5 dec 2022
Feeling overwhelmed is a natural feeling all of us experience. This is especially the case for the work context, as we are continuously bombarded with tasks and requests. Knowing the actual reasons behind feeling overwhelmed can help you to be more mindful. We listed 6 reasons why you might be feeling overwhelmed at work, check it out below!
Feeling overwhelmed is completely normal
Feeling overwhelmed is more common than we think because it is not something we explicitly share with our colleagues or managers. So, you should not feel ashamed if you do experience this feeling. We started our professional careers not that long ago and there were moments we felt so overwhelmed that our creativity plummeted, we struggled to disconnect from work and even enjoy a walk.
Based on our personal experience, we came up with the following six reasons why we felt overwhelmed and some tips to help you avoid the same.
1. Not saying ‘no’ enough
Saying ‘no’ to something is a difficult skill at the workplace, especially early in your career. It is also one of the main factors leading to burnout.
However, it can also be an essential skill that helps you to ensure you are spending your time on the things that add real value.
Saying ‘no’ to a task or colleague does not make you less competent. On the contrary, it helps you to keep your well-being in check and lets you decide what tasks to prioritise and focus your time on.
Tip: To make ‘saying no’ a habit , realise that it will not undermine your performance in any way. First practice saying no in front of the mirror, then saying no to small and redundant tasks that come to your plate at work. While doing so, try to clearly explain your thought process about why you are saying no. You will feel more comfortable saying no to larger tasks or more senior colleagues.
2. Taking on more tasks than you can handle
This was a major factor for both of us: we like staying occupied with different projects and tasks. If a new task lands on our laps, we are likely to go for it.
However, at that moment, we usually don’t think about what is already on our plates or what could come up in the next few weeks.
Additionally, we have the habit of telling our colleagues “let me know if I can help with anything” or “is there anything I can help you with?”.
It is important to be friendly and helpful to a colleague. But this should not be to the extent that you are taking their problems on your shoulder or undermining your mental health.
By having more tasks on your plate than you can handle, you are not able to prioritise what you need to do. So, you spend more time thinking about the ever-growing list of your to-do’s and procrastinate by avoiding the most important tasks.
Tip: At work, identify the max number of tasks/projects you can handle, and subtract two tasks. Even if you think you can handle one or two more, stick with this number. There will always be a moment someone higher in seniority asks you to do some urgent last-minute task.
3. Not prioritising
As Stephan Covey, the author of 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, says “put first things first“. It is important to prioritise your tasks/projects to help you keep track of what needs to be done. By not making this a habit, in the moments you feel overwhelmed, you can feel lost and ineffective.
Additionally, not prioritising could lead you to feel overwhelmed. Everything seems important or urgent, but the majority of the time most tasks can wait.
Tip: Nowadays, there are multiple time management matrixes or frameworks you can use. Find one that works for you and make it a habit to use it at the beginning of each week. This can give you an overview of all the pending tasks.
Check our blog about 5 productivity frameworks (?) you can use - e.g. Eisenhower matrix, eat the frog, etc…
4. Not being able to disconnect
Do you feel like you have too much on your mind that you can’t seem to turn it off? Being overwhelmed makes it quite tough to take a break. You constantly have your to-do list spinning through your head, which consequently makes us feel more overwhelmed.
This negative cycle could unfortunately be detrimental for your mental health.
Tip: Whenever you catch yourself thinking of work during non-work hours, stop everything you are doing and take a deep breath.Take a couple more breaths and then write down or say out loud what you were recently thinking about. This helps us reset and move on.
5. Not communicating
When you feel overwhelmed, you may also feel a certain degree of pressure to deliver results. Certain people expect you to deliver something, whereas others expect you to focus on a completely different task.
To ease this pressure, you must communicate with all parties to set expectations about what you can deliver and when.
Tip: These talks of ‘setting expectations’ can be difficult to have, but are essential. In moments of overwhelmingness, it is important to let your manager know. They can help you prioritise, delegate and suggest how to move forward on a more difficult task. Schedule a 10/15 minute conversation with them to touch base.
6. Getting stuck in the moment
When we feel overwhelmed, it is more difficult to realise that a task/project is a minute detail in the macro scope of our lives and the universe. As our wise friends from U2 say, “You’ve got stuck in a moment and you can’t get out of it”.
Especially the urgent tasks that come at the same time can feel like a mountain to climb. This not only decreases your productivity and motivation but also makes you feel overwhelmed, making it more difficult to find a way out.
In these moments, it is important to take a step back, breathe, and change your environment (e.g., go for a walk, or change rooms) to break this bubble of stress.
Tip: (Easier said than done) Remember that a task/project is just that - something that needs to be completed by a certain date as requested by a certain someone. It should not define your stress levels nor put pressure on your mental health. When you start working on a task/project, keep in mind the context and what is asked from you.
Do you notice yourself doing any one of these reasons above? The first step is realising and then we can find ways to solve or reduce a problem/feeling. And of course, feeling overwhelmed does not arise from all six reasons at the same time.
We are all different and we all have different trigger points that make us feel overwhelmed.
We hope that you are able to apply some of these tips at work. Let us know if you have any more tips or if we can answer a question or concern you have via Instagram or email.