You know that hideous “I have so much to do it’s making my head spin” feeling. When the sheer thought of looking at your to-do list makes you feel a little bit sick…and frankly you’d really just like to crawl back under the covers and forget about it all. The thing is, as safe and cosy as it might be under your duvet, retreating there isn’t going to help you build a successful business or create a life you love. You need to tame those tasks…fast!

So what can you do when overwhelm rears its ugly little head and you have absolutely no clue what to do first?

1. Get it out of your head – The more thoughts you have running round your head the harder it is to think straight. Get absolutely everything, no matter how small, out of your head and onto paper. Once you can actually see everything you have to do in front of you, you already feel more in control.
2. Stop trying to do everything – You are human, not a superhero! Acknowledge that you cannot do everything. If you try to do too much you won’t do any of it well and you will drive yourself crazy – simples!
3. Prioritise – Not all tasks are equal. Decide what will have the biggest impact on achieving your goals,  then concentrate your time and efforts on those. Be ruthless. If something has been on your list for two weeks, do you really need to do it? If your life hasn’t caved in because you haven’t done it yet, maybe it’s not that important. On the other hand, if it’s something that is critical but just hasn’t made it to the top of your list yet, give it priority status and commit to getting it done.
4. Make it manageable – break big tasks into smaller steps. Of course having something like ‘get a website’ on your list is guaranteed to freak you out and have you hiding it in the too-hard basket. Things like ‘choose my domain name’, ‘find a host provider’ and ‘write my about page’ start to feel much more achievable.
5. Be realistic – Don’t overestimate how much you can do in a day and never try and work off your whole to-do list during the day – you will feel doomed before you start! Instead, set yourself 3 – 5 priority tasks you know you can achieve and work out roughly how long they’ll take. Congratulate yourself on getting them done and then make your plan for the following day.
6. Get help – remember your mum telling you “a trouble shared is a trouble halved”? She was right. You might be in business on your own but this doesn’t mean you have to do everything yourself. Take a good look at your list for things that don’t play to your strengths and that drain your time and energy. Consider hiring a specialist or a virtual assistant (remember your time is worth money too) or find a friend or family member to help. At the very least, if you are struggling to prioritise your list, chat it through with someone else – they may see obvious solutions you’ve been missing.
7. Take a break – If you find your brain starting to go into overdrive, go and do something else to clear your head. Go to the gym, take the dog for a walk or meet a friend for a coffee. Once you step away from your to-do list it’s amazing how quickly you can relax and get a different perspective.

What works for you?

So, what works best for you when you have so many ideas and actions you’re head feels like it’s going to burst? I’d love to know – share your tips in the comments below.

Thanks for reading – have a calm and productive day.