Feeling Overwhelmed?

By definition – being emotionally overwhelmed means to be completely submerged by your thoughts and emotions about all of life’s current problems, to the point where you lack efficacy and feel frozen or paralyzed. Compare the feeling of being overwhelmed to being submerged after a rough wave.

“Overwhelmed”, is probably the word I hear most often when I meet with new clients or talk with them on the phone. Anyone that is downsizing, planning to move, or trying to tame a house full of stuff, knows this word intimately. Submerged in their stuff, dealing with the hundreds of details that surround their move or making little or no progress in their organizing efforts can push people to become so overwhelmed they become paralyzed and cannot seem to move forward. To get through all their belongings and come out on the other side with sanity intact seems unimaginable.

But it is possible. We help people get through the overwhelm and into can do territory all the time. There is no secret to it, there are no tricks but there is a tried and true methodology that seems to help get things moving.

Here are a few tips that I recommend to people who are trying to make progress on their own and need a little nudge.

Pause – take a moment and just breathe. Rome was not built in a day and all your stuff did not accumulate overnight. There are solutions to be found, you just need to find them.

List – write down all the things that you want to accomplish. Just start writing. Get things out of your head and on to paper. Sometimes our minds become so cluttered that we cannot discern what is important. Writing things down puts you in charge. If there are dates associated with things, then write those down too. For example, you want to list the house by (date). You are moving by (date). You get the idea.

Prioritize – go back to the list and prioritize them by what is most critical and urgent. What is bugging you the most? What is more urgent, getting your closet cleaned out and more manageable or getting your office better organized and your paperwork under control? Put a number by each item on your list.

Pick – the top 3. Extract the top three from your list and transfer them to a new list. Expand on them with more details and how you plan to accomplish. If you said you want to go through your kitchen and get rid of things you do not need, list the specific steps you will follow to do that and when you want to finish by.

Execute – just start. Set a time to start and how long you can work on a task. Use a timer if it helps to keep you focused. Pace yourself. Cleaning off the top of your desk may be the first step in getting your office more organized.

Repeat – accept and acknowledge that you will not get it all done in one session. A common phrase in my business – This is a process, not a onetime event. Make scheduled appointments with yourself to push through and continue your efforts. If it is important to you then I believe you will do it. Any progress made, no matter if it is just cleaning off your dining. table is a win! Celebrate even the smallest of victories! When you get the first 3 done and crossed off the list, pull the next 3 off your list and do the same.

Downsizing, Organizing and Moving are not for the faint of heart. For success, they all require focus, consistency, and a desire to get to that next step.

Christy Urdal is owner of NextStep Transitions, a relocation and home transitions specialist in the greater Seattle area. She helps people with downsizing, move management, getting homes ready to go on the market and many other home and relocation related services. Her specialty is assisting Seniors as they transition from their lifelong residence into smaller spaces, 206-276-7271.