5 Steps to Deal With Being Overloaded at Work

Today we’re talking being overloaded at work. Because sometimes you just have too much to do.

Grandma Cuddles’s controller Chip was ferklempt. Even though he’s usually an overachiever, he’s feeling like there’s just too much on his plate.

Grandma’s latest business is a golf course. The kiddies just love to play in the sand trap. When a member accidentally hits a ball into the sand, they kids bring it right back to the clubhouse. They build strong running muscles, dexterity in avoiding golf clubs, and valuable sales skills from upselling billionaire customers like Jeffrey Epstein on vacation packages. 

Chip has to track each pre-schooler’s expenses individually, so all costs can be allocated precisely to each little tyke. After all, Grandma thinks every youngster must learn to carry their own weight for society. That leaves Chip to create profitability measures on a per-child basis. 

He also has a task list that’s a hundred pages long. He’s constantly thinking about creating tracking systems, balancing accounts, thinking about the company direction, and a dozen other things. He’s also keenly aware that it’s been ages since he’s replenished his psyche with a trip back to nature.

Chips is going crazy, and the reason is that he’s not just busy, he’s fundamentally overcommitted. That means he has 25 hours’ worth of work but only 24 hours in which to do it. 

1. Admit the truth

The first step of dealing with overcommitment is to admit you’re overcommitted. This isn’t easy. We’ve been brainwashed by our corporate overlords to think that no matter how much we have to do, there’s some productivity trick, some app, or some lifehack that will let us do it all. 

There’s only so much you can do in a day, and no matter how hard you try, no matter how smart you work, you can’t do more than that.

No. That’s not true. There’s only so much you can do in a day, and no matter how hard you try, no matter how smart you work, you can’t do more than that. 

So stop trying. 

2. Get the big picture

Get your hands around your overwhelm by taking a step back and getting the big picture. Grab a piece of paper and list your major commitments. Don’t write down tasks; write down projects. Chip’s list is:

1. Preparing tax forms to submit for insurance claims
2. Helping Cuddles set strategy (she’s angling for the contract running the day spa at Mar-a-Lago)
3. Renovating the office
4. Consolidating employee...

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