In this article, we offer 16 actionable tips to help professionals deal with feeling overwhelmed at work. Tips range from time management strategies to self-care practices and are designed to help readers stay focused, productive, and maintain a healthy work-life balance.

It’s not uncommon to feel overwhelmed by work-life balance (or lack thereof).

In fact, it’s something most people struggle with at some point in their lives. A looming deadline might be an exhilarating moment, but if your workload is a constant source of stress, it may be time to reassess. Similarly, major life events often leave even the most organized person in a state of shock.

Here are 15 quick tips to lighten the load and keep you on track.

1. At first, What is the big picture? Rebecca Zucker, in her Harvard Business Review article, suggests taking the time to examine what’s actually causing you stress. Do you have tasks that are almost done and need to be completed to feel calm and satisfied? Or are there things you can and should save for another team or another time? Knowing this can help you make better and more effective decisions.
2. find a way Delegate or outsource tasks It’s a very effective way to reduce feelings of overwhelm. Simply put, less food means less stress. It’s always worth it in the long run to set aside time during your busy day to ease the stresses of life.
3. The key to effective delegation is being able to: trust the teamIf you have tasks that only you can do, make space for the highest priority tasks to complete. But if there is something that someone else can take on, get people to help and trust them to get the job done.
4. Zucker also let go of perfectionismIf offloading tasks to your team makes you see more or feel stressed about getting things done your way, it is not productive for the parties involved. So let go a little when it’s appropriate. That doesn’t mean sacrificing quality for perfection, it just means allowing others to do their best and giving you room to breathe.
5. If you’re the kind of person who feels you work best in crisis, you may find yourself surrounded by crisis all the time. only. step back and think If it’s worth pre-planning before going into crisis mode, make sure you have all your skills ready before an emergency hits.
6. The other half of the equation may not be about your workload. In order to reduce the feeling of overwhelm, it is essential to Be honest with yourself about your time and energyNo one, no matter how capable, knowledgeable, skilled, or experienced, can function effectively and long-term without sleep or self-care. Do you take care of yourself outside the office?
7. As Michael Pusar shares in an article for BetterHelp.com, “Losing an hour of sleep significantly reduces cognitive performance.” get enough sleep It can be difficult, but the difference is striking and profound. Working late and pushing yourself to catch up comes at a cost and can only make the situation worse, not better.
8. Along with sleep, other forms of self-care are equally important.a healthy eating and regular exercise It can make a big difference to your long-term health. Cars cannot run on bad fuel and require regular maintenance and care. And you are much more complicated than a car. Eating healthy and making time for some regular exercise will improve your mood, energy, and health.
9. One of the things that affects your stress, mood, sleep, and overall health is your caffeine intake. Coffee lovers, fear not! You don’t have to give up the best part of cold turkey in the morning.However, because caffeine is a stimulant, some people reduce caffeine intake It can improve sleep habits and digestion. Let’s cut it down to just that first morning cup and see what changes happen.
10. Psar also Maintenance of support system Helps deal with stress. Not only do you need to surround yourself with the best and most talented team, colleagues, or freelancers, your support system outside of work is also very important. Is there someone in your life who helps you when you’re feeling overwhelmed? Assemble a support team!
11. In a Forbes article, Chris Meyers suggests: practice mindfulness, you can train your brain to reduce stress in the moment and react differently the next time it happens. increase. Each time you engage in mindfulness in the moment, you build a new pathway to your future so you don’t feel overwhelmed.
12. with mindfulness, maintain an attitude of gratitude It can also help you see how far you’ve come, especially if you tend to be perfectionist and hard on yourself. give yourself
13. Meyers also suggests that once you start focusing on gratitude, you’ll find that it gives you opportunities to learn and grow, even if you fail. allow yourself to be imperfectDon’t freeze yourself in fear because you’re too afraid to make a mistake. Embrace your imperfections and learn from your mistakes. Everyone fails, fails, and misses opportunities.
14. Craig Boneau of TinyBuddha.com offers this simple advice: Remember this too will passBad times don’t last forever. Suffering from anxiety can make you feel like you’re always swimming upstream, but that feeling will pass over time. From a certain point of view, we may start to value the good times more when we are going through them, rather than getting bogged down during stressful times.
15. Remember: no wasted workEverything you’ve done and done will help build your future skills. Although you may feel like your plans are constantly being thwarted or that life throws a curveball at you and you can barely bend over, let alone try to catch it. , hindsight is always 20/20.
16. And finally exhale. 10 deep breaths over 10 seconds, and focus on being a little less in your head and a little more in your body. You have the power and you can make a choice right now to move away from that feeling of stress and take steps towards a calmer, more peaceful and happier life.

Above all, know that whatever you’re going through, it’s okay. As the old saying goes, the only way out of anything is to get over it. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, not just oncoming vehicles!

Taking time now to find balance and peace in your daily life really pays off in all areas of your life, from work to health to sleep to even relationships. It’s never too late to start.

Read more about how to take care of yourself at work and other important skills in my new book Future Skills: 20 Skills and Abilities Everyone Needs to Succeed in the Digital Worldapply my newsletterand connect with me twitter, LinkedInand Youtube.