How to Avoid Getting Overwhelmed at Work

Welcome to Mind Tools' Video Learning Series.

Do you ever feel exhausted by all the things you need to do? Or about the worries piling up inside your mind?

There's work to get done, the house to clean, the kids to take care of. Not to mention, global warming, the pandemic, the economy, and any other number of worrying news stories filling up your social media feed or on your TV.

Trying to juggle all of these concerns, alongside the daily grind, can lead to overwhelm. This may result in stress, anxiety, irritability, or even illness.

In this video, we explore how you can avoid becoming overwhelmed using a framework known as the Control Influence Accept model. [1]

The model outlines three ways you can respond to a situation or concern that you are finding overwhelming.

First, ask yourself what you can Control.

For example, if your team is stretched, perhaps you could allocate more resources to it or recruit someone new. Or, if you're juggling several tasks at once, maybe you could delegate some or extend your deadlines.

It's also important to remember that, even when situations seem to conspire against you, you can still maintain control over your own emotions and behavior. For example, you couldn't control the spread of COVID-19, but you could do your bit to prevent it – by washing hands or wearing a mask.

There will be times when you won't be able to control a situation. However, you may still be able to Influence it. Maybe you have skills that can help others to solve a problem. Or you know who to turn to for specific advice or expertise.

But remember to wield your influence positively. Manipulating people to serve your own needs can damage your reputation and cause mistrust.

Finally, if you find yourself in a situation that you can neither control nor influence – try to adapt to it! Sometimes things really are out of our hands, like falls in the stock market or a hurricane!

When things like this happen, saying "I accept this" isn't weak. It's a sign of resilience, maturity and intelligence. What's more, it shows you understand your limitations, and can instead focus your efforts where they're needed the most.

Looking at stressful situations and understanding what you can control, influence or adapt to, can help you to put your problems into perspective. It also allows you to get a better sense of what you can and can't achieve.

Prioritizing your concerns, worries or tasks in this way can help you to take a step back from them, so that they become more manageable and less overwhelming!

For more on how to handle overwhelm, see the article that accompanies this video.