Overwhelmed at Work? Ask Yourself These 3 Critical Questions

There's a 50/50 chance you currently feel overwhelmed at work.

With deadlines, meetings, tasks piling up, and constant demands for our attention, it’s easy to feel like we're drowning. However in moments like these, we have the power to take back control, by asking ourselves the right questions.

Let’s break it down with three questions that can help you shift from overwhelm to clarity.

1. Am I Viewing This Situation Accurately?

Why ask this:
Overwhelm is often a reflection of how we feel about a situation, not necessarily the reality of it. Feelings stem from our perceptions, and those perceptions may be distorted by stress, fatigue, or unhelpful self-talk. 

A helpful reframe is to ask, “How would I encourage my best friend if they were in this situation?” This question helps create emotional distance, allowing you to offer yourself the kind of logical and calm support you'd offer to someone else. You’ll often realize that the problem isn’t as big as it feels and that solutions are closer than they appear.

Example:
Let’s say you’re up against a tight deadline with multiple tasks on your plate. Instead of getting swept up in panic, take a moment to reassess. Is every single task truly urgent? Are there small wins you can achieve quickly? Are you holding yourself to unrealistic standards, or are there areas where you can give yourself more grace?

2. What Must Be Done Now?

Why ask this:
Overwhelm often comes from trying to hold onto too many things at once. Our minds can only handle a limited number of tasks before things start to feel chaotic. When you ask yourself, “What must be done now?” you force yourself to prioritize. This step allows you to shift from reacting to everything to focusing on the tasks that are both urgent and important.

Take inventory of all your tasks, then filter them down to the most critical ones. Consider using the Eisenhower Matrix, a decision-making framework to determine what’s urgent and important versus what can be delegated or deferred.

Pro Tip:
Write down everything you’re worried about or that needs attention. Once it’s all in front of you, it becomes easier to separate the “must-dos” from the “nice-to-dos.”

3. What Can I Delegate or Defer?

Why ask this:
One of the biggest contributors to overwhelm is feeling like you need to do everything yourself, right now. But here’s the thing: you don’t. One of the most effective ways to manage your workload is to reduce the number of things you personally have to do.

A simple rule: If someone else can do a task 70% as well as you can, delegate it. Free yourself up to focus on higher-level work.

Similarly, defer anything that isn’t time-sensitive or pressing. When you recognize that not everything needs to be done right now, the weight of overwhelm often lifts.

Pro Tip:
Don’t think of delegation as losing control. Instead, think of it as multiplying your time by leveraging the skills and strengths of others. And deferring doesn’t mean forgetting. it just means it doesn’t require your attention right this second.

BONUS TIP: Develop Systems to Keep Overwhelm at Bay

Beyond these three questions, building habits and systems can prevent overwhelm from becoming a frequent visitor. A weekly planning meeting, like the one we recommend at Time Boss, can make a huge difference. Use this time to schedule, organize, and align your tasks with your long-term goals. When you invest a little time upfront to plan, you’ll spend far less time feeling frazzled later.

When you’re feeling overwhelmed, it’s easy to fall into a reactive mode, fighting fires without a clear sense of priority. But by asking yourself these three simple questions, you can regain focus, cut through the noise, and tackle what matters most.

Want to avoid overwhelm and level up your productivity game? Book an intro call with our team so we can help you get a quick win.