Below are some prompts and exercises to help you get unstuck when you’re feeling overwhelmed.
Review
What specifically feels overwhelming right now? The amount of things you have to do, the importance of them, not knowing where to start, the consequences of getting something wrong, other people's expectations, or something else?
What happens when you feel overwhelmed? Do you freeze, avoid things, jump between tasks, procrastinate, try to do everything at once, or something else?
How much of what’s overwhelming you is actually happening right now? What are you dealing with today, and what are you mentally borrowing from the future?
Which things on your mind are actually yours to deal with? What are you responsible for, and what are you taking responsibility for that belongs to someone / something else?
If you could only solve one thing today, what would make the biggest difference? What would become easier once that one thing was handled?
Practice
Book a Rest: take yourself out of demand brain and plan a week of fun activities. No tasks, no working on anything you don’t absolutely have to. Take yourself to dinner, to a movie. Whatever you want.
Clear the Plate: make a list of everything currently demanding your attention. For each one, decide: do it, delay it, delegate it, or drop it. Narrow down what you actually have to do right now.
Tiny Wins: think back to your last week/month. Make a list of every win, no matter how small.
Unload It: describe everything that is overwhelming you in as much detail as possible, leaving no stone unturned. Get it out of you brain onto paper. Close the book. Go for a walk/run/swim - something physical.