Overwhelmed... or Just Overcommitted?

Many times when we feel overwhelmed, it’s not that we cannot handle our work but rather that we have overcommitted ourselves. We fall into this trap of saying yes to everything and then trying to make it work but not having the time or energy to see it through. Sometimes the best thing we can do for ourselves or our team is to learn how to say no. Figure out what level of commitment works best for you, and then stick to it.

Give yourself a limit for how many projects you can actively work on, how many volunteer opportunities you can attend, how many boards you can serve on, and how many after-hour events you can participate in, etc. When you overcommit yourself, your quality of work will gradually decline and you will eventually start to feel burnt out. If this goes on for too long, it will affect more than just your work; it will start impacting your life at home as well because you won’t have time for the things that rejuvenate you mentally and physically.

Another thing to consider is that you have a team full of capable people, and you may want to delegate certain tasks to them or send someone to an event in your place. You must be able to trust your team to drive the mission of the organization, and sometimes that means letting go of the control and allowing someone else to step in. That being said, don’t just dump something on the first person who walks by. Be intentional about who you are delegating to because you want to maintain a balance in everyone’s workload, including your own.

When you start feeling overwhelmed, evaluate your commitments and see where you can take a step back. Don’t let this feeling develop any further than necessary. This helps you take care of yourself, your team, and your workload. Sometimes the problem is just that you are overcommitted, so stop exhausting yourself, learn how to prioritize your schedule, and move forward with clarity.

-Meghan Slaughter