The title itself sounds silly, right? If you are lucky to relax when you feel overwhelmed, I envy you. I do not have such an opportunity so I have to increase my productivity regardless of everything.
When my productivity goes down due to work overload or stress, I do not allow it to hit rock bottom. I take immediate actions to eliminate any possible factors that lead to low productivity. Here are some tips to consider the next time you need to stay productive despite feeling overwhelmed.
1. Take a full control of emotions
When you feel overwhelmed, irritation comes along the way. There are times when we have to go through challenges. They may be painful and hard, but letting your emotions ruin your relationships will only lead to demotivation and low productivity.
As soon as you remove negative thoughts from your mind and focus on the task or project you have to complete, you will stop procrastinating and get all the things done on time.
2. Choose to stay productive
Remember, you always have a choice. When you are overwhelmed, you are more likely to make a bad choice. Take a deep breath and tell yourself that you are going to be productive today despite all the emotions. There are many reasons to complain, pity yourself, stop and frown, but will they help you?
More: 7 Amazing Ways to Make Your Day More Productive
3. Break your tasks and projects into phases
Large projects and challenging tasks require tons of focus and effort that you actually lack when you feel overwhelmed. Breaking them into smaller parts that take 30 minutes to complete is a sure way to get those projects and tasks done on time. The last thing you want to do is to try to accomplish them all at once. Not only will you fail, but you will also cause extra stress to your body.
4. Watch what you drink
Ditch coffee and black tea, and avoid drinking energy drinks and soda. Being productive requires a lot of energy. Sugary drinks can affect your energy level, which is why it is crucial to choose what you drink throughout the day wisely.
While water is the healthiest option, lemon water, green tea or a fruit or vegetable smoothie is a great option as well. Food that you put in your body can affect your productivity level too, so try to make as healthier meal options as possible.
5. Avoid imagining the worst
Imagining a failure is a misuse of your energy that you need to stay productive. Let go of those negative scenarios in your mind, and focus on the best instead. When you are trying to stay productive and get things done, positive thinking is a must. Do not guilt and deprive yourself. Even if you fail, the world will not collapse beneath you.
More: 8 Daily Habits of Ultra-Productive People
6. Acknowledge the strength within you
You have enough strength to complete any hard task or project. All you need to do is to stop dreading and start doing it. Get it done the first thing in the morning so that you could feel more relaxed in the afternoon.
Do not do what is easy. Do what is needed. As soon as you will accomplish that task, you will feel proud of yourself and your productivity level will increase itself.
When you are overwhelmed, all you want is sleep. If you feel like you faint in a minute, consider taking a 10-20 minute nap to recharge your batteries. Let your coworkers know that you need that sleep, or ask your boss to give you a chance to work from home for a few days. Remember, health is wealth. You have no power to earn all the money existed on the planet.