Strategies for Dealing with Overwhelm

[John Forrister]

Still stressed about what you're not doing? There's a new post by GTD coach Kelly Forrister, called Strategies for Dealing with Overwhelm.

https://gtdconnect.com/coaches_connection.php?id=157

 

[Fr Matthew]

Thanks for posting. I'm actually in the midst of one of those weeks. These strategies are coming just in time!

 

[Oogiem]

My takeaway from that is the term ankle biters. I think I'll make a context of ankle biters for those times. Sounds like a great way to deal with the small but irritating actions that can drag down a whole system.

 

[Longstreet]

Outstanding, Kelly! I too am in the midst of feeling overwhelmed. I really do like the "ankle biters" designation. Hmmm....like Oogiem, I see a new context!

 

[Longstreet]

The "ankle biters" description reminds me of this blog post some time ago on a fresh look at contexts.

http://simplicitybliss.com/post/126031901202/a-fresh-take-on-contexts

Things like "brain dead" and "short dashes" are within this same idea. But I REALLY like "ankle biters"!

 

[kelstarrising]

So glad you all got value from the article!

What's interesting about one of those ankle biters is that I had added pressure to myself that someone I owed one of them to was really anxious for me to complete it, because she had so much energy and tension about it when she asked me to do it. I should have known better, because when I finished it and let her know, she had already moved on to the next brush fire in her system and was so nonchalant about me finishing it. So I can get even sharper about not taking on other people's urgencies, or at least check back with them if what they were all fired up about getting done is even still a priority for me to do.

 

[John Forrister]

Maybe there's a set of contexts that are the opposite of Deep Work.
http://forum.gettingthingsdone.com/...ect-your-gtd-journey/187642-deep-work-and-gtd

@ankle biters
@short dashes
@braindead
@nibbled to death by ducks - NOT

I also find that spending some time on the ankle biters can relieve stress so that I am more mentally available for deep work. I don't have to do all of them to get this relief.

 

[Longstreet]

I love your "Nibbled to death by ducks" context! Here is another angle on contexts in this light involving emotions. If I remember correctly, David interviewed her.

https://medium.com/@robynscott/why-...eased-my-productivity-a88ad971cef8#.6149f9brk

 

[arweekarn]

Seems there are quite a few of us here feeling overwhelmed.. me too! So thanks Kelly for this post. Two weeks ago I had similar conversation with one of GTD trainers about both of us being so overwhelmed and one thing we agreed was that we really need to guard our calendar in coming weeks. When it was crystal clear that I was way overcommitted, it wasn't difficult at all to say no