Feeling Overwhelmed? Here are 8 Remedies

At some point, many of my clients—particularly the high-achieving, nothing-can’t-be-mastered-with-hard-work ones—experience a tipping point at work. They freeze-up as if their brain has blown a fuse. They find themselves mindlessly clicking a retractable pen for minutes at a time, or frantically scrolling through documents without even seeing them. Sometimes they feel paralyzed by indecision, even as the urge to do a thousand tasks swirls in their mind. Their brain’s power grid is overloaded, so the result is like summer in the city when everyone’s running an air conditioner—the lights flicker, and then go out.

Sound familiar? When you’re overwhelmed, you can’t function.

Your brain doesn’t just see a to-do list, it sees the threat of scarcity: not enough time, not enough energy, not enough magical ability to fit everything into 24 hours.

It may seem silly; why would you let a to-do list hijack your brain? Simple—your brain doesn’t just see a to-do list, it sees the threat of scarcity: not enough time, not enough energy, not enough magical ability to fit everything into 24 hours. Or it sees the threat of failing, the threat of disappointing others, the threat of feeling incapable.

And guess what? Our bodies react to threats the same way every time: fight, flight, or freeze. That's true whether the threat is a bus hurtling toward us or a to-do list that makes us feel like we can’t breathe.

Usually, we land somewhere between freeze and flight, which shows up as procrastination. But not all procrastination looks the same. It can take more or less productive forms, from binge-watching The Good Place to doing tasks that don’t really matter, like buying stuff online or checking email. Again.

So what should you do if you’re overwhelmed, paralyzed, or procrastinating? After you’ve worked your way through the classic trifecta of go-for-a-walk, breathe-deeply, and approach-the-mess-with-gratitude, try these eight tips.

Tip #1: Ground yourself in the present using the 5-4-3-2-1 technique

This is one of my favorite quick and dirty mindfulness techniques. The best part is that you don’t need any special spaces or tools.—all you need is your five senses. Here's how to walk your way through them for instant grounding:

• 5 - Look around and name five things you can see, right now, from where you are.
• 4 - Listen and name four things you can hear.
• 3 - Notice three things you can touch, like a warm mug of coffee or the feeling of your feet in your shoes.
• 2 - Next come two smells—breathe in the coffee aroma or the pages of...

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What Is the Gender-Neutral Version of 'Fisherman'?

During this year's announcement of the AP Stylebook updates, the editors announced significant updates to the gender-neutral language entry, but they also noted that they hadn't included gender-neutral word for "fisherman," which led to a lively discussion in the accompanying chatroom and on Twitter.

Angler

Many people suggested the word “angler,” which appealed to me at first too, but then many other people pointed out that “angler” seems to describe someone using a pole to fish rather than professionals who go out in big boats and use nets or other gear like crab pots.

Fishfolk and Fisherfolk

“Fishfolk” and “fisherfolk” were two other common suggestions, and it seems as if “fisherfolk” may be in common use in Asia. Sara Rossi said that “Economic development agencies in Asia Pacific call people who fish for a living ‘fisherfolk,’” and Sophia Romero, who goes by Mighty Red Pen, said, “‘Fisherfolk’ was what we used when I worked for a nonprofit that supported projects that helped fisherfolk in Asia.” Also, if you do a Twitter search, you find a lot of people who seem to be in Asia using it. So “fisherfolk” is definitely an option. 

People had funny comments about it too though. 

A Twitter user with the handle @LaXtimaAbella said, “‘Fishfolk’ sounds like the working-class version of ‘merfolk.’ It’s like they’re the salt of the earth, but they’re actually the salt of the SEA!” and Brandon Bullard said, “‘Fishfolk’ has a Lovecraftian ring, like a more derogatory reference for someone who has the Innsmouth look” (which is something from an H.P. Lovecraft short story “Shadow over Innsmouth).

I’d be a little wary of using “fisherfolk” in North American English.

Fish Harvester

An alternative that Gina MacArthur says they use in Newfoundland is “fish harvester.” 

Scallopers and Clammers

Getting back to all the “be specific” advice from the AP Stylebook, Rita Owens says she grew up in New Bedford, Massachusetts, a great seaport, and they...

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2020 AP Stylebook Updates

Every year, the editors of the Associated Press announce changes to the AP Stylebook at the annual meeting for ACES: The Society for Editing. Sadly, the conference didn’t happen this year, but they still held a virtual event, and I was thrilled that the AP presentation was still part of that. I attended the presentation by Paula Froke, the AP Stylebook editor, and Colleen Newvine, the AP Stylebook product manager. I live-tweeted the presentation, and I’ll summarize the main points for you today.

And in case you’re wondering, AP style for “live-tweeted” calls for a hyphen. I had to look that one up.

It was a bit of a quiet year for updates. There were no shockers like we had in some previous years, like when they said it’s now OK to use “more than” to mean “over,” or to write “email” without a hyphen, or to lowercase the word “internet.” 

The print edition of the AP Stylebook will now be updated every two years

Probably the biggest news this year is that they are going to stop producing a new edition of the print book every year. They’ll now print a new version every two years. It makes sense because more and more people are using the online version of the style guide. I usually get both, but I do use the online version much more often than I reach for my print book.

No numerals update this year

The other big piece of news, at least for me, was something that didn’t happen. The editors had been saying they were going to do a complete overhaul of the numerals section of the stylebook in this release, but they didn’t. They said it ended up taking more time than they expected, but they do still plan to do it in the future.

‘Pled’ is now OK

As far as style changes go, the change that will probably affect the most writers is that it is now OK to use “pled” as the past tense of the verb “to plead,” as in “Squiggly pled guilty.”

Paula said they had received a lot of feedback from writers who wanted to use “pled,” so in her words, they took away the “schoolmarmish admonition” not to use “pled.” They had previously called it “colloquial,” but you can now use it if you want to. (I will note, though, that Garner’s Modern English Usage and the Chicago Manual of Style still do recommend “pleaded” over “pled.” As in “Squiggly pleaded guilty.” It’s what I’ll continue to use, but you are now not violating AP style if you choose to use “pled.”)

‘Preheat’ is now OK

The other big change probably won’t...

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‘Muslim’ or ‘Moslem’?

We got this question from Dan Leibert about the word “Muslim” in the Facebook group a few weeks ago, and I wanted to get to it this week since we’re in the middle of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

Dan wrote, “Is there any preference for “Muslim” versus “Moslem”? I use them interchangeably and was wondering if one was the preferred usage when referring to people who practice the Moslem faith. I can see that Facebook has 'Moslem' underlined in red. Is that significant?”

Thanks, Dan. It is significant. The M-O-S spelling used to be common, but today dictionaries and style guides say to spell it “Muslim.” For example, the Merriam-Webster online dictionary says “Moslem” was “formerly common but now old-fashioned, increasingly rare, and sometimes offensive.” So “Muslim” it is! M-U-S-L-I-M. Facebook was doing you a favor by adding that red underline to the other spelling. 

Also, “Muslim” is capitalized, and according to Eymyonline, it’s from the Arabic word “muslim,” (lowercase and spelled like the current recommended spelling) which means “one who submits” to the faith. And the Oxford English Dictionary notes that the current spelling is now the generally preferred one because it’s closer to that Arabic word from which it comes.

If you’re older, “Moslem” may be the spelling you learned, and you may even worry that you’re doing it wrong if you spell it the currently proper way, like Dan did, but you don’t need to worry. The recommendations have changed.

Image courtesy of Shutterstock.

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7 Tips for Baking Better Bread at Home

Using a Rolling Pin?

Store your rolling pin in the freezer. It’s much easier to roll out pastry dough and pie crusts with a frozen rolling pin.

Whole Wheat Tip

Whole-wheat flour absorbs water at a slower rate than other types of flour do. If you make bread with 100 percent whole-wheat flour, it will be moister if you add the flour to the water slowly and mix gently. Reserve 1/4 cup of flour and knead in a tablespoon or so at a time as needed.

How to Make Bread Rise Faster

It’s not always a good idea to artificially cut the amount of time it takes your bread dough to rise (the flavor of the bread may not be as full), but if you’re in a time crunch, it’s nice to have a backup plan. To speed whole-wheat bread dough’s rising time, add 1 tablespoon lemon juice to the dough as you are mixing it. For other breads, a little heat does wonders when it comes to cutting down on rising time. Set the dough (either in a bowl or a loaf pan) on a heating pad set on medium, or over the pilot light on a gas stove. You can also use the microwave to help speed the rising process by as much as one third. Set 1/2 cup hot water in the back corner of the microwave. Place the dough in a well-greased microwavable bowl and cover it with plastic wrap, then cover the plastic wrap with a damp towel. With the power level set at 10 percent, cook the dough for 6 minutes, and then let it rest for 4–5 minutes. Repeat the procedure if the dough has not doubled its size.

The Secret to a Crispy Crust

We love this secret to a perfect, crispy crust, which a baker friend passed along: Put some ice cubes in a shallow pan and place in the oven with your loaf of bread. This will produce a dense steam, and as the water evaporates, the crust becomes hard and crispy. The steam also will allow the bread to rise more evenly, giving you a firm and chewy inside.

Freezy Does It

Did you know you can freeze bread dough for later use? Let it rise once, then punch it down, wrap well, and freeze. Don’t forget to label it!

Stop Squashing Your Bread

You just baked a beautiful loaf of freshly baked bread, and now it’s time to slice it. Avoid squashing it when slicing it by flipping it over and cutting through the soft bottom first. Your knife will move through it smoothly, and you’ll be able to cut the crusty top without flattening the whole loaf.

Butter Bread Better

Have you ever tried buttering a piece of bread only to end up tearing holes into it? Try buttering before you slice it off of the loaf. That way, you’ll have a firmer base and will be less likely to tear the tender crumb.

For more food tips from all over the internet, check out our...

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7 Tricks to Cut Down Your Electricity Bill

Tip 1: Pull the Plug on Appliances

Even when you’re not using appliances, they still continue to use energy. So pull the plug when you’re done with the blender, toaster, food processor, and even your television—everything except appliances that need constant power to preserve a special setting.

Tip 2: Insulate Your Outlets

Did you know that you could be losing warm (or cold) air through your electrical outlets? We placed some fireproof foam insulation under our outlet covers and switch plates, and were able to save several dollars a month on our utility bill.

Tip 3: Turn off Unused Electronics

One of the easiest ways to save money on electricity is to turn off electronics when you’re not using them. To make it easier, get a power strip like the SmartStrip, which powers down devices based on the device’s usage. For example, when you switch off your computer, the SmartStrip will cut the power to your monitor, printer, and scanner as well.

Tip 4: Use Lighter Paint

If you’re trying to decide between deep or baby blue for your walls, you should know that lighter colors of paint well help you use less energy, as they reflect the light and heat in a room better than darker hues.

Tip 5: Be a Night Owl

You may not realize that most electric companies charge more for power during the day than at night. Contact your local utility to find out whether this is the case in your area. If it is, make sure to do all your laundry, dishwashing, internet surfing, and other power-intensive tasks during off-peak hours. We noticed the difference on our electric bill, and you will, too.

Tip 6: Use Jars for Heaters

Here’s a neat trick for keeping your house warm without spending a cent in the fall and spring: Pour water into mason jars or glasses (we use cleaned-out salsa jars with their labels removed), and line them up along your windowsill. During the day, the sun will warm the water, which will gently warm any air getting through your window at night. To make the jars...

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How to Qualify for the Coronavirus Economic Relief Package

The coronavirus economic relief package for workers and small businesses can be confusing. Who qualifies for what programs? How do you apply successfully?

If you’ve been laid off or had your work hours cut due to the pandemic, you're eligible for both state and federal unemployment compensation. That’s a pretty straightforward situation.

If you run a business that’s been hurt by the economic downturn and you have employees, you qualify for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). It’s a loan backed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) that offers relief if you want to continue paying your employees, even if they can’t do their jobs during the health crisis. If you use PPP funds for approved business expenses, such as payroll, rent, and utilities, you don’t have to repay the loan.

Additionally, there are other types of loans you can get through the SBA, such as the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL). It comes with potentially higher loan amounts than the PPP but must be repaid. You may also qualify for an Economic Injury Disaster Grant (EIDG), which pays businesses $1,000 per employee, up to a $10,000 maximum, and doesn’t have to be repaid.

Whether you call yourself a full or part-time freelancer, gig worker, or an independent contractor, you’re still a small business. If you’ve suffered financially due to the pandemic, you have several options to get relief.

But what’s been unclear are the options for the self-employed who have no employees except themselves. Whether you call yourself a full or part-time freelancer, gig worker, or an independent contractor, you’re still a small business. If you’ve suffered financially due to the pandemic, you have several options to get relief.

I interviewed Gerri Detweiler, a nationally recognized financing and credit expert with more than 20 years of experience. She’s the Education Director for Nav, a trusted financing partner for more than 1.2 million businesses. Gerri gives Nav’s customers certainty in an uncertain world through expertise and actionable advice. 

On the Money Girl podcast, Gerri and I cut through the confusion to help businesses of any size, including solopreneurs, understand how to get economic relief during the coronavirus crisis. We cover a variety of topics, including:

• Understanding the coronavirus relief...

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