What does it mean to feel overwhelmed at work?
Feeling overwhelmed at work typically means you're experiencing stress due to the amount or difficulty of the work you're assigned. You could feel overwhelmed after working on challenging projects or being assigned numerous tasks with tight deadlines. There are many ways you can reduce or eliminate this overwhelming feeling, like taking plenty of breaks, asking for help or telling your supervisor when your workload feels too heavy.
Keeping yourself from feeling overwhelmed can make you feel more confident and comfortable at work, causing you to submit quality work and perform more effectively. This can impress your supervisor and possibly lead to raises or promotions.
Common causes of feeling overwhelmed at work
There are many reasons why your work duties can make you feel overwhelmed. You should take a moment to identify what's causing you to feel this way to determine how to properly manage it. Common causes of feeling overwhelmed at work can include:
- Having several assignments to complete at once
- Meeting tight deadlines
- Receiving too few resources to properly handle your responsibilities
- Accepting too many tasks from supervisors or other employees
- Understanding very little about a certain assignment
- Feeling unsure about your work performance and what you can improve on
Tips for managing feeling overwhelmed at work
It's often normal to feel overwhelmed by your work duties. After you understand what's causing you to feel overwhelmed, put strategies in place to reduce your workplace stress. Use these tips to help you better manage feeling overwhelmed at work:
Create a to-do list
If you're having trouble organizing, tracking, and prioritizing the many tasks you're assigned, create a to-do list. Use a pen and notebook paper or an app on your phone or computer to list all of your upcoming tasks. Writing down your to-do list items helps you remember what tasks you need to finish and allows you to sort your responsibilities in order of importance. List the deadline for each assignment as well.
After you complete certain tasks, you can place a checkmark next to each one or cross them out to give yourself a sense of accomplishment and motivation to cross out the next item.
Build and follow a schedule
A way to ensure you submit all of your articles by their deadlines is to create a schedule for yourself. Consider using the calendar on your computer or purchasing a planner and inserting all of your meetings and other events into it. From there, you can input these items on your to-do list. You can also build a daily schedule and closely follow it to ensure you remain productive and on the task at all times.
Ask for guidance when needed
If you feel you're assigned several assignments with little to no guidance on how to complete them, be sure to ask your supervisor for help. You should first try to gain as much information as you can on the assignment you're completing through conducting online research or reviewing similar assignments other team members previously completed.
If you're still unsure, ask your supervisor or other employees for assistance. They may have resources, materials, or advice available to help you gain a better understanding of the task. Being fully informed on a project helps you feel more confident that you're submitting a quality assignment.
Express your thoughts or concerns to team members
When work is overwhelming you, it can sometimes feel refreshing to talk about it with coworkers. Try to keep the conversation professional and refrain from expressing complaints or negativity. Ask them if they have time in their schedule to speak with you and take a few minutes to talk about any challenges you're facing with your work duties. They might understand what you're going through and may offer helpful advice or support.
Receive feedback on your work
You may feel unsure that the work you're submitting is correct or meets your supervisor's preferences. Consider asking your team members if they could review your project beforehand. They can provide you with valuable feedback and advice to improve your assignment, which could increase your chances of impressing the manager with your work.
If your supervisor rarely assigns one-on-one sessions to discuss your performance, try to initiate these conversations yourself. Ask if they have any time available in their schedule to answer any questions you have or to identify areas you can improve. Receiving valuable feedback makes it easier to feel more confident that you're completing all of your tasks correctly.
Be honest about your workload
Your supervisors or coworkers may feel comfortable assigning you tasks because they know you're a reliable and dedicated worker. If you feel overwhelmed with the number of tasks you complete, let others know this. Say something like, "I'm sorry. I have several other tasks due soon that I want to focus closely on. Is there any way I could complete it at a later deadline?" This shows your supervisor and team members that you'd like to put more of your focus and energy toward your current projects.
Maintain a healthy work-life balance
You can feel less overwhelmed if you're taking time to relax and focus on activities outside of work. Engage in a favorite hobby, spend time with friends and family or rest your brain with movies or television. Giving your brain a break helps it re-energize so that it's ready for your next set of tasks when you're through resting and ready to return to work.
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