Many people start to feel overwhelmed when they have a lot going on; so isn't it strange that most advice for dealing with overwhelm asks you to do more? The advice varies, but usually falls along the lines of: make time for self-care, practice meditation, take a walk in nature.
Now, imagine a fighter pilot in enemy territory who starts feeling overwhelmed. You wouldn't tell that person to take a meditation break, right? And yet, it's super important for that pilot to stay clear headed and moving, even in the face of all that pressure — there's no space for overwhelm.
Pilots are just one type of the many professionals who have to stay in the game no matter the pressure or load. Someone athletically talented will never become a professional if they crumble under pressure. In fact, the best athletes are the ones who perform at their best when the pressure is on and there's a lot going on.
So, how is it possible for some people to crumble when there's too much going on while others thrive? The explanation is simple, but requires some definitions.
Overloaded is when there is a lot going on. For example, you might have more work than there are hours in the day, or you have requests and interruptions coming from every direction. There's no time to pause; you're in constant motion.
Overwhelmed is a state of mind, or feeling. Some of the feelings people describe in an overwhelmed state are: anxious, stressed, scattered, distracted, frenetic, worried, paralyzed, and agitated.
The misunderstanding most operate under is that if you are overloaded then you must also be overwhelmed, but this is not true. Recall the professional pilot or athlete who has to always perform under pressure and be clear headed and focused in order to succeed.
On the flip side, there are many people who are not overloaded and still live in the feeling of being overwhelmed. Maybe you've experienced this on vacation: you've had little that had to get done, but your mind was thinking about what was happening at the office, or what you'd have to do when you returned, and so you felt overwhelmed.
When a person believes that being overloaded and being overwhelmed are synonymous, then the only relief is to have less to do. Since it's often impossible to control the demands of work it means that there is no escape.
There’s freedom in understanding that overload and overwhelm operate independently of each other. It means you don’t have to feel like a prisoner, trapped by your workload; and, at any moment, better feelings are available.
Artwork: Hatsuhana doing penance under the Tonosawa waterfall by Utagawa Kuniyoshi