How to Overcome Workload Paralysis and Get Back to Action
We are all busy, but sometimes we have periods when work piles up and it seems like it will never end. You may have so much work to do that it will be too scary to even start. That’s when you need to take a step back, take a deep breath, and start prioritizing.
This post originally appeared on the Crew blog .
With my freelance work growing and shrinking, a startup to manage, and side projects that are always on the go, this seems to happen to me all too often. So why, the more work I have , the less work I do?
There seems to be a tipping point for me when I go from very busy to so-busy-I’m-paralyzed and-can’t-do-anything. Workload paralysis.
When I have too many things to do, I usually just close and avoid work altogether (this is when Settlers of Catan trains hard on my iPad). I’ve been prone to other distractions in the past, like overeating on TV, but each boils down to the same unconscious goal: occupy my mind so I don’t have to face the reality of my workload .
A 4-Step Guide to Overcoming Work Paralysis
Obviously, succumbing to workload paralysis is counterproductive, but even worse, it can also put you in a constant cycle of low motivation: you avoid work that needs to be done and then become frustrated with spending half a day playing or watching. TV, which means you have no motivation to go back to your work and then end up spending the afternoon in the same way.
To top it off, all of this only increases your workload, making it more likely that you will be doing the same tomorrow and the day after tomorrow.
I’ve found myself getting caught up in this cycle several times already, so I’m at least at the point where I can recognize when it’s happening – this is where having a plan of action becomes critical.
I highly recommend making a plan of action before you need it, because when it comes time to fight your paralysis, you will not be in the right mood to work it out. If you are even a little like me, you will be lucky if you can accomplish what you have.
I have found that these are four things that help me get out of this cycle of inactivity.
1. Pick one thing and do it.
Do you know how to quickly check something off your to-do list or share a link online for something that’s finally ready to launch?
Nothing empowers me like the feeling of accomplishment that comes after I finish something.
Remembering this feeling when I struggle with an overwhelming workload, I can only choose one thing to focus on every day. I put all the energy I can muster into this single task, knowing that if I can accomplish this, I will feel a little better about my overall workload (as it will build my confidence in my own ability to complete tasks ).
The problem with this type of paralysis is that you rarely know where to start. For me, I usually start by writing things down on paper or a board. When I see everything I need to do, it helps me make sense of it and decide where to start.
Author Scott Burkun does this too :
“A well-written list is the quickest way out of most problem situations … Writing things down is powerful. Once the thoughts are recorded, you can move them, compare, combine or separate as your thinking develops. “
Scott loves working with lists as they help him break down each task into smaller pieces until it becomes more manageable. I like to schedule my tasks on the calendar and work backwards to plan every step that needs to be taken along the way. However you work, just write down your workload on paper so you can find a place to start.
Sometimes I choose something small to start with, simply because it is doable. Maybe it’s an email to a customer I was putting aside, or some invoices that I need to send. Sometimes it’s best to start with the necessary tasks in my workload, which are small in themselves. I can use this oncoming momentum from every small task to move on to bigger challenges that really overwhelm me.
2. Prioritize like crazy
I have never felt that prioritizing is more important than when I am overwhelmed.
Workload paralysis often prompts me to reconsider my priorities and give up some of the things I thought I needed to do. Attending a meeting, doing free work to help a friend, or meeting people who want to do some brain work are usually the first things to do. I also have to put off the extra time I want to spend on side projects or learning new skills.
This type of prioritization can often seem selfish (which only adds to the stress). Deliberately giving up on what you want to do or procrastinating is painful, but you need to reduce your workload to the point where you can handle it. Knowing that this is a temporary measure can relieve this pain.
If you find it difficult to prioritize, author Gary Keller suggests asking yourself this simple question :
“What can I do to make everything else easier or unnecessary?”
In the past, I have worked with the following priority matrix from Stephen Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People :
Delegation can be really helpful during these periods if you have the resources available. I don’t have much of a chance to delegate work, but when I’m really overwhelmed, I hand off some of the Hello Code work to my co-founder Josh. For example, we share customer support, but if any of us have a huge workload in other areas, we temporarily ditch it to distribute the load more evenly.
Of course, you can also delegate housework and family responsibilities. If someone else takes over the housework, cooks dinner, or looks after the children, you will have more time to deal with your workload .
3. Take small steps
I have already said that sometimes I start with a small task just because I know I can do it. This sense of completeness is all I seek initially. It’s the best paralysis antidote for too much I know.
If you can take a small step forward, it’s still better than doing nothing (which will lead you backwards anyway, as the work piles up higher and higher).
A short list of small steps I have taken is enough to make me feel like I have accomplished something at the end of the day. A little momentum is better than no momentum .
When I need to write something, sometimes I just start by creating a new Markdown document for each article and saving it. It may have a name and nothing else in it, but it exists now, and I know where to start when I’m ready to make progress on it. In a way, I overcame all the obstacles to get started.
Sometimes a huge workload consists of ongoing projects. Small steps can help you gain a sense of accomplishment, which can be difficult when you are working on something long term. When I feel overwhelmed, I try to break down these larger projects into tasks that I can complete during the day and start them before moving on to larger chunks of work.
4. Make health a priority
When you prioritize your workload, it can be tempting to put off things like sleep and exercise in favor of doing more. In my experience, they should not be viewed as optional, like community events or side project work.
Your health should be your top priority, especially when your workload is struggling to win.
When I’m overworked, it’s easiest for me to overlook the time it takes for exercise, healthy eating, and getting enough sleep. Unfortunately, this is not something I can easily give up if I want to keep doing my best. And when my workload kicks in, it’s even more important that I perform well.
Whenever I feel myself being sucked into a paralysis pit by workload, I make sure to set aside time for exercise and stick to a regular sleep schedule. Since the amount of work seems to take up time to cook (and I don’t want to take a break if I pick up steam), I try to cook in batches or buy healthy snacks to cook my meals. well convenient enough for me to continue like this.
The next time you find yourself wasting hours playing games or watching TV while your workload piles up, remember that it’s not just you. We all feel this way sometimes.
The best you can do is focus on a small action – just take one small action and use that momentum to keep working until your workload is manageable again.
And whatever you do, don’t look down (at the rest of the work). Just focus on what you are doing right now and do it.