The ExperTease's Top Moments: #7 - How To Stop Feeling Overwhelmed

I know that things can get a bit overwhelming sometimes. It's not easy getting all the stuff swirling around in your head to settle down long enough for you to process it and take action.
Not to mention, there are lots of added stresses from things like work deadlines, to your personal relationships, or financial strains to name a few, that can make you feel even more bogged down.
It can be frustrating. REALLY frustrating. And The worst part about it is the fact you KNOW that you are capable of doing it all and more.
You know how I know? Because I've been there. I'm still there... Battling the same battle. Every. Single. Day. It's an ongoing battle.
ExperTease at the Old Bait Shop on Mission Beach
But I've got good news...
By the time you finish this article, you will have everything you need to take that burning frustration you feel and transform it into a blissful feeling of satisfaction from a job well done.
However, in order to make the most of this course, we need to get clear on a few things.
If we take the same energy we use to focus on the fact that we are overwhelmed and frustrated and instead place it on the causes of the overwhelm itself, it can make a huge difference in the results we get.
So what causes us to feel overwhelmed? 
According to Frank, these are the culprits:
  • lack of clear-cut objectives
  • lack of clearly defined time targets
  • lack of planning
  • lack of focus
  • lack of a system for productivity
  • distractions
I agree with the list completely. And after having it laid out so clearly, it is easy to see what areas of our lives must improve in order to decrease the amount of negative emotion we feel from being overwhelmed.
Of all the factors that contribute to being overwhelmed, in my opinion, improved planning is where you will get the most leverage.
Planning thoughts in Squad Goals Tee on Mission Beach
Simple things from planning when you'll block time to work on your goals, to more long-term planning for savings and big-ticket purchases and committing to the plan is an excellent way to add the structure needed to sustain focus over time.
Fortunately, everything you need to start making those changes is already inside you...
You already have some goals you want to accomplish. Since you are reading this it is safe to assume that you have the desire to make positive changes to your situation. And you know that you need help getting it done...
So it makes sense to implement the most effective method I've found for attaining results affectionately called... a "check-in."
Now I know what you may be thinking... A "check-in" couldn't possibly be the solution I'm recommending, but stay with me. This is unlike most check-ins you've ever done in two ways:
First, the purpose of this check-in is not to be judgmental or beat yourself up about what is not getting accomplished. Instead, the idea is to take an objective look at your results and identify areas to focus on.
Secondly, when applied consistently, a daily, weekly, or monthly "check-in" like the one outlined later in this article is the best method of accountability I've ever found because it combines two important success principles:
  1. what gets measured gets improved.
  2. what you focus on expands.
What should you be measuring and focusing on? 
Good question. Focus on crafting the best plan possible and measure your ability to accomplish the steps of the plan.
A plan, by definition, is the outline of the steps one intends to take in order to reach their desired outcome. So logically it makes sense to dedicate time to ensure your plan is solid and gets executed effectively.
Contemplating questions on Mission Beach in San Diego
Here's how to do it:
First, think about the list of goals that I mentioned earlier...If you are like me and have a lot of them, choose the top 3-4 that would make the biggest difference in your life over the next 90 days and focus on these first.
Take a moment to reflect on the time you spent working in these areas. 
  • Were you able to make any progress towards accomplishing any of them?
  • If so, how did you do?
  • How much time did you dedicate to each goal on your list this week? 
  • Is there anything that prohibited you from getting started or continuing to take action? 
  • What's one thing you can celebrate about what you've accomplished already? 
  • Where can you stand to improve? 
  • What are the first steps you can take immediately to start getting better results?
Take an objective look at each of your goals as you run them through this filter and write down your responses.
Serious Looks by the ocean in Squad Goals Tee
Here's where many people go wrong...
It's easy to look at your list and begin to feel bad about what appears to be a lack of results. But as I mentioned earlier, that's an excellent example of putting your focus on your frustration and what's not working.
Instead, we should do our best to separate our emotions from our decision-making process so we can look at our productivity with a clear perspective. 
Remember, the goal isn't to judge how well we've done; it's to identify what we have done so we can create a plan to do it better and more effectively in the future.
This one little mindset shift is what allows us to move past the frustrations we feel when things aren't going the way we'd like and identify what we should focus on to fix the source of the problem.
The beauty of this process is that once you have learned how to control your focus and how to place it on the things that really matter, you are able to apply it to any area of your life... Business, relationships, finances, you name it!
ACTION STEPS
So, with that being said... I encourage you to find a moment where you can quietly reflect on the week that just passed and write down the responses to the questions I listed above.
If you need some assistance or would like to chat with me about the results you're getting, I've opened up my calendar to help as many people as I can create their own success strategy.
>>> click here <<< to book a call.

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