How to Overcome Overwhelm and Regain Control

How to Overcome Overwhelmed and Regain Control

Overwhelm. I have never met a Virtual Assistant who hasn’t stared it in the face at some point. For those with children, it often hits the moment the school gates close behind them in September. For others, the “back to school” energy brings a flood of clients who have suddenly woken up from their summer slumber, ready to delegate everything at once while pivoting toward Black Friday and Christmas.

September is often seen as a new beginning, but that brings its own pressure. The excuses are over, and you feel you have to get focused on your own business tasks immediately. It is easy to feel like you are drowning in a growing list of “shoulds.”

I do not want you to feel overwhelmed. I want you to feel on track, in control, and ready to finish the year strong. Here is my no-nonsense strategy to end the summer fog and get your head back in the game.

Clear Your Physical Space

If your office has become a dumping ground for the family over the summer, you cannot expect to be productive. Clutter increases stress levels and hampers your visual processing. It is hard to think clearly when you are surrounded by chaos.

Give yourself 30 minutes max to tidy your surroundings. File what needs filing and clear the surfaces. A massive warning here: do not use this as a procrastination technique. Set a timer. You are tidying, not redecorating. Once the space is clear, you are ready for the real work.

The Brain-Dump: Clear Your Mental Space

This is my go to exercise for stressed out VAs. I have talked many people through this during the school run or the drive back from the supermarket. It works because it moves the chaos from your brain onto paper where it can be managed.

1. Grab a Pen and Paper: Use the biggest notepad you have. Do not wait until you can buy a fancy one; that is just another excuse to stall.

2. The 20 Minute Purge: Spend the next 20 minutes writing down everything in your head. Do not worry about spelling, neatness, or even if it makes sense. Jumbled thoughts, client tasks, personal worries, the lot. Get it all out.

3. Walk Away: This bit is vital. Leave the list for 20 minutes. Go for a walk or grab a coffee. Give your brain a total reset.

4. Categorise: When you return, look at your list. You will usually see six to eight natural categories appearing: Clients, Marketing, Family, Personal, Website, etc.

5. Create Your Grid: Draw a grid on a fresh piece of paper for your categories and transfer the items from your brain dump into the relevant boxes.

6. Schedule It: Now, look at your calendar. Do not put more than three items on any single day. If a task is huge, break it down into smaller, manageable chunks.

It is also perfectly acceptable to have a “One Day” list. These are the things taking up brain space that do not actually need your attention right now. Write them down elsewhere so you can stop thinking about them.

Use this brain dump to regain your focus.

How did you get on with the exercise? If you need more direct help to gain clarity on your next steps for growth, you can book a Power Hour with me via the coaching pages on the VACT website.