I often help clients gain control over the things they have to do when they are overwhelmed by urgency. Together we create a plan to finish most of their tasks without panicking or burning out. I’m sharing today that even professional organizers reach out for help with this very thing when their schedule becomes overfull.
I spent time talking to my friend and colleague, Jonda Beattie, on Friday after our class. Have you ever felt like a hamster on a wheel – running and getting nowhere? Well, this is how I was feeling. It seemed to me that, although I was working on my projects, I wasn’t getting enough done.
Together Jonda and I reviewed all the things on my mind, my calendar, and my list of urgent tasks. She told me she worries about me. I let her know that I feel better after talking through my plan to get most things done.
Today I want to review with you my process for managing my list.
Understand Why Everything Feels Important
When we are under a lot of pressure or feel stressed, our brains can default into fight-or-flight mode. This causes us to want to have everything under control. When this isn’t possible, we may feel as if things are more important than they are.
In my case, I was getting (still am getting) lots of email related to one of my projects. I felt as if I had to respond to each one quickly. This created a false sense of urgency. The reality is that people can send an email at any time day or night, weekday or weekend. Jonda helped me understand that just because people wrote to me, I didn’t have to respond immediately.
I am now holding these messages and responding to them when I have the time – not necessarily immediately.
Mini-Tip: Keep a “pressure journal” for 2–3 days note what felt urgent vs. what was.
A Quick Reality Check – Is Everything Really Important?
You are probably already aware of The Eisenhower Matrix: Urgent vs. Important. It is a great way to visually assign tasks to one of 4 quadrants.The 4 quadrants are: Urgent, Not Urgent, Important, Not Important.
Another way to think of this is: Time Sensitive, Not Time Sensitive, Want To Do, Don’t Care If It Gets Done. If you want to you can draw the quadrants and assign your tasks.
In my case, I have multiple projects which are all coming due around the same time. Each project has tasks that must be done but not all the tasks are time sensitive.
I asked myself the following questions. You may find these questions helpful when you’re overwhelmed by urgency and trying to figure out what to do first.
Questions to ask:
- What’s the worst that happens if this doesn’t get done today?
- Who is making this a priority – me or someone else?
- Will this still matter a week/month from now?
Mini-Tip: Color-code or label tasks by importance – not just due date.
Build a Simple Prioritization System
You probably know as well as I do that simple solutions are the best because they are easy to follow.
Here are 4 ideas to help you build a simple prioritization system.
The 3-Task Rule: Try to pick your top 3 meaningful tasks each day.
Task Buckets: If you have many things on your list, separate them into categories (e.g., “Must do today,” “Nice to do,” “Delegate or defer”). I separated my list into project titles. Then I ranked each item in the individual task bucket. That helped me identify the tasks that could wait. This is like The Eisenhower Matrix.
Time Blocking: Schedule your top tasks, then allow overflow time for unexpected things.
Don’t overload the list: If everything’s important, nothing gets the focus it needs.
Mini-Tip: Use visual reminders to make tasks more manageable.
Ways to Create Calm When You’re Overwhelmed by Urgency
Breathe to reset your nervous system. This may sound silly, but we forget to breathe deeply when our nervous system is on high alert. Take some deep breaths and drink a glass of water. This will help you reset.
Use a brain dump to get everything out of your head.
Create a “parking lot” list for tasks that matter but not right now. I put the things that could wait into the “parking lot’. Creating a place to keep these ideas helps me because I know where they are.
Mini-Tip: The “2-minute grounding” practice: close eyes, take 3 deep breaths, ask: What is the best use of my time right now in this minute. Don’t think about it, just do it.
Avoiding Burnout While Still Getting Stuff Done
Know your best time of day: Do the hardest and worst things when you know you’re at your best. For me, it’s first thing in the morning.
Allow yourself to be done for today. If you focus on finishing the time sensitive things first, you can pick a time to finish work for the day. Knowing that the rest can (and will) wait for tomorrow.
Say no to things outside your top priorities. I am still working on this skill. Far too often, I try to fit things in because someone asks me to do it. I’m realizing that fitting things in is not fair to myself or to the people who’ve ask me because they’re not getting my complete attention.
The importance of rest and recovery, even when it feels counterproductive.
Mini-Tip: Build in 10-minute transitions between tasks to reset and recharge.
Conclusion: You’re Allowed to Slow Down, Even When It Feels Like You Can’t
Intellectually, we know that when we’re anxious, nervous, stressed, and feeling overwhelmed it’s hard to do anything well. So, when you start feeling like you’ve jumped onto the hamster wheel and have let your emotions take over, stop, breathe, and slow down your thoughts.
Factor in time, 5 – 10 minutes to move between projects. This lets you process what you’ve just done and get ready for the next task
You can do this. It will take practice. The more you use one or more of these strategies the less overwhelmed by urgency you will feel.
Remember, there’s no shame in asking for help. I reached out to a friend for help to take control of the things on my list and you can too. Alternatively, consider joining Jonda and me on a Monday morning for our Clear Space for You virtual organizing group. We’d love to see you there!
Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President-Elect of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick.
Oh, I feel that sense of email urgency! No matter how on top of the important stuff you are, it’s easy to feel like you’re getting pecked to death by ducks. Corralling those emails somewhere and setting an alarm to address them (even if that alarm is set to go off even 15 minutes from now) gives a sense of control that “free range” emails plopping into your inbox just can’t inspire. This is all excellent advice, for centering and grounding yourself, evaluating the priorities, and getting the right stuff done. (And I hope you get a big vacation after your big projects are complete.)
Thank you, Julie. I hope so too!
I heard an interview on The Mel Robbins Podcast last Spring, and she talked about writing down everything and crossing out what is not essential for today. She said creating a cross-out list is empowering for someone who feels like their life is out of their hands.
Thanks for sharing all these tips, Diane! I hope this week is more productive and less stressful for you.
Thank you, Sabrina. I love crossing things off my list after they’re done. That makes me happy and helps me to recognize that I’ve accomplished something.
This is very insightful, and I especially like how you reframed the Eisenhower Matrix.
I often “snooze” emails so they don’t appear in my inbox again until whatever time I choose. That way they don’t distract me or cause any pressure.
Thanks, Janet. That snooze button comes in very handy, doesn’t it!
I’m sure that this message resonates with almost all of us. While I could never take on all that you do, I still feel overwhelmed at times. And because my body is not responding like it used to, I find it mandatory to allow 10-minute breaks throughout the day. I sit down and put my feet up and set a timer. Talking things out with co-workers, friends, or family is also a way to even the keel.
Thank you, Jonda. It’s important to schedule breaks os you can reset and recharge!
This is a great topic because I often hear people say, ‘everything is urgent.’ To some extent, I do understand that this is true. There may be multiple pressing issues that all have a similar “due date,” and if you do one, another will suffer. It isn’t always possible to plan and prioritize in such a way that no ball drops!
However, as you point out, some balls will make a bigger mess if they drop than others. Plus, how I feel about the task matters. I shouldn’t always be responding to someone else’s need or someone else’s definition of urgent.
Love that 2-minute grounding exercise. That really helps focus in on the right now and figure out a next step.
Thank you, Seana. I am in this boat – I have 3 projects with close deadlines and I worry that I’m going to let something fall through the cracks. I had to develop a way to keep track of everything and feel less anxious about all of it.