3 signs you may be overwhelmed in your business and what to do to avoid it

It kinda just creeps up on you. One day you’ve got it all figured out, things are moving along nicely them bam you get knocked off center. You start getting that crushing feeling in your chest, your breathing becomes shallow. You just don’t trust yourself anymore and question every decision you make.

[Tweet “Welcome ladies and gentlemen you’ve arrived at the destination we call Overwhelm. by @ResourcesQueen”]

Surely there were some signs along the way as to where you were headed? Yes there was, however you chose to ignore them, play down their importance. You probably said to yourself “I’ll deal with that once I’ve finished this”

This happened to me in December last year and carried through into January. It all started over the holidays. A time I had been looking forward to for ages (that’s a clue right there, a sign I chose to ignore).

The 3 signs you are Overwhelmed

1. Physical:

This is usually one of the first sign that you can’t ignore. You start to experience a change in appetite or sleep habits. You might find yourself reaching for the biscuit tin (translation for my US readers – cookie jar!) more often to get a quick boost of energy. You feel tired and drained of energy all the time. When you do eventually sleep its interrupted and you never quite fall into a deep sleep and wake up dreading the day. You physically ache; get headaches, neck pain and your body feels tense.

2. Emotional:

You have too much on your mind and feel totally lacking in motivation. You struggle to focus and your productivity sucks, it feels like a never-ending series of doing and not achieving anything. You begin to doubt your decision-making and feel a sense of failure. You may find yourself crying over silly things. I’ve been known to cry over the adverts. (TV commercials) It’s just this deep down feeling of dread you can’t shake.

3. Behaviour:

You will find yourself procrastinating; it will take longer to get things done. You may start taking out your frustrations on others particularly those close to you. Shouting at your children or partner telling them to be quite so you can concentrate. Getting frustrated with interruptions or requests of help from others as you already have so much to do and are collapsing under the weight of responsibility. You may start Isolating yourself from others and want to reserve the little energy you have rather than have to explain how “busy” you are. Don’t they get it!

3 Ways to avoid it or get back on track

1. Support System

You need to have a system in place as your business expands. You can’t do it alone. I have a mastermind group I turn to when things start to get overwhelming and I’m unsure of my next step. I also have a business coach who guides me along and my husband. It’s very important that you discuss your business with your significant other, as they need to be on-board with your plans and understand your commitment to your business. As its not like a job when you leave at the end of the day and your done, sometimes you might need to work some crazy hours to get stuff done and your partner needs to be OK with that.

2. Cut out the Crap

Look at your daily tasks. What are you doing everyday in your business that could be either outsourced or eliminated altogether? Systemize and automate routine tasks so that your business runs smoothly. I run a weekly Grow Your Tribe Tuesday Event on my facebook page where I invite other business owners to connect and build their social media networks. As its a repeatable task all the updates about the event are automated and scheduled weeks or sometimes months in advance by my assistant.

3. Self Care

You wouldn’t drive your car without gas and if you did how far do you think you’d get? Yet we carry on empty not stopping to replenish until we literally collapse with exhaustion. It’s important for your life and business that you practice radical self care at all times. Taking regular breaks and having a change of scenery from your regular work location is really beneficial, try going to your local coffee shop and working from there. Meeting with friends and sharing your feelings with them, talking things through with a compassionate friend really helps and makes you feel lighter. I love having long bath with my favourite scented candles and a good book.

What are some strategies  you find help you avoid overwhelm?  Please post below!

If you are struggling to get the right systems and team in place to set up your business to run without you, go grab my free resources of the top 50 resources every business queen needs.

 

Mary Joyce aka the ResourcesQueen is a gifted intuitive Coach, Speaker, Writer and mum to two beautiful young children. She works with business owners, organizations to maximize their resources, leverage strategic partnerships to grow their tribe and build a solid profitable business.  Her clients include UK Government agencies, charitable organizations, corporate clients and entrepreneurs who want to grow and leverage their time and resources. Setting systems in place to automate and get ready to reach the next level of growth and profit.  She’s a master connector and a born leader who has a global network of partners who support and promote her and her client’s services.