You often hear someone say that they are overwhelmed or feel overwhelmed by things in their life. What are some ways that people feel overwhelmed?
One major way is having clutter everywhere in sight, seemingly zillions of unresolved bits. Another way many people feel overwhelmed is by schedules that are packed with activities all day every day.
Many people feel overwhelmed by technology. The "labor saving" devices, computers, cell phones, email, texting, IMing, PDA’s all consume massive and growing amounts of time and energy, and that is on days when they are working perfectly. If they are malfunctioning intermittently or simply "croak", they can quickly consume hours and days of our time in frustrating attempts to revive or replace them. Meanwhile, production, i.e., moving ahead on our goals simply ceases.
These are just a few of the most common ways that people feel overwhelmed. Consider for a moment that being overwhelmed might mean that you are letting someone or something else control your time. If that statement is true, how can you take back control of your time and leave overwhelm behind forever?
1. Getting control of paper in the office would be a great start. One of the best places to start is to decide to be more conscious in lessening or preventing increase in paper.
2. Start with mail. When you bring the mail in, sort it right away beside the recycling bin. Immediately recycle everything that would have eventually ended up there anyway. Sort out any bills and put them in a designated place immediately. This will save time later and you won’t have to dig through piles looking for your bills.
3. Next, consider changing your practices regarding computer printouts. Come up with some sort of new criteria for what you print off the computer. Perhaps you will decide to make folders on the computer and save documents there rather than printing them out and adding to the piles. Maybe you could decide not to print anything at all unless a printout was specifically needed and would be used immediately.
4. Consider the premise that overwhelm might mean letting someone else control your time. How does technology play a part here? Cell phones, text messages, IM’s demand that we are on call all the time. You may want to come up with some limitations to your availability to take back some or all of your time. Perhaps decide to answer messages only once or twice a day. If your labor saving gadgets waste a lot of your time, it might be a good idea to consider going "cold turkey" and not be connected 24/7. It’s a subversive concept, but ultimately quite freeing.
5. With email, consider deleting any time wasters immediately without opening. You have the right to ask others to leave you off any of their chain letter emails, and I’m sure you won’t experience dire consequences.
6. Look at any way you can simplify your calendar, either limiting the number of commitments or simplifying the procedures or gadgets involved.
7. Constantly analyze where your time goes and question any time usage that has "time killing" as a product. Computer card games is a great example.
Just keep looking for ways that you can take back control of your life and no longer live in overwhelm.
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