11 Things to Do When You Feel Overwhelmed by Your Workload

One of the keys to productivity is time management. When you get derailed, it’s often because you haven’t kept track of what you need to do and where your priorities lie. You can take a lot of stress out of your life by implementing a simple system that works for you. If taking notes in a spiral notebook helps you stay organized, then use one! If tracking tasks through an app makes more sense, go ahead and download one. Figure out what works best for you and implement it immediately.

There are several apps you can download that will help you track your time. These include:

• My Life Organized (MLO)

is a task management app that helps you manage and track your to-do list. You can sort your tasks into folders, tag them with keywords, and set deadlines.

• Evernote 

is a popular note-taking app that includes features to help you stay on top of your workload and make the most out of every minute.

You also might try:

• Trello

is a task management tool with a free basic version and optional paid upgrades, like more storage space and power-ups. It may be helpful for those who want more visual options for their task lists.

For those who like old-school methods, Post-It Notes or a day planner might work best for you. Whatever you choose to use, make sure it works for your personality and lifestyle. Don’t try to change yourself; instead, find what changes will help you feel confident about getting more done each day.

Also, time management might include staying off social media while you’re trying to get work done, using timers during study sessions, or scheduling regular breaks throughout the day. When we feel overwhelmed with work it’s easy to forget about self-care and neglect our basic needs. Be mindful of these times and commit to doing some small healthy activity that makes you feel better.

“I can always take a break for some fresh air or a quick walk around the block when I need one. It will help me clear my head so I’m more productive in the long run.”

– Sarra Hermi, Team Lead Global Marketing at Kiimkern.

If you know that something is not your responsibility, it’s okay to let someone else do it. I like to use the words “delegate” or “outsource.” This is an empowering point of view. Instead of trying to tackle everything ourselves and risk dropping the ball somewhere along the line, let others pitch in where they excel and make your life easier.

When you’re delegating a project, outline specific directives for each task and include deadlines if needed. Make sure you’re giving the right resources, tools, or information needed to complete their piece of the work. Then let go! Be confident in the fact that other people are capable of taking over certain responsibilities for you. And enjoy being able to pass on tasks without feeling guilty about it!

Many people find making checklists incredibly helpful because it decreases mental clutter and enhances cognitive control (i.e., forcing yourself to think about what you need to do and in what order). This makes it much easier to stay on task and spend your limited time and energy only on the things that matter. You can prioritize tasks by urgency or priority; either way, organizing things into lists works for most people.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by your workload, make a list of all of your responsibilities (after making a quick decision about which ones are the most important). If needed, break your list down further with additional comments about how long each task might take to complete. 

Don’t forget to think outside of the box–you may not be able to finish everything during working hours but there could be things you can do in your spare time (e.g., you could prepare for an upcoming meeting during your commute to work).

Also, it’s important to plan ahead and organize your priorities. When you are given a deadline, try to figure out the best way of being able to get it done on time. Rather than trying to get everything (or most things) done in one go, try breaking it down into smaller chunks.

Give yourself some breathing room by allowing time between tasks; this may feel like a wasted effort in the short term but will reduce stress in the long run because you’ll be able to complete tasks in manageable chunks rather than all at once. (You can find more details about planning ahead and organizing your priorities here.)

The next time you feel overwhelmed, ask yourself whether there’s a way to see this situation differently. For example, suppose you have an important deadline approaching and are feeling anxious about it. What if there were actually nothing for you to do? Would that be the end of the world? Actually, no—most professionals know they need deadlines to motivate them.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, it may be an indication that you need to re-evaluate your expectations. Think about what is realistic for this stage of your career or family life given your current circumstances. This is not to say there aren’t legitimate reasons why you might have a good reason to feel overwhelmed—for example, if you’re caring for a sick parent. Rather, this is about examining to what degree the situation warrants a feeling of overwhelm.

Take a balanced approach to your workload and try not to spend the majority of your time doing things that aren’t meaningful or important. If there’s a task on your plate you don’t enjoy doing but it needs to get done, set aside an hour for yourself in which you can do something different with no guilt or expectation—read, exercise, hang out with friends, etc. This is necessary in order to maintain both mental health and productivity in the long term.

You may be tempted to think, “I wish I had more time like ____ does.” But this comparison is faulty.  Consider what matters to you, not what matters to others.

You also might think, “If I had more time I’d be able to do ____.” This is unnecessary pressure that will only make you feel more overwhelmed. The truth is you’ll always find someone who can get more done in less time than you, especially if you took a moment to look around your office or even your friend circle online. But does that mean they’re more effective or important than you are? Of course not.

Take a step back and consider what matters most to you and what you can do today, without comparing yourself to others. You should know not everyone is in the same boat you are, so don’t feel guilty for expecting certain things out of your life.

Take a deep breath and remind yourself that you can figure this all out—and that if not today or tomorrow then at least someday. In the meantime, give yourself permission to stop worrying about how on top of it all everyone seems to be.

Sometimes we feel overwhelmed because we know we should be doing something and we keep putting it off (procrastination). Other times we feel overwhelmed because something about the task triggers anxiety (e.g., if it makes us think about death or failure).

Listen to what your body and mind are telling you and address them separately:

•       If you’re feeling drained because you’re avoiding a task, take a moment to ask yourself why. What is about the task that makes you uncomfortable? Can you think of a way to break it down into smaller steps so it doesn’t feel so overwhelming?
•     If your anxiety is telling you not to do something for emotional reasons, focus on what would happen if you did go ahead and do it anyway. In other words, practice exposure therapy by purposefully taking chances in order to get over your fears. 

You can even write out a list of things that usually trigger this fear and then rank them from most frightening to least frightening (assuming they fall within reason), and start with the least scary one. This may sound counterintuitive but it’s actually a valuable strategy for facing these types of fears because it eliminates the element of surprise.

Being able to say “no” is an important part of self-care, especially if you feel like things are constantly being asked of you. But it’s also important to clearly communicate your boundaries so they don’t come off as uncooperative or disrespectful. For example, “I can only speak with you for 10 minutes right now because I have another meeting at ____ that will last about 45 minutes” means that the person on the other end may need to adjust their expectations accordingly.

Here are some phrases that can help people work with you here:

• “I would love to but….” (e.g., I know this assignment/project is very challenging, but I’m on a deadline for a different project right now).
• “This is the only time slot that works for me.” (e.g., if it’s an ad hoc meeting or an informational interview)
• “I don’t have the bandwidth today to do X and Y.” (e.g., if you are already working on something else for another person, or doing things that take up a lot of time)

It may seem counterproductive to turn down opportunities when you’re feeling overwhelmed by your workload. However, saying “yes” because you’re afraid of coming across as rude or uninterested can make things worse. Because you’ll end up taking on too much work and not doing a good job at any of it. Rather than feeling guilty about saying “no”, remind yourself that quality trumps quantity every day of the week.

Being able to say “no” is an important part of self-care, especially if you feel like things are constantly being asked of you. But it’s also important to clearly communicate your boundaries so they don’t come off as uncooperative or disrespectful. For example, “I can only speak with you for 10 minutes right now because I have another meeting at ____ that will last about 45 minutes” means that the person on the other end may need to adjust their expectations accordingly.

Here are some phrases that can help people work with you here:

• “I would love to but….” (e.g., I know this assignment/project is very challenging, but I’m on a deadline for a different project right now).
• “This is the only time slot that works for me.” (e.g., if it’s an ad hoc meeting or an informational interview)
• “I don’t have the bandwidth today to do X and Y.” (e.g., if you are already working on something else for another person, or doing things that take up a lot of time)

It may seem counterproductive to turn down opportunities when you’re feeling overwhelmed by your workload. However, saying “yes” because you’re afraid of coming across as rude or uninterested can make things worse because you’ll end up taking on too much work and not doing a good job at any of it. Rather than feeling guilty about saying “no”, remind yourself that quality trumps quantity every day of the week.

Surrounding yourself with people who can support you in your work is one of the best ways to reduce feelings of overwhelm. This doesn’t mean that everyone needs to be at your beck and call. However, it does mean accepting the fact that not everything has to go smoothly in order for a productive day or a productive career. Not getting enough sleep? That’s okay—just make sure you prioritize self-care so you don’t burn out too quickly. Have a lot going on at once? Again, just prioritize whatever needs to get done. Let other things fall by the wayside if necessary. Know you will get back on top of them when you can.

Here are a few tips on how to ask for help in a way that is respectful and considerate:

Do your research.

Don’t be afraid to ask what you can do on your end to help this person out. Especially if the request is an ad hoc one that might happen more than once. This gives them a chance to provide any tips or suggestions for avoiding future requests in the future. And it also makes it easier for you because you know exactly what they need so there will be no surprises later.

Here are some ways of asking for help in a way that respects others’ time:

• “I’m not sure how much detail you want me to get into, but I’d love your advice.” (e.g., with speaking up at meetings)
• “Can we set up another day/time to talk about this?” (e.g., for a difficult conversation)
• “I don’t want to take up your time, so I’m going to keep it short.” (e.g., when you know the person has a tight schedule; even if they tell you that there’s no rush, give yourself as much time as you need)

We sometimes expect too much of ourselves. Whether by thinking we need to be able to do everything yesterday or believing that not one thing should fall through the cracks. But unrealistic expectations set us up for failure because they neglect individual needs and end up pushing us into burnout.

Take Saturday mornings for example—how many people “reward” themselves with catching up on work after a grueling week? If you’re someone who feels guilty enjoying time off, try shifting your mindset toward the idea that rest and recreation are restorative activities that actually give you more energy to be productive. By acknowledging that they need it as much as we do, we create more room for ourselves to refocus our energies in the areas where they can make a difference.

A common roadblock is aiming for perfectionism when what is needed is good enough.  Stop generating faulty thoughts about how you must do things perfectly (overprepare) or not do it at all (procrastinate).  Perfectionism can be paralyzing, especially in a time-sensitive situation. It can also lead to us feeling bad about ourselves when we feel like we didn’t do our best.  For example, submitting a draft that could be better, or apologizing for having to make changes requested by someone else.

When you find yourself obsessing too much over getting something absolutely right, pause and reframe your thoughts. Try asking yourself the following questions:

• What is my goal here?
• How does this approach help me reach it?
• Is there another way that may work better?  How would I feel if I go with plan B? 
• Am I okay with that outcome? If not, how might I take steps toward resolving this issue in a different way?

Sometimes taking a realistic approach to an old problem or looking at it in a different light can open up new possibilities for how to proceed.

…Don’t beat yourself up

Sure, there are some things that you can do to make life easier for yourself—setting up lists of prioritized tasks, making plans in advance, and learning how to say no are all excellent ways of reducing stress. But life is full of unexpected challenges, and it’s unreasonable to expect we can control everything. If we could, we would probably all live stress-free lives with unlimited resources and outsource all the necessary work an hour after reading this article.

So when you find yourself falling into a rut or feeling like you’re losing control again, try these three steps: Stop. Breathe. Then think about what has brought you this far and remember why you started doing the job in the first place.