Overwhelmed with too much to do!

How often do you find that your list (or lists), calendar, emails, or project tracking methods are just out of control? I am a list, email, and calendar user to help me stay on track, but sometimes I lose focus and feel overwhelmed because I see so much to do but not a clear path to start. Recently I found myself staring at the emails and lists, yes, I have multiple lists, wondering why I was feeling the pressure to get things done. I had been getting items cleared off the lists, but those not done still had me feeling overwhelmed.

Interestingly, it was not until a couple of days later, when I was working with a group at a DISC presentation, that I was reminded about a decision-making and prioritization tool I commonly coached and consulted on but failed to implement – the Eisenhower Matrix. This is also like Stephen Covey’s time management matrix. Sitting with this group while conducting a time management exercise with the matrix, I realized they were making everything they do urgent and important, much like myself. Everything needed to be done now. It all made sense at that point; I was making everything urgent and important, doing anything I could to mark off my task list but at the cost of not focusing on the essential items.

If you are unfamiliar with these planning matrix tools, there are a variety of versions out there. The goal is to help us verify that we are doing the right things with our time and stop some overwhelmed feelings. Here is one example of the matrix.

How do we use this, and how can we decide a difference between urgent and important? I will share how I assist others in breaking it down. Let’s start with the difference between urgent and important.

URGENT – these are the items that must be done. Maybe there is an associated deadline, or it could be an issue that, if not addressed now, has long-term effects on you or the business.

IMPORTANT – any item you believe provides long-term success and value towards your goals.

Do It

As we have those URGENT and IMPORTANT tasks in front of us, we need to act. It is the item we need to focus on and get done to meet the deadline of fixing the issue. Some examples of this may be submitting the bid before the cutoff or taking the car to the shop because it is not running correctly.

Schedule It or Plan It

These are the items that will require time and commitment to complete. We are working on areas that get to the completion of our goals towards success. When we see these items, we plan the necessary time and steps to accomplish them. These items may have deadlines, but they are in the future and give us the ability to take time and prepare. Examples might be scheduling a meeting to build your professional network or getting into your mental and physical wellness routine.

Distraction (Delegate It)

This is a common area many of us find ourselves working in and feeling satisfied. We are focused on the items that pop up and treat these as necessary items to give attention to. We also can allow ourselves to feel productive here because we see things are getting done, but the problem for most is that these are not the things we need to focus on now. These might include the unscheduled meetings or interruptions we allow ourselves to be pulled into or maybe checking and responding to texts, Slack messages, or emails as soon as received.

Another option for this area may be to Delegate It. I find that leaders and managers routinely work on urgent items that are not important to them as related to their job duties. Understanding what tasks need to be done by others will assist in reducing some overwhelm. You can also find ways at home today to delegate, such as using curbside pickup or delivery of groceries.

Delete It or Minimize It

These are items that are draining our time from the actual areas we need to be focused on at the moment. We may like or enjoy the activity, but it is sucking us away from the things that need our attention. Typically these are items we find some enjoyment such as watching TV, playing a game on the phone, or scrolling on social media. However, sometimes we need to delete these activities because they are unhealthy, and for others, we need to learn to minimize the time we are focused on them.

How do we put this all together? It depends on how far out you look and plan tasks, such as daily, weekly, or monthly plans. Get everything you need to complete in your preferred timeframe listed out. Once you do this, it is time to determine what your importance and urgency are for each item and place them into the appropriate category for you. As new things pop up into your timeframe, ensure you assess where it must be categorized and work it appropriately. Once the planned timeframe has passed, you evaluate your progress, analyze to see if you are correctly categorizing everything, then start the process over again for the new day, week, or month.

As we consider the items we are planning to complete, we also must understand things will interrupt us, and new items will be added all the time. So it is a continuous process of recognizing what you are working on or doing and challenging yourself to understand how important and urgent it actually is.

Spending minimal time each day understanding where our tasks, emails, and calendar fall in the matrix will lead to putting our energy and efforts in the right place at the right time. We can fill accomplished knowing we got the right stuff done. It can also improve our ability to plan, develop healthier habits, and reduce feeling overwhelmed.

Written by Steven Schultze