Biz Incubator we give you a specific roadmap to follow which gives you a sense of direction and a clear path so that you know what to focus on.
2. Expectations You Set For Yourself/Have Been Set By Other People
Starting a business is exciting! It’s invigorating and fun, but it can also very quickly lead to overwhelm when you set unrealistically high expectations. Sometimes we set them for ourselves and sometimes we feel the pressure from other people like our family/friends.
This is something that I definitely struggle with! I’m ambitious, and I always have very high expectations of myself when it comes to work. This also means that I can be a bit of a perfectionist.
Perfectionism
Perfectionism will cause you to think that nothing you do will ever be good enough, which obviously leads to overwhelm because you’re constantly trying to be more, do more, have more, etc.
One thing to remember is that people don’t expect you to be perfect. Trying to do it all perfectly, getting there as fast as possible, setting yourself goals that are not realistic – this is not sustainable and will lead to burnout, fast.
3. Overcommitting Yourself
I get it – you want to make everyone else happy and you can’t stand the thought of someone not liking you. I was once a huge people pleaser too, maybe I still am a bit, but I definitely got better at saying no, and sometimes this is important.
What happens when you say yes to everyone and everything? You leave no room for yourself.
If you feel like this might be you, ask yourself: when was the last time you truly did something just for yourself where you felt free to do whatever you wanted without having to think about anyone else?
Really, don’t overcommit yourself. Start saying yes to less.
How To Overcome Overwhelm
If you’re tired of feeling overwhelmed, you have to learn to stop putting so many things on your plate.
Ask yourself what your top priorities are – I like to focus on 3 things. 3 top priorities for the month, then I break it down and identify 3 top priorities for the week ahead, and 3 top tasks for the day.
This method works wonders for me as it helps me to focus on the tasks that will move my business forward, and not get lost in the daily nitty-gritty.
If you’re constantly feeling overwhelmed you probably have way too many things on your plate. Taking time off and stepping away will actually help clear your mind and allow you to see what’s actually important vs. what you think is important (If you’re already feeling overwhelmed, you probably think everything is important – it’s not).
You know what I’m talking about when I say stepping away – pulling a few all-nighters to get a project done, not taking any days off, constantly being plugged in, and thinking about work. Step away from these habits.
Here’s a friendly reminder (in case you forgot): You’re not a robot or a machine. You’re not supposed to run on autopilot and be productive all the time.
So give yourself a break.
Take a few days (or at least a day) off every time you finish a big project. Get your 8 hours of sleep. Unplug from your phone and laptop; you do not need to be constantly plugged in. Journal and let your imagination roam free. Eat a snack. Refuel your tank.
Remember that you are here to help people. Running on empty, constantly overwhelmed, isn’t going to get you there.
Please take a break, and get support when things are really looking bad. You don’t have to do it alone. Reach out. Accept the help of your loved ones and let them be there for you. Even just talking to supportive people in your life can help you.
If you want to elevate your brand and offers and build a six-figure business, you’re invited in The Mentorship.
The Mentorship is a 12-month mentorship program with unparalleled support for coaches and other service providers who are ready to elevate their brand, sell out their offers and scale their business to six figures.
What really sets it apart is that you get a ton of video trainings to help you implement things and take action, but you also get 1:1 coaching, group coaching, and personal feedback and critique for work you submit.
Go to www.susannerieker.com/mentorship and get all the details.
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