When You Feel Overwhelmed Do Less Better
Marcus Aurelius was the emperor of Rome from 161 AD to 180 AD, but he’s better known as one of the most important Stoic philosophers. He wrote, “If you feel overwhelmed, do less.” Meditations 4.24
Doing less isn’t about leisure. Too much of anything is dissatisfying, including relaxation. More time off isn’t the answer when you return to the same catastrophe you left behind.
3 questions to ask when you feel overwhelmed:
#1. What is essential?
- Is signing papers essential?
- Are nagging notifications distracting you from something essential?
- What would it mean to simplify your day?
- What are you good at? Your talent helps you define essential.
‘Doing less better’ is limiting the number of things you do so you can do other things better.
#2. How can you focus on this play?
Nick Saban, renowned American football coach emphasizes ‘the process’. Part of the process is focusing on the immediate task. Don’t look at the scoreboard. (Here’s a two-minute video of Saban)
One reason you feel overwhelmed is you’re focused on the scoreboard instead of this play. Focus on what is in front of you, the immediate action.
You feel overwhelmed when you focus on many things at once. Do less better.
Care about what you can do instead of what others think, say, or do.
#3. How can you enjoy what you have?
It’s exhausting to constantly pursue more. Bigger houses, nicer clothes, and longer vacations. The more we get, the more we want.
Greed drains joy.
- Come back to the present. Perhaps a few deep breaths will help.
- Practice gratitude.
- Focus on learning.
- Appreciate the strengths of the people on your team.
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed?
How can leaders manage their lives so they ‘do less better’?
Still curious:
3 Surprising Secrets to Self-Management
Nothing like reading the obvious after being up three times overnight! Couldn’t be better timing …..point number will guide the day!
I was also up last night, just thinking about all that I have to do every single day. My goal will be realistic, bite-sized tasks. And the advice of not working to the point of fatigue every day is something I will really try to take to heart.
Thanks Rosemarie. It’s so easy for tasks and duties to gang up on us.
Regarding not working till the point of fatigue every day, I know some leaders who set a quitting time and keep it. When will you quit today? The truth is there is always more to do. The notion that getting one more thing done helps is wrong. Getting one more thing done only leads to something else taking its place.
Cheers
Feeling overwhelmed–stop what your doing, step back, and consider options.
1. What is your top priority?
2. What can you delete?
3. What can you delegate?
4. Negotiate new deadlines if needed.
Than focus on doing just one thing until it’s finished.
Crisp suggestions, Paul. Thank you. I find the deleting step most challenging. It’s fun to begin, to start, to push forward. It’s more challenging to let go of something.
Right on message and so needed right now. Answering “What are you good at helps define your essential” is my take away from another practical and workable message from Dan Rockwell. As a volunteer and co-partner of a spiritual leadership team in a non profit spiritual centre with no minister, like many, I have chosen to take on too many roles, many of which are way outside what I am good at doing. Money greed has certainly not been my motive. Perhaps more insidiously, ego needs have governed my feeling that I can do even what I am not good at more easily than delegating. Your wake up call for me means taking action , stepping outside my comfort zone by beginning to delegate with consideration of the better good for all. .
Your comment feels like a sledgehammer. So powerful. Your statement, I have chosen to take on too many roles, many of which are way outside what I am good at doing,” speaks to me. Especially, “I have chosen.” I drag my feet when it comes to owning my own busyness. I want to blame others. But that’s weak. I make choices. Even the unconscious decision to let others run our lives is a choice.
You remind me that delegating is first about who I am. Control freaks can’t delegate, for example. (Boy, that one stings.) Thanks for keeping it real.