How to Deal with Feeling Overwhelmed as a Woman Entrepreneur?

Being an entrepreneur is not easy, especially when you are female. There are a lot of areas and localities that still have restrictions for women, which limits their abilities to grow. Women entrepreneurs often lack resources and mentorship. As an entrepreneur, you may even find yourself running on different cylinders to get things done and build your business. Over time, it may get challenging to understand how to deal with feeling overwhelmed. In this blog, we will share some effective ideas on how you can deal with overwhelm at work. 

Take a Deep Breath 

The first and most important thing is to take a deep breath. Overwhelming feelings can impact your ability to think clearly. Therefore, the first thing that you should do is take a step back and relax. Consider practicing relaxation techniques such as meditation, deep breathing, mindfulness, or any other therapeutic activity that helps you relax.  

Write Your Goals and Aspirations 

While looking for how to deal with feeling overwhelmed, you should even try to find out the root cause of why it is arising. At times, feelings of overwhelm at work may occur because the brain may be overloaded. Therefore, you should consider relaxing your mind by writing down or journaling. Write down the long list of tasks and aspirations that are occurring in your mind. Note down your goals and aspirations to better understand where you should put your energy. Make sure you list down the negative thoughts that are spinning in your head.  

Read Also: The Difference Between Personal and Professional Goals

Focus on Process, not Outcome 

We all have visions and big goals that we wish to accomplish. A vision may provide you with a roadmap and direction that you can use to lead your entrepreneurial journey. However, sticking around the particular vision or goal could become a problem. If things are not going well or there is a change in the market, you will have to adapt and change the plan accordingly. Instead of setting your mind on the final outcome, you should think about the process. Think about the compelling ways in which you can achieve or make the process even easier.  

Change Your Attitude Towards Stress 

Another thing that you must keep in mind is that you should change the way you handle or deal with stress. Do not let stress overpower you. Rather, look for stress management techniques that may help you feel better. Feeling stressed out may impact your concentration levels and make it difficult for you to focus on your work. Allow yourself to stay calm and maintain a positive attitude throughout. A positive and growth mindset will encourage you and help you deal with stress.  

Tackle Bigger Challenges First 

If you are thinking about how to deal with feeling overwhelmed, you should set your priorities. Try to differentiate between the tasks based on their relevance and deadline. You should aim at tackling bigger challenges first to clear off the task list. When you delay the task or get involved in procrastination, you may end up with a pile of pending tasks. If a task is urgent and you think it will take a long time, you should start working on it first. 

Manage Your Deadlines 

Missing out on deadlines is one of the biggest challenges that could lead to stress and may make you feel overwhelmed. When creating a to-do list, you should set it in the order of deadlines. Create a timeline for each task and try to stick to that schedule. If you are facing any issues with the deadlines, you should discuss them with the employer. Inform them of the challenges that you are facing and the reason behind the time taken to complete the tasks. 

Learn How to Delegate 

If you want to know how to deal with feeling overwhelmed, you should learn how to delegate tasks. Understand that you cannot do everything alone. You should consider outsourcing or delegating the tasks to the concerned members of the team. Test the person's capabilities and then decide to delegate the tasks. 

Automate or Ask for Help 

You may even consider leveraging technology to automate tasks. Automation may help reduce the manual load and may allow you to complete the tasks on time. If you are not willing to incorporate automation, you may ask someone for help. Consider hiring an assistant who could take over your role in your absence or assist you with other activities. 

Take Care of Your Mental Health 

You may develop feelings of being overwhelmed because of stress and issues of burnout. Take extra steps to promote and maintain your physical and emotional well-being. Do not take unnecessary stress and let it hamper your productivity levels. Try to stay calm and take continuous breaks to stay healthy throughout the day.  

Read Also: Top Science-backed Benefits of Journaling for Mental Health  

Know Your Productivity Peak 

Reduce the feelings of being overwhelmed at work by knowing your productivity limits. Know the limits of when you can work and when you cannot. Make sure you work during the times that are convenient for you. Avoid working at times when you do not feel productive. Working when your energy is drained may impact your focus and the quality of your work.  

Say No, Without Guilt  

Do not take up tasks to please your clients. While you want to maintain relations with your clients, you also need to understand that you cannot overwork or ask employees to sit extra. Learn to say no without feeling guilty. You are also a human being and cannot function round the clock. Make sure you take up new tasks only when it is convenient for you. 

Besides these aspects, you must also evaluate and plan the tasks accordingly. Avoid multitasking and focus on a single task at a time. We hope this guide on how to deal with feeling overwhelmed helps you manage your stress levels and lets you focus on your work.