Last week I wrote about taking action first, in order to get motivated.

But what if you’re so overwhelmed that you don’t know which action to take first?

This week I’m going to cover another one of the Top 10 Reasons Women Procrastinate In Business:

THE TASK IS OVERWHELMING

If you’re overwhelmed by the enormity or complexity of a task then firstly, I want you to know that you’re not alone.

In today’s fast paced world and with the myriad of distractions from emails, phone calls and social media alerts to client demands it can be hard to be productive. The added expectation of “more with less” can leave many of us feeling overwhelmed.

Have you ever heard the expression “How Do You Eat An Elephant?”

The response is simple…

“One bite at a time!”

Large or complex tasks are exactly the same. Instead of thinking of the task as a whole, it’s easier to break it down into bite size chunks.

Here are my top three tips for doing so:

1. Download

The first step is to download all the noise that’s going on in your head and list the individual actions on paper (or a Word/Excel document). When everything is stored internally, it’s difficult to visualise the smaller actions that form the greater task and put them into perspective.

Once they’re on paper, not only will you feel lighter, you’ll gain clarity. You’re also making a commitment to yourself by bringing it out in the open. Remember, out of sight, out of mind.

2. Prioritise

After documenting the full sequence of tasks, list them in order of priority and schedule them in your calendar or write them down where they will be visible all day - a small whiteboard besides your desk or even post its are perfect.

Choose three top priorities or high value add tasks per day and fully commit to completing them - don’t forget to mark them as actioned.

You may find that you achieve more as the sense of satisfaction creates motivation, but to start with, three tasks feels doable in contrast to multiple tasks, which can be paralysing.

3. Action

“Without action, the best intentions in the world are nothing more than that: Intentions.”

Enough said – in the words of Nike “Just Do It”.

By completing at least three tasks per day, you’ll have that larger task or project nailed in no time, feel a huge sense of relief and wonder what all the worry was about.

Natalie

www.natalieclare.com