There are times, aren’t there, when heaps and heaps of things pile up into a single big, ugly mess called ‘overwhelming’? I know it happens to more people than just me, and I dare anyone to stick their hand up and claim that they’ve never been bitten or growled at by the overhwelming mongrel.
Overwhelming does not have to always win. It can be whipped and beaten and sent back to sulk in the corner where it belongs. Yes, of course it may pop its shitty head out again on occasion to taunt some more but hey, it’s just keeping you on your toes 
This morning I decided that I would definitely give overwhelming a razz. I had updated my to-do list and there were SEVENTEEN things on there that needed to be done, none of them little ticket items either. Holy cow! Slow breath. Re-evaluate. So what to do, what to do?
Here is my today plan, 5 steps for tackling the ‘too much to do’ syndrome and not letting the overwhelming win:
1. Prioritise. After taking a deep breath and a double shot espresso, I have arranged my tasks into order. There are some that can be chunked together. Chunking is good. The ones where the world won’t end should I not get to them today are on the list in last position.
2. Earn little breaks. Set mini goals that make it ok to sit down for a spell and a cuppa, but only when certain tasks have been achieved. A little break is not a nana nap though and nor is it a movie marathon. A wee bit of time will make you feel human and encourage you to keep moving down that list and tick, tick, ticking those jobs off.
3. Sounds dumb, but start with the kitchen. It is amazing how a clean and tidy kitchen will lift spirits and encourage you to keep on going. Try it, it’s true 
A shiny kitchen sink always fights the overwhelming
photo by Johanna Ljungblom
4. Release yourself from the stress of trying to be everything and achieve all because really, you do not need to be a super-heroine for anyone. The sun will still rise tomorrow even if things on the to-do list still need to be done.
5. Enlist the help of others. Are there things on the to-do list that can be outsourced to other members of the family? Are there ‘jobs’ that can be done in the company of a good friend to ease the pain and aid the motivation?
Well, I’m off to get started. How much is on your list today? Plenty to do too? How do you go about beating the overwhelming?
