How to Get Started When You're Feeling Overwhelmed With Work

Have you ever had a monstrous task or to-do list sitting in front of you but instead of diving in and tackling it, you find every other unproductive task under the sun to do instead? Yep, guilty party of one right here!

Recently, I found myself going down this rabbit hole several times because the task I’d set for myself had so many moving parts that I thought ... how in the world am I going to get all of this done .... and this is literally going to be the death of me (insert overly dramatic gesture here).

But, you know what? Instead of staying in that procrastinating head space, I forced myself to move forward because the payoff for completing this particular task meant additional passive income for my business – and who doesn’t want that?

So, here are 4 things that I do when I’m feeling overwhelmed with work or want to move those monstrous tasks into the “completed” column:

Write Down Everything You Need to Get Done.

I am old school ... and personally one that prefers writing my to-do lists down by hand as nothing gives me more pleasure than when I can mark a big ole line through that completed task. Anyone else get that same giddy pleasure?

PS, did you know that the act of writing by hand also has proven stress-relieving properties and helps you feel less overwhelmed? Whatever your preferred method, write/type it all out.

Prioritize. Prioritize. Prioritize.

I personally like to prioritize by deadlines and if I have a task that involves more than just myself (my team, a printer/designer, etc.) I place that at the top to tackle first in case there are delays. If I’m still having a hard time getting motivated, I pick the task I know I’ll enjoy the most... because it’s better to do something than nothing. Am I right?

Start with the Low Hanging Fruit.

It almost feels like cheating a bit, but it’s the “what can I knock out in the next 15 to 30 minutes?” mindset. By tackling some of those smaller items first, you’ll feel productive and it helps move on to the bigger, more time-consuming tasks.

Take a Deep Breath & Give Yourself Some Grace.

Actually, take five deep breaths and know that your reaction is completely normal. Stop beating yourself up and instead get strategic about how to chip away at that mountainous to-do list.

The most important thing is to give yourself loads of grace and don’t give up! The payoff will be so worth the work. You’ve got this!

Now, tell me .... what are some ways you like to tackle those monstrous tasks? Drop me a comment below 👇🏼