2. Now that your projects are prioritized, look at your daytimer and place these into it with a reasonable amount of time for each and then add extra time for hiccups like computer problems, interruptions, etc.

3. Determine what disruptions you’ll allow. If a friend or family member contacts you, will you displace your work for them or call them back? Don’t be afraid to say what you need. Others who care about you will understand. If it’s your boss, let him know you’re trying to work efficiently and see if you can meet with him after you have a block of focused time on the project first.

4. Don’t forget to factor in enough time for meals, exercise, bathroom breaks, travel time, sleep and other necessary components of your day. If you plan to get something done today, you can make a few simple concessions (like eating while you work), but I wouldn’t advise it for any other than what’s pressing and for short-term work allowances only.

5. If you find you’re taking too long to complete things or backpaddling once something is already done, then you need to examine your work style. Are you too detailed? Are you not delegating certain aspects of the project? What’s more important, your time or your money on this project? Again, set your priorities here to reach maximum efficiency and work/life balance.

There are no one-shot answers to this problem of overwhelm, since there are often many offenders. But the main ones are listed above and stem from poor preparation, not communicating one’s needs, taking on too much in too short of a timeframe, and having unrealistic expectations of oneself and one’s daily schedule. Address these and you’ll come close to completely eliminating your overwhelm!

What causes you to feel overwhelmed and how do you handle it?

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