Podcast Description
The feeling of being overwhelmed is a common experience for many people, and it can be defined as a state of feeling completely overcome or overpowered by something, such as tasks, responsibilities, or emotions. It can be caused by a variety of factors, including an excessive workload, a lack of control or support, unclear job expectations, poor job fit, and a dysfunctional workplace environment.
From a scientific perspective, feeling overwhelmed is associated with the body's stress response system. When the body perceives a threat or a challenge, it activates the stress response which triggers the release of stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones can help us cope with the situation by increasing our heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure, and by sharpening our focus and attention.
However, when stress hormones are constantly activated due to ongoing stressors, such as a heavy workload or a difficult work environment, it can lead to negative effects on our physical and mental health. This can include symptoms such as fatigue, difficulty concentrating, irritability, and sleep disturbances. Over time, chronic stress can also lead to more serious health problems such as depression, anxiety, and cardiovascular disease.
To start off, let's define what it means to be overwhelmed.
Different types of overwhelm can be categorized as follows:
1. Too much of the good things: Sometimes, you have too many desirable tasks and responsibilities, and you mistakenly volunteered to do them all. Your job is challenging but fun, the people you work with are great, and the projects you get offered are all high-impact and worth doing. However, you're just doing too many of them. This abundance of good things can transform into a life-sucking monster that overwhelms you.
2. Too much of the bad things: You can also be overwhelmed by too much negativity at work. You have too many different responsibilities, multiple managers to report to, consolidation of data from various sources, and delivering information and reports to numerous people. Additionally, you might be in a poorly designed work environment or experience a lack of control due to micromanagement or working in isolation.
3. Building something new: This type of overwhelm is slightly different and applies more to small business owners, startups, and entrepreneurs. When you're building something new, there is no established norm to follow and little infrastructure. In such cases, it is crucial to set boundaries, implement a particular version of storytelling that is good enough for now, and take breaks to prevent overworking.
4. Overwhelm due to burnout: Feeling overwhelmed can also be a symptom of burnout. This could be due to a lack of control, unclear job expectations, dysfunctional workplace dynamics, a mismatch in values, overwhelming tasks, a lack of social support, or an imbalance between work and personal life.
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