Techniques for Prioritizing Work When Overwhelmed

Let’s talk about being overwhelmed. Not “I had a busy day” overwhelmed. I'm talking about the kind of overwhelm that makes you stare at your screen, unsure of what to touch first, because everything feels urgent and you're already behind. Assistants, we know this feeling too well. The Slack messages. The emails. The last-minute calendar changes. The “quick” requests that are anything but. And somehow, you’re expected to smile through it, stay five steps ahead, and never miss a beat. But you know I am a truth teller and I am here to tell you that you can’t do it all and you’re not supposed to. And when the overwhelm sets in, it’s time to stop spinning and start practicing Radical Prioritization! Here’s how to shift from drowning to directing: 🔍 Step 1: Dump It All Out Get everything out of your head and into one space. OneNote, a whiteboard, a notebook—I don’t care where it lands, but stop trying to keep it all in your brain. Visibility creates clarity. 🔁 Step 2: Use the 3D Method: Do it, Delegate it, Drop it Now go line by line and ask yourself: Do it: Is this critical and time-sensitive? Handle it. Delegate it: Can someone else on your team handle this better or faster? Assign it. Drop it: Is this busy work disguised as productivity? Let it go. Yes, I said it. Let it go. 🎯 Step 3: Anchor Everything to Impact Ask: Does this task move my leader, my team, or the business forward? If the answer is no, it’s not the priority. Reorder your energy around outcomes, not optics. 🗣️ Step 4: Communicate, Don’t Assume People can't read your mind. Speak up. Share what’s on your plate, clarify tradeoffs, and don’t be afraid to say, “Here’s what I’m prioritizing based on the goals. Let me know if that needs to shift.” We’re not here to be martyrs to the inbox or heroes of the hectic. We’re here to bring structure, calm, and impact to the chaos. Do what matters most and let the rest fall where it may. Protect your capacity so you can show up where it counts. If you're feeling overwhelmed, take this as your permission to pause, reassess, and lead your workload with intention. So tell me what's one thing you're dropping from your list this week that doesn't serve your priorities? #evolvedassistant #administrativeassistant #executivesupport #administrativeprofessionals #executiveassistant

Overwhelmed? 𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝. It Means You’re Growing. Every entrepreneur I’ve met, myself included, has faced moments when feel they are drowning in things to do. This is especially true in the early years when the business consists primarily of just you. A ever growing task list, Emails, WhatsApp, Slack, Linkedin Messages, voice mails all demand your attention but the calendar is full for the day ahead and you have staff and clients who all demand your attention. And somewhere in the mix you’re expected to actually build the business. But where to start? First, let me put your mind at ease, this is normal. Actually it's a sign of success, your in demand. But where you focus your time is important. Feeling overwhelmed isn’t a sign of weakness, it’s a signal. It tells you something isn’t aligned. The skill lies not in avoiding the situation (that's impossible), but in how you respond when the situation arises. Here’s what I’ve learned and what I coach others to do: 1. 𝐏𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠. When you’re spinning, the instinct is to do more, faster. Instead I ask you to pause. Take ten minutes. Step away from the screen. Breathe. Clarity comes from stillness, not speed. 2. 𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝. The feeling of being overwhelmed thrives in a cluttered mind. Write everything down, every task, every worry, every commitment. Seeing it on paper instantly makes it more manageable. 3. 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞. Not all tasks or meetings are created equal. Ask yourself: Which two or three things will truly move me forward today. Focus there. Ask yourself which meetings can I be excused from, what tasks can I delegate - this is how you regain control. 4. 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐢𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧. A task that feels impossible becomes manageable once it’s split into steps. And focus today on completing just that first step. 5. 𝐀𝐬𝐤 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩. Entrepreneurs often think they must carry the load alone. You don’t. Reach out to a peer, a mentor, and your supporters. Remember delegation is not abdication, it’s leadership. 6. 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐬! Learn to accept that to get things done you won't be able to do them perfectly, that's ok. Provided you complete the task to an acceptable level, within the agreed timescale that's good enough. 7. And most importantly 𝐑𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬. When overwhelmed our perspective can become cloudy, indistinct. Reconnect with your purpose. When you remind yourself of the “why,” the “how” becomes easier. Here’s the truth: every founder you admire has faced the same mountain of tasks, the same late-night doubts, the same moments of paralysis. What sets them apart is their ability to re-centre, re-prioritise, and keep going. And remember, your not alone!

During my time as a Principal TPM in the Oracle Cloud Infrastructure team, I learned firsthand that knowing what to de-prioritize is equally crucial as prioritization. Prioritization is a delicate dance every Technical Program Manager performs daily. It's not just about crafting a to-do list; it's about making strategic choices that propel your projects and teams forward. Mastering this art can mean the difference between smooth sailing and utter chaos in the whirlwind of technical program management. It's all about feeling empowered by the decisions you make. Imagine your workload as a juggling act – not every ball is the same size, and not every ball needs to be caught immediately. 🤹♂️ Early in my career, I was juggling a major product launch, a team restructure, and a handful of smaller projects. Trying to do everything at once was a recipe for disaster. After a near-miss with a critical deadline, I started each day by listing my tasks and categorizing them into "urgent and impactful," "can be done later," and "delegate." The change was immediate and profound. Not only did I meet my deadlines, but my team also became more cohesive and efficient. 🎯💪 Some popular prioritization strategies that have helped me and many others include: Eisenhower Matrix, which categorizes tasks into four quadrants based on urgency and importance(Do First, Schedule, Delegate, and Don't Do). 📊  The MoSCoW method (Must have, Should have, Could have, and Won't have) is another excellent approach, especially for managing project requirements. 📝  Ivy Lee method, where you list the six most important tasks to complete the next day and focus on them in order of priority. Each method can provide a clear framework for deciding what needs immediate attention and what can wait. Understanding the power of saying "No" can be transformative, allowing you to focus on what truly matters and avoid unnecessary stress. So, the next time you're feeling overwhelmed, remember: it's not just about what you do, but also about what you choose not to do. Share your prioritization hacks, challenges or stories in the comments! 👇💬

The Worst Prioritization Advice I’ve Ever Gotten as a Program Manager at Amazon “Just work on what feels most urgent.” This advice sounds smart. Until you realize everything feels urgent when you’re overwhelmed. • Slack threads light up • Customers escalate • Leaders shift priorities And suddenly you’re running on adrenaline, not strategy. I tried this advice early in my PM career. And I spent 3 weeks chasing low-impact fires…while the real project slipped. Now? I filter urgency through impact, not emotion. Here’s how I avoid bad prioritization traps: 1/ I sort tasks by consequence, not noise ↳ “What happens if I do this late?” ↳ Most ‘emergencies’ die quietly 2/ I force tradeoff conversations ↳ “Happy to jump in…what should I pause to make room?” ↳ Fake urgency folds under pressure 3/ I slow down before I reshuffle ↳ If I feel reactive, I pause and write it down ↳ Panic ≠ plan 4/ I protect strategic work like a deadline ↳ Deep thinking. Process building. Decision docs. ↳ It only survives if you guard it like your launch date 5/ I normalize saying “this isn’t the highest priority” ↳ Respectfully, clearly, consistently ↳ That phrase has saved me from months of stress Urgency is a feeling. Impact is a fact. 📬 I share clarity-first prioritization systems weekly in The Weekly Sync: 👉 https://lnkd.in/e6qAwEFc What’s the worst prioritization advice you’ve ever gotten?

Sometimes I look back at my time on active duty in the Air Force and wonder how I got everything done . . . how did I get kids to soccer, stay credible in the airplane, do laundry and grocery shopping, and focus on my role as a commander and leader. The reality is that there were often times throughout my career where I felt overwhelmed by multiple competing priorities . . . there just didn’t seem to be enough time in the day to get it all done. The only way I could keep my head above water was to get serious and deliberate about prioritizing. I didn’t always get this right (in fact, many times I did not), but here are a few ideas that can help you prioritize and make the most of your time: 1️⃣ Identify Your Goals/Priorities: Clearly define your objectives to focus on tasks that align with your priorities. 2️⃣ Prioritize Tasks: Conduct a thorough analysis of your daily tasks. Determine which tasks are urgent and important, and focus on completing those first. (I didn’t know about the Eisenhower Matrix then, but I find it highly effective now for prioritizing my tasks.) 3️⃣ Delegate Responsibilities: Trust others to handle tasks not directly related to your core responsibilities, freeing up time for priorities. 4️⃣ Set Realistic Deadlines: Break down larger tasks into smaller steps with achievable deadlines to maintain steady progress. Micro/quick wins are also nice. (I personally enjoy crossing items off of my to-do list.) 5️⃣ Learn to Say No: Be selective about new commitments to avoid overloading your schedule (sometimes easier said than done, and it’s helpful to have an accountability partner on this). 6️⃣ Block your Schedule: Consider setting aside specific blocks in your schedule for strategic thinking. Creating this space ensures that you are actively working toward your goals and objectives and not just getting bogged down in the weeds. 7️⃣ Review and Adjust: Regularly reassess your schedule and priorities to ensure they align with your goals, adjusting as needed. (I use a high-tech sticky note and review/re-write at the end of each day). Whether you’re a business professional, military member, entrepreneur, or student, effective time management is key to maintaining productivity and reducing stress. #LeadWithCourage ----- 🛩️ About me: I’m Kim “KC” Campbell, a retired Air Force Colonel, fighter pilot, author, and keynote speaker. I work with organizations that want to develop courageous leaders and teams so they can overcome challenges, navigate uncertainty, and elevate performance.

From Chaos to Clarity: Avoid Overwhelm with This Simple Trick! "One should never think about the entire road at once, you understand? You must only think of the next step, the next breath, the next sweep of the broom. And always just the next." This wisdom from Beppo the Street Sweeper in Michael Ende’s Momo offers a powerful strategy to prevent overwhelm: focusing solely on the next, specific step. By doing so, we preserve our joy in the work and avoid feeling lost in the enormity of the task. In a similar way, David Allen’s Getting Things Done (GTD) method embodies this principle by breaking large projects into manageable steps and always defining the next action. GTD ensures we’re not overburdened by endless to-do lists but move forward steadily, with focus and organization. My personal motto on this topic is, “Let’s cross the bridge when we get there.” This encourages us to avoid worrying prematurely about future challenges, to stay present, and to tackle issues as they arise. It fosters a clear, relaxed, and solutions-oriented mindset. Psychological Foundations  Studies confirm the effectiveness of this approach. “Chunking” and the structuring of tasks through GTD reduce feelings of overwhelm and enhance motivation by making small steps and successes visible (Baumeister et al., 1998). Locke and Latham (2002) demonstrated that setting clear, achievable goals can prevent overwhelm and boost motivation. GTD specifically supports this by establishing a clear framework and bringing clarity and focus through the next immediate step. Tips for Preventing Overwhelm: 1️⃣ Break tasks into smaller steps: Focus on the next concrete step and set aside the larger goal for now. 2️⃣ Stay organized: Use GTD techniques to keep to-dos structured, strengthening your sense of control and clarity. 3️⃣ Stay present: Focus on the here and now and trust that you’ll handle challenges as they arise. With these principles, we can maintain a calm, productive approach and tackle large projects successfully—and with joy. How do you stay on top of things? Have you tried the GTD method? #AvoidOverwhelm #GettingThingsDone #mentalhealth #LeadershipSkills

If you're overwhelmed at work, stop trying to "manage your time." Do this instead. Your to-do list isn't the problem. Your nervous system is. When stress spikes, your body goes into survival mode. Your prefrontal cortex goes offline. And you lose access to the part of your brain that thinks clearly. No productivity hack can fix that. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗿𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝘂𝘀𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲: → Everything feels urgent → You can't focus on one thing → You react instead of respond → You make mistakes you wouldn't normally make → By 3pm, you're exhausted but nothing meaningful got done 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀: Manage your body first. Then your thoughts. Then your actions. 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟭: 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆 (𝟭-𝟯 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗲𝘀) → Slow breaths: in for 4, out for 6 → Drop your shoulders → Unclench your jaw → Press both feet into the floor This signals safety to your brain. Now it can think again. 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟮: 𝗡𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 Ask: "What actually needs to happen right now?" Pick one thing. Just one. Everything else can wait. 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟯: 𝗦𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 Before responding to anything, pause. Even 5 seconds helps. Say: "Let me think about that" or "Give me a minute." 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟰: 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗮𝘀𝗸𝘀 Stress compounds when you go task to task without pause. After each task: 30 seconds. Breathe. Stretch. Look away from your screen. Clear the system before the next thing. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵: You can't think your way out of overwhelm while your body is in survival mode. Regulate first. Then work. The order matters. Regulate your emotions. Reconnect with your body. Thrive at work. ♻️ Repost if this resonates. ➕ Follow Gabriella Cacciatore for more trauma-informed leadership content. If overwhelm keeps running your workdays, trauma-informed coaching can help you build the regulation that changes everything. Message me or book a discovery call here: https://lnkd.in/euyv_yyj

Big picture to daily focus: A smarter way to prioritize. Prioritization can feel overwhelming—especially when you're juggling market strategies, portfolios, projects, and daily tasks. But what if there was a simple, clear method to align it all? Here’s the approach I use: 1️⃣ 𝗭𝗼𝗼𝗺 𝗢𝘂𝘁: Start with the market view. Use tools like the 𝗕𝗖𝗚 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗶𝘅 to evaluate opportunities and prioritize at the strategic level. 2️⃣ 𝗭𝗼𝗼𝗺 𝗜𝗻: Shift to the project view. The 𝘐𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘵 𝘌𝘹𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘔𝘢𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘹 bridges strategy to execution by helping you focus on tasks with the highest impact. 3️⃣ 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗗𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘆: Finally, organize your personal time with the 𝗘𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗵𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗶𝘅 to ensure you work smart and avoid unnecessary distractions. To make it even easier, I’ve redesigned the matrices to follow a consistent high/low format. This alignment helps you read, understand, and act faster. Prioritization doesn’t have to be complicated. By zooming out, then zooming in, you can turn strategy into seamless execution. Note that I've used my 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗶𝘅 at Microsoft to prioritize efforts as big as multi-million dollar ventures down to much smaller efforts.  By simply checking the impact on a scale of 1 to 10, and ability to execute on a scale of 1 to 10, as a team or individually, all will get revealed. What’s your go-to method for prioritizing? Let’s share tips below! #leadership #productivity

When you feel stressed or overwhelmed, it's incredibly valuable to pause. You likely need rest -- to put on your own oxygen mask before you can help others with theirs. But as a leader, it can be hard to stop. Others are relying upon you. So before you fully rest, assess what's on your plate and use the 3Ds. Take your to-do list and do the following: - DELETE anything that isn't the most important - DEFER the task if it doesn't need to be done now. No nice to haves - DELEGATE if it really has to be done and done now -- and if someone else can do it. This way you are only left with what is most important and ONLY YOU can do it. You'll be more focused and more energized to tackle the most gnarly and complex issues. Some more tips: - Find someone to partner with to help you be rigorous - Time-bound the exercise -- 15 min can help you be decisive - Make time to do this regularly, it'll help you prevent overwhelm - Notice your patterns and change how you add things to your list What will you 3D today?

Is it just me or does this year already feel a decade long? 🗓️ If your to-do list is longer than your actual day, I've got you. Here's what I've learned after training time management for more than 15 years. There are only 3 real options when the volume of work outweighs your time and energy. Everything else is a distraction or a delay. ✅ Option 1: Reduce the Workload (This may require conversations you'd rather avoid...but they're needed.) Renegotiate deadlines, reallocate responsibilities, delegate more intentionally, leverage technology more effectively. Remember: being overwhelmed doesn't serve your team, your goals, or your personal wellbeing. You are a human being with normal, natural human limitations of time and energy. If your plate is overfull, ask: ❓ Who else can contribute here? ❓ What are more reasonable expectations I can advocate for? ❓ What tools or systems could help reduce my manual busy work? ✅ Option 2: Increase Efficiency Sometimes the workload is just unchangeable, at least in the short term. When that's the case, the next step is to get smarter about how you tackle it. Start with prioritization. Not everything on your list holds equal weight. Then look for where you can streamline: ❓ Are there recurring tasks that can be batched? ❓ Meetings that can be emails? ❓ Emails that can ignored or automatically filed? ❓ Reports that can be templatized? ❓ Processes that can be improved? Audit your time honestly and figure out where you’re wasting time and do everything in your power to reduce it. Efficiency is a skill you can build but (like all learning) it first requires self-awareness. ✅ Option 3: Shift Your Mindset Sometimes what overwhelms us isn’t the work itself, but the expectations we've layered onto it. You’re not the only one feeling the pressures of “too much to do and not enough time.” This is the state of the modern workplace. Accept that you're not going to get everything done TODAY. That’s not the point. The goal is not to finish everything right now; it's to understand what matters most in this moment and focus your energy there. 👉 If you have other strategies, drop them in the comments!