Feeling Overwhelmed as a Leader? 10 Easy Steps Out

As a leader, it’s not uncommon to feel overwhelmed from time to time. After all, you’re juggling a lot of different responsibilities and tasks. But don’t worry – there is hope. By following these 10 professional executive coaching steps, you can get your bearings and regain control of the situation. So what are you waiting for? Start fresh today!

 

 

 

Step #01: Take a deep breath.

When you’re feeling overwhelmed, the first thing you need to do, even as a leader or executive, is take a deep breath and calm down. This may sound cliché, but it’s true – taking a few minutes to relax can help clear your mind and make it easier to focus on what needs to be done.

From a medical perspective, deep breathing is incredibly important for healthy high performers. It helps improve blood circulation, oxygenates the body, and releases stress hormones. When you’re feeling overwhelmed, deep breathing can help you regain control of the situation and make it easier to think straight. So don’t hesitate to take a few minutes to yourself to breathe deeply and relax.

Step #02: Assess the situation.

Once you’ve calmed down, take some time to assess the situation and figure out what’s causing you stress in your leadership situation. Once you know what the problem is, it’ll be easier to come up with a solution.

There are a number of different tools that you can use as a leader to assess a problem. One popular tool is the 5 Whys technique. This involves asking yourself “why” five times in order to get to the root of the problem.

Let’s say you’re feeling overwhelmed because you have a lot of work to do. The first step is to ask yourself “why” you’re feeling overwhelmed.

Why am I feeling overwhelmed?

Because I have a lot of work to do.

Why do I have a lot of work to do?

Because I’m behind on my deadlines.

Why am I behind on my deadlines?

Because I didn’t start working on it sooner.

Why didn’t I start working on it sooner?

Because I was procrastinating.

Another helpful tool many executives and leaders use for assessing a situation is the Problem Solving Triangle. This triangle consists of three steps: identify the problem, brainstorm possible solutions, and select the best solution. By using this triangle, you can systematically go through each step and come up with a workable solution.

One common situation where a leader might feel overwhelmed is when they’re dealing with a difficult employee. Let’s say you have an employee who is constantly arguing with you and causing conflict in the workplace. The first step is to identify the problem – in this case, it’s the difficult employee. The second step is to brainstorm possible solutions. Some possible solutions include firing the employee, transferring them to a different department, or giving them a warning. The third step is to select the best solution. In this case, the best solution might be to fire the employee. By using the problem solving triangle, you can systematically go through each step and come up with a workable solution.

Step #03: Delegate tasks where possible.

If there are tasks that can be delegated, don’t hesitate to do so. Delegating can help leaders in any organization take some of the pressure off and free up your time to focus on more important things.

One popular approach to delegation is the Pareto principle, also known as the 80/20 rule. This principle states that 80% of the results come from 20% of the effort. In other words, most of the work is done by a small minority of the employees. This makes delegating a task a more efficient use of time.

When delegating a task, it’s important to make sure that you’re delegating it to the right person in your team. In your leadership role, you need to find someone who has the skills and knowledge to complete the task, and who is also willing to do it. It’s also important to delegate tasks in a way that doesn’t overwhelm the employee. You don’t want to give them a task that’s too big and beyond their capabilities.

Step #04: Set priorities.

When you’re feeling overwhelmed, it’s easy to feel like everything is a priority. But that’s not realistic – and it’ll only lead to stress and frustration. Instead, set priorities and focus on the most important tasks first.

One common approach to setting priorities is the ABCDE approach. This approach involves ranking tasks in order of importance, with A being the most important and E being the least important.

Another popular approach is the 1-2-3 rule. This approach involves ranking tasks in order of urgency, with 1 being the most urgent and 3 being the least urgent.

Step #05: Take breaks when needed.

Don’t be afraid – not even in a leadership position or senior executive position – to take breaks when needed. When you’re working hard, it’s natural to want to push yourself as far as you can go. But if you don’t give your mind and body a break, you’ll end up burned out very quickly, not getting closer to healthy high performance. 

Short breaks can also have a positive effect on your health. When you’re constantly working, your body is under stress. This can lead to health problems such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and obesity. By taking short breaks, you can reduce the amount of stress your body is under. This can help improve your health and reduce your risk of developing health problems.

Step #06: Set deadlines.

One way to reduce stress  and increase productivity is to set deadlines for yourself as a leader. This will help you stay on track and make sure that you’re not trying to do too much at once.

One way to set realistic deadlines is to use the SMART approach. This approach involves setting goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.

Another way to set realistic deadlines is to break down a task into smaller parts. This makes the task seem less daunting and makes it easier to track your progress.

Step #07: Take care of yourself.

When you’re feeling overwhelmed, it’s easy to forget about yourself. But it’s important to take care of yourself both physically and mentally and demonstrate true self-leadership. This means making sure that you’re getting enough sleep, eating a healthy diet, and exercise.

It’s also important to take some time for yourself. This can be anything from taking a relaxing bath to reading your favorite book. By taking some time for yourself, you can reduce the amount of stress you’re under.

Step #08: Simplify your life.

One way to reduce stress is to simplify your life. This means getting rid of the things that are causing you stress and decluttering your life. 

One way to declutter your life as a leader is to get rid of unnecessary possessions. This can be done by evaluating each item and asking yourself these questions:

– Do I use this item?

– Does this item bring me joy?

– Is this item worth the space it’s taking up in my home?

If the answer to any of these questions is no, then you should consider getting rid of the item.

Another way to simplify your life is to reduce the number of commitments you have. This can be done by saying no to new commitments and cancelling existing ones. It’s one of the most important skills for successful leaders to learn to say “no” in order to increase productivity and become a real healthy high performer. 

Step #09: Ask for help when needed.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help when needed – it’s not a sign of weakness for leaders in any position but a sign of strength! When you’re feeling overwhelmed, it’s often difficult to do everything on your own. By asking for help, you can lighten the load and make things a little bit easier.

There are many different ways to ask for help, including:

– Asking friends and family for help

– Asking coworkers for help

– Hiring a professional organizer

– Hiring a personal assistant

– Reflecting with your Executive Coach

 

Step #10: Practice stress management techniques.

Finally, one of the best ways to deal with stress is to practice stress management techniques. This includes things such as deep breathing exercises, meditation, and yoga – all of them practiced by some of the most successful executives and healthy high performers.

By practicing these techniques regularly, you can learn how to manage your stress in a healthy way. And that can lead to a more relaxed and less stressful life.

One of the easiest stress reduction techniques is deep breathing exercises. This involves taking a few deep breaths and focusing on your breath. This can help calm your mind and body. Another easy stress reduction technique is meditation. This involves sitting in silence and focusing on your breath or a mantra. Finally, yoga is another easy way to reduce stress. This involves stretching and breathing exercises.

One of the more sophisticated stress reduction techniques is mindfulness meditation. This involves sitting in silence and focusing on your breath or a mantra. By focusing on your breath, you can learn to let go of your thoughts and feelings. This can help reduce the amount of stress you’re under.

 

Follow these tips and you’ll be able to overcome feeling overwhelmed as a leader or executive team member. Just remember to take things one step at a time and don’t be afraid to ask for support from a trusted executive sparring partner or leadership coach!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Guest Post: How Yoga Can Help You De-Stress At Work

Stress management in today’s work environments is extremely important. This was true long before the CoV19 outbreak, and will continue to be into the future. In many industries, people have been working longer hours for several years now — and the problem has only gotten worse in 2020, with 44% of people putting in more hours at home according to RTE. This naturally leads to stress (as if we don’t all have a bit too much already these days), which is not only bad for employees’ personal wellness but also has a negative effect on productivity. Virtually any experienced leader in business will attest to the fact that a stressed-out employee is generally a worse one.

An employee who feels overworked will ultimately “burn out” — an idea we covered in our piece on ‘How to Access Your Peak Performance’ back in 2018. In that piece we focused more on some of the mental and strategic things people can do to avoid feeling overwhelmed (such as saying “no” to more tasks, when possible). But sometimes physical activity can help to offset the burden or the modern work schedule as well.

One idea with regards to the physical dimension that become increasingly common is yoga. A simple search for “corporate yoga” will reveal pages upon pages of write-ups about various companies that have infused yoga and wellness programs into their cultures. They include the likes of Aetna, Blue Chip, and Eventbrite. But now, with so many people working at home, yoga is an even more appealing option, because it’s that much easier to sep away from your desk and knock out some downward-facing dog!

So let’s identify a few of the specific ways an activity like yoga in the workplace can help employees to manage stress, and thereby keep workplaces (even the remote ones) more productive and healthy.

#1 – Yoga is actually feasible

Yoga in the office can take a lot of forms. In the best of cases, a company will establish communal space where yoga or other light physical activities can be practiced, so as to incentivize employees to take care of themselves. However, the point here is that even in a more traditional office environment, yoga at work is completely feasible! Sure, you might not be able to do the full routine you’d ordinarily do at home with your favorite yoga app, or in a local studio or gym you might go to. But there are some things you can do without taking up any more space than you normally do when you’re sitting at your desk.

Thrive Global wrote about practical stress management and revealed some of the specifics behind simple yoga exercises that most anyone can do at work. Declaring yoga “hard to beat” as a stress management technique, the article revealed some basic poses — such as spine twists, rolling shoulders, and back-and-forth twists — that you can do quite literally while seated at your desk. There are more like these out there, and there are also some effective yoga exercises you can do standing behind your chair, if you have the option. Whatever the specifics may be though, the point is that one reason office yoga is so effective is that you can actually practice it regularly, no matter what your working environment may be. So yes, Yoga is feasaible!

#2 – Yoga Can Be Social

Socialization in the workplace is a somewhat polarizing topic. Some believe that employees becoming friendly with each other can lead to the working environment becoming somewhat less serious, and ultimately less productive. Others, however, believe that when employees are encouraged to socialize, they generally stay happier, and thus avoid burnout. To that point, Forbes covered multiple benefits of social connections specifically for employee wellness. Their article made note of broad concepts like increased happiness, less stress, increased engagement, and so on.

Considering these points it’s fair to say that socialization itself helps to keep workplace stress under control. Yoga, however, can help to drive that socialization. We mentioned above that some offices have spaces set aside for yoga and similar activities, and in these cases the exercise can help unite people. Even if employees aren’t necessarily chatting a whole lot while practicing yoga, they’ll be doing something together aside from work. It can help to build a sense of community that can in turn help to reduce stress. So yes, Yoga is quite but there is a very social, team-dimension to it!

#3 – Yoga Has Plenty Of Physical Benefits

Last but not least, there are physical benefits to consider! Healthline sums up the benefits of yoga in a fairly comprehensive manner, and includes improved heart health, reduction of chronic pain, better flexibility and balance, better breathing, and increased strength — not to mention the promotion of better eating and sleeping habits.

All of these perks are associated with regular yoga practice. And while they may not seem directly relevant to workplace stress, it’s reasonable to expect that employees who feel healthier in all these ways will simply feel better at work. They might be inclined to eat healthier lunches, they might feel more natural sitting at their desks, and they might simply operate with a more refreshed, energetic attitude. All of this, in turn, can amount to fairly effective workplace stress management. All it takes, as demonstrated by some of the companies listed previously, is the designation of a space and the offering of free yoga classes. Employees will do the rest. And your organization will experience one additional way to making your employees healthy high performers!

Written for: braininspa.com
Submitted by: Jennifer Birch
Image Credits: [PxFuel] – No changes were made to the image

How To Access Your Peak Performance And Not Burn Out

There is a feeling some people call “being overwhelmed.” It makes them unsure about where to start because there are a trillion things requiring their attention. Others call it “being off-balance.” Something feels just not right. And then there are those who keep repeating what nobody can hear anymore because everyone is feeling the same thing: “I am so stressed. I don’t even know where to start.”

Do You Know Your Priorities?

Whatever you call it, the feeling is prominent these days, and it is often a sign that you are not living by your priorities. Maybe you live on autopilot and take care ofwhatever others require you to do, what you are supposed to do, or what your family or boss requested that you do. Isn’t it time to get your balance back, to be your own master and complete those to-dos that bring you closer to your desired goals? To do this, it is critical that you define which priorities you have for your life, specifically right now, for this exact moment in your life.

Between Stimulus And Response, You Have The Freedom To Choose

Maybe you’ve heard of Viktor Frankl, a Jewish psychiatrist who was imprisoned in a Nazis concentration camp but survived and wrote a book called Man’s Search for Meaning. It was during these agonizing days when Frankl became aware of what would later be quoted a million times: “Between stimulus and response, you have the freedom to choose.” Frankl realized that whatever happened to him (the stimulus), he himself (and nobody else) had the freedom to choose his response to the stimulus.

Saying No To Everything — Almost Everything

Transferring this idea to our daily struggle means that at any given moment, you have a chance to choose. Say yes or no; do or don’t; go left or right. Most importantly, once you have identified your vision and your key priorities in life, you should say no to everything that distracts you or takes away time from your priorities.

Assuming you have a clear vision of where you are going with your life, and you have defined your goals, then you can judge which activities help you go in the right direction. In assessing whether something presented to you is a priority and should get your time and attention, ask yourself only two simple questions:

1. Is this really my subject, my problem, or somebody else’s? This question should help you identify who has the ownership of this topic and if that subject is important for you or has an impact on your bigger goals.

2. Will there be consequences that affect my goals if I choose not to respond? This question should help you understand how to prioritize this task, as well as lead you to consider what action is required.

If one or both of these questions is answered with no, there is no required action from you, so either disregard the task/topic presented to you or put it on your “maybe of interest someday” list. Answering both of these questions with yes means that you need to deal with the subject, allowing for your time and attention. Finally, consider the three-minute-rule. If the required action derived from this request takes less than three minutes of your time, and you can do it right away — get it done. If the task needs more than three minutes, delegate it and make sure it shows up on your “waiting for” list.

You can also put a date on the task to indicate when you will schedule time in your calendar to work on it. I learned from true productivity masters to schedule meetings for less time than you might otherwise. For example, 15 minutes instead of the commonly used 30 minutes. Without question, this allows you to fit many more potential discussions or meetings into your calendar and helps participants focus on what really matters. Last but not least, you could place this task that takes more than three minutes on your “next action items” list. Maybe you structure this list by topic or project. This “next action items” list is your No. 1 go-to place when it comes to defining your day or your week.

This article was first published with Forbes®.com.