Five Ways to Overcome Feeling Overwhelmed by Nicole Lance Barely keeping my head above water. Slammed. Buried. Inundated. Drowning. Riding the struggle bus. Overwhelmed. Every day I talk to community leaders and public servants who are all echoing the same refrain:
We are overwhelmed. Whether a city manager of a large community or an early-career employee who has been furloughed, this sentiment is ringing true for all of us right now. If you, your team members, or even family members are feeling overwhelmed, try some of these strategies to help you overcome the overwhelm:
Practice radical presence. Feelings of overwhelm often sweep over us when we are trying to manage more than one thing at a time. If you are starting to feel swept away, take 30 seconds to become very present exactly where you are. What tangible things do you see in front of you? Are you standing, sitting, lying down, moving? What is the temperature of the space around you? If you are really struggling, try narrating this out loud to help narrow your focus. “I am standing in my kitchen. I can see the coffee pot. It’s warm in here because the oven is on.” When you are ready, turn this same tactic toward the task in front of you and tackle it as your sole focus. Reprinted f rom the ICMA Blog, May 4, 2020.
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