4 Simple Strategies for Overcoming Online Business Overwhelm
I know firsthand how overwhelming it can feel when you’re running an online business from home.
The pressures of success mixed with a never-ending to-do list can make it tough to stay motivated, focused, and creative. And let’s not forget those negative mindsets that can sneak in when you feel like you’re not making progress.
But here’s the good news. You can beat overwhelm.
In this post, I share tips for overcoming online business overwhelm. We’ll cover practical strategies that will help you take charge and manage your business with ease.
So get ready to regain control, stay organized, and get back that positive attitude!
This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission if you make a purchase using this link. For more information, see my full disclaimer here.
Emotions Associated with Feeling Overwhelmed
I think we can agree that feeling overwhelmed is no fun, right?
It can seriously mess with your productivity, creativity, and focus. And you may feel all sorts of emotions as you try to sort everything out and get organized.
Here’s a quick overview of the top emotions associated with feeling overwhelmed:
1. Stress
Having way too much on our plates can be super stressful, right?
Stress doesn’t just affect us mentally and emotionally. It can also lead to physical effects, like headaches, difficulty sleeping, and trouble focusing. I use the stress management app on my Fitbit to stay on top of my stress levels. If the score drops below 80, then I know I need to focus on better managing my stress.
2. Frustration
Lots of times when we’re overwhelmed, it feels like nothing is going right or everything takes forever to get done. That leads to frustration.
I’m experiencing this right now in relation to this blog post (ironic, right?). I keep thinking of things I want to add. But I also want to get it finished because I have a lot of other things I need to be doing. And that’s super frustrating. It’s also making me feel anxious, which leads us to. . .
3. Anxiety
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, you may also experience symptoms of anxiety. These can include a sense of dread, feeling uneasy, and a racing heart.
When I start feeling anxious, I find that a few minutes of deep breathing helps. I also do yoga every day, which helps me manage my overall stress levels.
4. Procrastination
While procrastination isn’t technically an emotion, it is “a behavior driven by emotion.” So when you feel overwhelmed, you often have the urge to put off tasks and delay completing important work.
But then procrastinating leads to even more stress and anxiety. (It’s a vicious circle!)
Understanding how emotions impact your business is a vital step in overcoming overwhelm. Because then you can start to implement strategies that will help you stay organized and in control.
Common Causes of Online Business Overwhelm
Now let’s take a look at what causes online business overwhelm in the first place.
1. Taking on too much at once
Let’s face it. Running an online business can be overwhelming. It’s like every day you have a million things to do and not enough time to do them. So you may feel like you need to tackle everything at once in order to keep from falling behind.
But this isn’t realistic. Or sustainable.
Taking on too much at once only causes burnout and leaves you feeling even more overwhelmed than before.
2. Unclear Business Goals
Without clear goals in place, it’s hard to stay focused and organized.
Having a roadmap or plan of action helps keep you on track and prevents distractions from taking over.
3. Poor Time Management
Time management is a skill that can be learned and improved. But when you’re working from home, it’s easy to slide into bad habits or procrastinate instead of staying on track and completing important tasks. Even worse, business tasks can end up taking time away from your personal life.
4. Lack of Prioritization
Another common cause is when we don’t prioritize. It’s tempting to try to tackle everything at once. Because often we’re overwhelmed because there’s just too much to do, right? But this is a recipe for burnout.
Instead, learn how to prioritize tasks and then stick to those priorities.
- Make a list of what needs to be done.
- Put your most important tasks first.
- Do those first and then do the rest.
5. Not delegating
Many of us have trouble delegating. I definitely fall into this camp.
It can be hard to let go and put things in another person’s hands. Especially if you are a perfectionist or control freak. 😆
Learn how to delegate less important tasks to other people so you can focus on your strategic objectives.
So now that we’ve explored the causes of business overwhelm, let’s talk about how to manage it.
And one cause I didn’t go into is spending too much time on your devices. If that sounds like you, you might need a digital detox. Want to find out? Take the free quiz here.
Strategies to Help with Overwhelm
It’s normal to feel overwhelmed when you have a lot to do. But it’s not fun. So let’s look at some strategies you can use to help.
Devise a Schedule
If you want to stay organized and crush those overwhelming feelings, one of the best things you can do is create a schedule.
And the best way to create a schedule is to use time blocking. Trust me on this-I’ve been time blocking for more years than I can remember.
By setting specific times for tasks like email, content creation, and social media marketing, you’ll feel less scattered and more in control.
You want to stick to the schedule as much as possible, but don’t stress if things don’t go exactly like you planned (spoiler alert: they won’t). Life happens, and you can always make adjustments as needed.
Delegate Certain Tasks
We talked earlier about how it can be tempting to do everything yourself when you run a small business.
But hear me on this. You don’t have to. There are people who can help you. That might mean hiring freelancers or adding additional staff, like a virtual assistant.
Or, it might mean delegating tasks from your personal life, like hiring someone to clean your house. I have someone who does yard work for me, which takes a significant amount of work off my plate.
So, grab a piece of paper and start jotting down ideas for tasks that you can delegate. Don’t hold back. Write down everything you can think of.
Eliminate Digital Clutter
Another way to reduce overwhelm and gain more focus is by eliminating digital clutter.
This may include:
- Unsubscribing from email lists
- Deleting old files
- Decluttering your desktop
- Organizing folders into categories
- Removing unnecessary plugins
- And more
There are so many pieces in your digital landscape. And organizing that space can make it easier for you to focus on the tasks at hand.
Take Regular Breaks
Last but not least, make sure that you take breaks.
It’s easy to spend too much time on business when you work from home. I mean, it’s always there, right? But you need to take care of yourself, too.
Give yourself permission to step away from your computer and do something you enjoy. Whether that’s taking a walk, reading a book, or watching your favorite TV show.
I like to work on a 45/15 schedule. That means I spend 45 minutes working and then I take a 15-minute break. Those breaks throughout the day give me a chance to get some exercise, take care of my houseplants, and just stay on top of my non-business tasks, which helps combat overwhelm and burnout.
When you take a little personal time, you’ll come back feeling refreshed and motivated to tackle the tasks ahead.
Benefits of Staying Organized in Business
So what are some benefits of staying organized and in control?
1. Improved Productivity
For starters, you’ll experience a significant improvement in productivity.
With a clear plan and schedule in place, you can focus on the most important tasks and get them done with greater efficiency.
And let’s not forget about delegating tasks. I’m harping on this for a reason. Delegation will free up more time for you to focus on the activities that bring in revenue. Maybe that’s creating new funnels. Maybe it’s working one-one with clients. Maybe it’s creating content. Whatever it is that only you can do.
2. Reduced Stress
As I said earlier, being overwhelmed is stressful and will impact your well-being.
Establishing systems that help you manage your workflow and keep you organized can bring you a sense of control and reduce your stress levels significantly.
3. Enhanced Focus and Creativity
Overwhelm also makes it hard to stay focused or come up with new ideas. But when you’re organized and you have a clear plan, you’ll be able to focus your energy on creative tasks and come up with new and innovative solutions.
Tools You Can Use to Reduce Overwhelm
If digital clutter and lack of organization are contributing to your sense of overwhelm, I have good news! I’ve created a toolkit with resources to help you tackle decluttering and organizing your business.
This system will help you declutter your business and get it organized in a way that works best for you.
Inside you’ll find checklists, guides, worksheets, and spreadsheets that will take you through a simple process to clear out the clutter.
Wrapping Up: Overcoming Online Business Overwhelm
In today’s busy and fast-paced world, it’s so easy to get lost in all the hustle and bustle.
However, by following the advice in this post, you can stay organized and get more done without feeling too stressed out.
When you set aside dedicated time each day for tasks like scheduling, delegating, and organizing, you’ll better prioritize tasks and make sure that everything gets done. And my Spring Clean Your Biz Toolkit can help you take this organization one step further.
So don’t let overwhelm rule your life. Get organized today!
