Some days just feel like a constant battle between endless to-do lists and not enough time to get all the things done.
This cycle can cause us to feel massively overwhelmed and slip into habits that aren’t going to aid our productivity, in fact, they have the opposite effect.
Then when the day ends, we feel a massive about of guilt and frustration because we didn’t get all of our jobs done.
Does this resonate? Don’t worry, there are some valuable and effective tools to try that can help boost your motivation when you feel that your to-do list is getting the better of you and feeling overwhelmed.
Here’s a list of them below:
1. Breathe
It seems so simple yet it’s very effective. Before you burst out in anger or tears just force yourself to close your eyes and breathe in and out slowly for a few minutes. Get connected with yourself. Try to remember that everything you need to do can actually be done. You’re just feeling overwhelmed right now and you need to relax.
2. Focus on one task at a time
When you have to finish a number of things in one day, it can become a lot. Try to write everything you have to finish in bullet points so you don’t forget anything and tackle them one after the other. This makes your goals for the day easier to tackle and will reduce the anxiety you feel about them.
3. Manage your distractions
When we’re feeling overwhelmed, our minds tend to wander to other thoughts or activities that aren’t the best use of our time.
If you often find yourself mindlessly scrolling through your phone rather then getting through your to-do list, perhaps hide your phone in another room or putting it in airplane mode will help. You could even take this a step further and block all the notifications on your phone to limit the noise.
4. Take a break to boost your productivity
Our best work is created when our minds are fresh, light, and free of any stresses. Despite this, many ignore this fact and carry on trying to push through, which can feel like an uphill battle.
Try to be kind to yourself and let yourself have a break if you’re not feeling particularly productive. Honestly, it’s the best thing that you can ever do when you find yourself in this state. You will come back with renewed energy, motivation, and inspiration to complete the task at hand with more ease.
5. Flip your mindset
When we’re overwhelmed our mind readily occupies a negative space because we feel like we’re never going to get the job done. When this happens, try focusing on the positives of the situation and how good it’s going to feel reaching the end goal.
