Life can get very overwhelming.

Just the nature of the world can tend to swamp us with negative feelings and tasks that never seem to end. Our relationships can be such that we live under stress from the people we love and care for the most.

Being overwhelmed is an experience most people know very well. What do you do to help yourself cope with those feelings of having too much to do and not enough time to do them? What can you do to help yourself cope?

First, write your tasks. Apart from simply jumping in and getting things done, the most helpful suggestion for me is to write down what I have to do.

Putting the task on paper shrinks the size of the job.

My mind can let what I have to do get bigger and bigger, but taking the time to organize what needs to be done helps tremendously.

Second, break big jobs into smaller ones. This works particularly well if you’re dealing with a problem that can’t really be solved. At least you can make it better by finding the things that can be done.

This process is commonly used by people in industry who have large projects to be accomplished over a number of months.

Third, think less and do more. It’s easy to get bogged down in your thoughts or feelings that you can’t get the job done. The secret for getting the job done is jumping in with both feet to solve the problem.

The longer you analyze your list the less time you have to finish the project.

Fourth, do what you do best and only you can do. You may be a person who takes on too many jobs. You may be someone who lets other people put their monkeys on your back. (I have a tendency to take on other people’s monkeys).

If you have the availability to do so, delegate parts of the project – – or the entire project – – to someone else. Maybe you have a friend who could help you complete certain areas.

Finally, let God in on your struggles. Jesus accomplished the most important task ever completed. At the end of His life He proclaimed: “It is finished.” Yet, Jesus never seemed overwhelmed.

The Son spent time with the Father. Before He chose His disciples, He spent all night in prayer. I have found that my feelings of too much to do are helped profoundly by spending time with God.

I recommend highly the practice of knowing God and spending time with Him.

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