We all have, at one time or another, experienced the overwhelming condition. It can happen where we work, where we play and in our own minds. As our space, time and schedules become full we can start to feel anxious or overwhelmed which can cause us to shut down.
We often do not consider the placement of the things we acquire before we acquire them and neglect to consider if we have the space to put our new acquisitions until we are overwhelmed, over indulged, under spaced and unmotivated. We procrastinate and refuse to acknowledge that it doesn’t bother us, but over time, it eventually does and we have to make decisions about what to do to rectify the situation.
It’s not that we don’t know how to manage our clutter or organize our time, it’s just that we have trouble focusing because the prospect of getting started and determining what task to take on first is now daunting. It is important to understand that just because we have become aware of discord doesn’t mean we immediately have the ability or the desire to take on a project or even know how to proceed. It takes motivation and realistic goal setting.
So how do we replace the overwhelming condition with calm? How do we tackle something we have no desire to deal with? And, How do we avoid the overwhelming condition from existing later in our lives? It not only requires a solution to the problem that is causing us to feel overwhelmed, it also requires a change in our behavior. It requires altering habits that created the condition to begin with. As no one ever truly eliminates feeling overwhelmed occasionally, the feeling can be curbed once we know what produced that feeling and what we can do to affect change.
Developing a plan is essential to motivating us to take on an overwhelming project. And, in order to develop a good plan, it is necessary to start by recognizing what it is about our situation that is causing concern. Set aside time to seriously consider why you are overwhelmed, what your expectations are for your space and write them down. A good plan consists of an objective or goal for what you want to accomplish, how you want to accomplish that goal and a schedule to commit to moving ahead toward a solution.
First, write down the reason for your concern. What do I want my environment to look like? How do I want it to function? Do I need better storage options? Do I want to communicate more effectively? Do I need to have things more accessible? Once you have determined what you want to work on, then you will need to consider the actions required to address each situation. For instance; if you want to improve your storage options; you will want to review the volume of items you want to store and evaluate your options for available space. If you want to redo your home office, research how to archive and destroy sensitive documents. Consider options for developing the most productive and efficient working conditions.
The final step in planning is taking your evaluations, reviews and research and establishing a schedule for making your organizing effort a reality. Include materials you may need and if you will need someone to help you accomplish your goals. Once you have a viable plan, the guidelines you set for yourself will motivate you to start and finish your project.
Creating a plan doesn’t mean there won’t be changes because life interferes at an unexpected rate. But, having something in writing that outlines the possibility for relieving the overwhelming condition will lead to a healthier one.
Once you have completed your goal setup a reminder to evaluate what you have accomplished, at a later date. This will reconfirm that you made the right decisions. Living with your changes for a time will give you a better perspective and maybe lead to improvements.
Give yourself permission to be flexible because once you know how it will be extremely rewarding.
It's as simple as that!