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From the moment we awaken to the minute we drop off to sleep, our minds are bursting with thoughts, questions, dreams, plans, lists and more. What's on my schedule? Which "fire" do I need to tackle first? How long until deadline? Which kid needs to go where today? Did I pay that bill? How will our team hit our Q3 goals?

We all have a lot on our plates these days, but when "busy" turns into "overwhelmed," it can take a toll on our mental and physical health, leading to problems at work and in our home life. Our packed schedules might slip beyond our control, but we can put systems in place to support our busy lives.

Try one or more of these tips to channel calmness and productivity when you feel yourself sliding into the overwhelm.

Cover the Basics: Eat, Hydrate, and Sleep

What you eat can influence how you feel and what you can accomplish in a day. Garbage in/garbage out, after all. Lay off the junk food and put good-for-you food into your body. Remember to hydrate, too! Water flushes out toxins, transports vital nutrients to the brain, and helps balance hormone levels including stress hormones. Lastly, get a consistent amount of sleep as often as possible. Your brain needs time to recharge.

Clean Digital Clutter

When tasks pile up to the point that we are running flat out to get everything essential done in a day, it's natural to want to take shortcuts. However, sometimes those shortcuts create more work. This is often true in our digital lives, where it's easier to let emails, files, folders, and downloads pile up until we can't find anything. We waste precious moments hunting for items and then we still don't store them properly. Try this instead:

• Clean out the garbage. Delete everything you know you don't need.
• Focus on essential items. You likely have programs and apps you don't use. Get rid of them to focus only on your most used programs.
• Create a system. If you don't have a working file storage system, create one that works for you.
• Be disciplined. Delete or file items in their proper place the first time you see them.
• Enjoy time saved. Reward yourself for clutter-free productivity. Use the time you spent searching for lost files or emails to do something you enjoy.

Clear Your Mind

Feel like you've got so much going on that you can't keep track of it all? Take ten minutes at the beginning of your day to write down everything on your mind. By putting thoughts to paper (or screen), you can free your brain to produce and create more effectively. As a bonus, you now have a concrete list of things that need to be done instead of a mental list of worries causing you anxiety. Identify the essential items and make a plan to get them done.

Take Breaks

It might feel like you can get more done if you power straight through, but overwork has been shown to decrease productivity. Your brain needs downtime to do its best work. Take a walk, do breathing exercises, stare at a wall - whatever makes you feel refreshed. Pulling yourself out of work mode can help you regain perspective, see the bigger picture, and discover how to do things better when you return to your desk.

Cultivate Passion Projects

When your brain is buzzing, how often are you thinking about things that fire you up? Too often, the things we love to do get buried under the weight of the things we have to do. Depriving ourselves of activities that bring us joy can dampen our spirits and enthusiasm for work and life. Put your passions back on your to-do list, and you may discover new energy in all aspects of your life.

Make a Gratitude List

If your to-do list motivates you to get more done, then making a gratitude list might inspire you to stay focused on the good things in your life. Focusing on the positive can help you keep your stressors in perspective.

Help Others

Contributing to causes greater than ourselves and finding ways to make the world a better place can positively impact our sense of well-being.

Share the Work

Tried all the above techniques and still have too much to do? Your staffing partner can ease the burden of overwork for you and your staff. Let us know how we can help today!