5 Things to Do When You're Taking on Too Much

Note: This article is by Rebecca Brown, who shares her experience dealing with the many burdens she has to accomplish.

Sometimes, we take on obligations that are much more than we can handle without realizing it. Some of us find it challenging to refuse what our bosses, friends, children, or partners demand. Others struggle to say "no" to themselves and yearn to accomplish more or perform better in a society that does not value having "enough" obligations. 

However, carrying additional burdens for an extended period will inevitably lead to burnout, which has recently received official medical recognition as a disease. If your job is affected, you might take sick leave, but you cannot take a break from your life if the excessive commitment to tasks is a part of your daily routine. You need to reset a few things to get your life back in balance.

Five key things to start with

1. Reconnecting with your true self

It is simpler than ever to lose touch with who we truly are or who we once hoped to be when we spend our days working without thinking or making plans like a machine. We hardly ever have time to be alone with our thoughts, much less our forgotten feelings, needs, and desires, as we rush to get our kids off to school or their after-school lessons, finish the housework and respond to an "urgent" work email on a Friday night.

It is difficult to reconnect with yourself once you have lost touch with it. It will take a lot of determination to do so. Some of us might write down our feelings. Others find techniques, such as mindfulness or helpful meditation, to rebuild this connection with themselves.

Others need to go on a journey and find a way to connect with themselves while traveling, especially on their own. I went on a pilgrimage many years ago, and that journey is what ultimately changed my life. Many people share a similar desire to travel the pilgrimage route and experience similar things during and after taking the path.

2. Reassessment and prioritization

Once you reconnect with yourself, you will know your priorities almost automatically and feel valued. However, since this process will take some time, approach your to-do list more rationally by answering the following:

• Do the activities I spend my time on add value to my life?
• If I commit to them, who will benefit?
• Is this commitment important to me? Do I enjoy it?
• Is there an easier or less time-consuming way to do these things?
• Does it somehow affect my health?
• Can someone else do this for me?

Discussing these questions will help you identify which tasks are worth your time and energy and which are not.

3. Delegation and sharing responsibilities

You should learn to identify tasks you can delegate or assign to others. When you are faced with things that need to be done, try to determine whether they need to be done by you or someone else who might step up and do them.

Look for other resources, such as outsourcing or automating particular tasks, if you are worn out from simple tasks at work and need someone to delegate these tasks to. Consider all of your household chores as well. There are some tasks that your spouse or kids can take care of. You are not required to manage everything in this world.

4. Learning to say no

Learning when and how to say “no” is one of the hardest lessons one has to learn, but it is essential to maintaining balance in life. It can be more challenging when you have to say “no” to things and people that are worth your time and effort.

If you want to do every task, keep in mind the stress of not being able to succeed or even failing to complete too many things rather than mastering a small number of carefully chosen tasks. Also, consider the breakdown of your physical and mental health. You can then choose after that.

5. Asking for professional support

Not everyone can take on the same share of tasks. We cannot all handle the same amount of emotional, professional, or physical burdens. Excessive stress affects our physical and mental health negatively. Sometimes, the reason for our low energy levels lies in a chemical imbalance or lack of coping mechanisms.

In conclusion

Don't keep feeling bad about yourself and comparing yourself to other people and what they appear to accomplish in a day if you are under stress in your daily life or if you appear to be struggling to cope with each new day. Professional support is what you need to begin the healing process as well as to organize and clarify how you plan to carry out your tasks.