Dr. Eugene Dilan is an International Organizational Consultant, Executive Coach, and Motivational Speaker. | DILAN Consulting Group.
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The pandemic restructured many aspects of our lives and popularized a new structure for work. Post-2020, more employees operate remotely while some companies have moved away from a traditional work schedule altogether. While these shifts offer greater flexibility and safety, they’ve also introduced new challenges. A Harvard Business School survey found that working from home increased the length of the average workday by nearly an hour, and research from the University of Chicago estimates a drop in general workplace productivity somewhere between 8% and 19%.
Regarding morale, a 2021 Gallup poll described the trends that arose from Covid-19 as “truly like nothing [they’ve]
ever seen,” documenting record-low levels of reported engagement and well-being among employees. And the data corresponds with what I’ve witnessed firsthand. These days, it seems everywhere I go, people complain of feeling overwhelmed.If left unchecked, these persistent feelings of overwhelm can debilitate us and perpetuate negative behavioral patterns. This article will shed light on the burnout epidemic and provide strategies for managing feelings of overwhelm to ensure your success in the workplace and elsewhere.
Signs You’re Overwhelmed
When we’re overwhelmed, we’re anxious, irritable and forgetful and often experience difficulty concentrating and sleeping. We may experience physical symptoms, too, like headaches, fatigue or an upset stomach.
Causes Of Being Overwhelmed
What specifically causes overwhelm differs for each person. Increases in our stress often correlate with schedules at work. Most overwhelmed people share some key traits in common: unrealistic expectations for themselves, lack of control and support in their social and work environments and a lack of self-care.
Downsides Of Being Overwhelmed
Though the occasional headache, flubbed assignment or late night can be managed, sustained feelings of overwhelm can lead to burnout, which the World Health Organization conceptualizes as a response to “chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.”
Psychologist Herbert Freudenberger first coined the term "burnout" in the 1970s. It is characterized by continuous mental, emotional and physical fatigue; depersonalization or emotional disinvestment from work and life; and a reduced sense of accomplishment. Over time, it can result in hard-to-kick behaviors like procrastination and avoidance. While depleting energy, burnout increases negativity and cynicism. This troubling combination of exhaustion and emotional instability affects family, friends and coworkers, too, putting a noticeable strain on relationships.
As a burned-out person’s overwhelmed feelings mount, they often sequester themselves, adding to their own feelings of guilt, anger and isolation. With less time for hobbies, exercise and self-care, feelings of stagnation and unfulfillment emerge. Over time, burnout can lead to a sense of hopelessness or resignation, even triggering depression and anxiety in some cases.
Strategies To Manage Feeling Overwhelmed
Don’t let this information scare you; by definition, burnout is the result of unmanaged stress. If you can manage to feel less overwhelmed in your day-to-day, you can avoid burning out.
Still, if you find yourself overwhelmed and headed toward burnout, here are 10 strategies to get yourself back on track.
1. Get to the bottom of it.
First, identify what exactly is causing you to feel overwhelmed. Is it a big project? Emails you’ve been putting off? A meeting you need to set? Create a comprehensive list, and don’t hesitate to include even your smallest concerns.
2. Get started.
Once you’ve identified the specific factors contributing to your stress, isolate small, actionable tasks you can finish quickly and easily. Easing your way back into your responsibilities will make larger undertakings feel less impossible.
3. Prioritize accordingly.
Once you come to the bigger, more involved tasks, prioritize based on importance and urgency to prevent falling further behind. (And remember: Difficult work can often be broken into smaller, more manageable parts.)
4. Practice self-care.
Regular sleep, frequent exercise and a healthy diet promote good mental and physical health, which offers a strong defense against burnout.
5. Practice mindfulness.
Meditation and mindfulness may be helpful in putting your responsibilities in perspective, and having these skills in your back pocket will offer a reprieve on difficult days. Mindfulness can also help you be more present at work and home.
6. Set boundaries.
When we overextend ourselves, we become overwhelmed. Say no to what you don’t have the time or energy for.
7. Seek support.
Talk to friends, family or a mental health professional for support and guidance. Extend this line of communication to your team at work, as well. A McKinsey report found that employees anxious about the lack of a plan for hybrid work were 2.9 times more likely to feel burned out. A clear communication channel should exist for employees and managers to discuss performance, expectations and futures as hybrid work continues.
8. Take breaks.
When possible, stop work to engage in self-care. Even a short walk or a few minutes of deep breathing can help reduce stress levels. Consider limiting your screen time, too, as reports show too much time on our devices contributes to burnout and tanks productivity.
9. Manage your time (and energy).
As with anything, good time management is key. If you don’t already, use a calendar or planner to help better organize your schedule. Remember that it’s just as—if not more—important to manage your energy, too. Don’t get too carried away with tasks or projects that don’t require such passionate investment. Stubborn perfectionism only wastes time, perpetuating the cycle of feeling overwhelmed.
10. Practice gratitude.
Keeping a positive frame of mind is easier said than done, but it’s quite easy to thank a friend or colleague for their help or take a moment to observe what you appreciate about your surroundings. Gratitude bolsters social bonds in and outside of work while also breaking negative thought patterns and minimizing the blow of individual stressors.
Conclusion
It’s completely normal to sometimes feel overwhelmed; many of us lead stressful lives and manage many responsibilities. But overwhelm should never be our default. It’s so important that we can recognize when we’re in over our heads and manage our stress to avoid burning out completely.
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