Feeling Overwhelmed at Work

There are times when work can feel like too much.

Your inbox is filling up. Several people need something from you. Deadlines are approaching. You start one task, remember another and then struggle to concentrate on either.

Eventually, you may reach the point where you think:

“I don’t even know where to start.”

Feeling overwhelmed does not necessarily mean you are incapable of doing your job. Sometimes it means the number of demands competing for your attention has become difficult to manage.

What can feeling overwhelmed at work look like?

You might notice that you:

• jump between tasks without finishing them
• struggle to decide what to do first
• repeatedly check emails or messages
• put off difficult tasks
• make mistakes you would not normally make
• forget things
• feel unable to concentrate
• work longer but seem to achieve less
• become irritable or emotional
• avoid looking at your workload
• feel anxious before the working day begins
• continue thinking about work after you finish

Sometimes the amount of work hasn’t changed dramatically. You may simply have reached a point where several pressures have come together.

Stop trying to hold everything in your head

When you are overwhelmed, trying to remember everything can create even more pressure.

Write down what currently needs your attention.

Don’t worry about putting it in the right order immediately.

The first aim is simply to move the tasks out of your head and somewhere you can see them.

Then ask:

What genuinely needs attention today?

What can wait?

What needs somebody else’s input?

What might not actually need doing at all?

A long list can still be uncomfortable, but it is often easier to deal with than a constantly changing list in your mind.

Decide what matters first

When everything feels urgent, prioritising becomes difficult.

Try separating tasks into:

Needs attention now

Needs attention soon

Can wait

You may also have tasks that somebody else has labelled urgent but which compete with something already important.

If priorities conflict, you may need to ask the person responsible for setting your workload which should come first.

You do not always have to solve competing priorities yourself.

Focus on one next action

Large tasks can feel especially difficult when you are already overwhelmed.

Instead of:

“I need to finish this entire project.”

ask:

“What is the next thing I actually need to do?”

That might be:

• open the document
• find the information you need
• make one phone call
• send one email
• arrange a meeting
• complete the first section

Completing one action will not solve everything, but it can help you start moving again.

Be careful about working faster and longer

When you feel behind, it can be tempting to skip breaks, stay late and try to work at maximum speed.

Occasionally that may help with a short-term deadline.

But if the underlying problem is that the amount of work consistently exceeds the time or resources available, working longer may simply hide the problem temporarily.

Ask yourself:

Is this a particularly difficult period, or has this become my normal workload?

If it has become normal, the workload itself may need discussing.

Communicate before things become unmanageable

You may worry that telling somebody you are struggling will make you look incapable.

But identifying a problem early can make it easier to address.

Instead of saying:

“I can’t cope.”

you could explain the practical issue:

“I currently have these three deadlines this week and I don’t think all three can be completed to the required standard. Which should take priority?”

That turns a general feeling of overwhelm into a specific conversation about workload and priorities.

Depending on your workplace, you might speak with your manager, HR team or another appropriate person.

Reduce unnecessary interruptions where you can

Constant notifications, messages, emails and interruptions can make it difficult to concentrate.

Where your role allows, you might try:

• turning off non-essential notifications for a period
• setting aside time for one task
• checking emails at particular points rather than continuously
• closing applications you are not using
• taking a short break before moving between demanding tasks

Not every job allows control over interruptions, but even small changes may help.

Remember what is happening outside work

Sometimes work becomes harder because you are dealing with pressure elsewhere.

Poor sleep, caring responsibilities, financial worries, illness, relationship difficulties or another major life event can affect concentration and energy.

That does not mean the work problem isn’t real.

It simply means there may be more than one thing contributing to how overwhelmed you feel.

When feeling overwhelmed isn’t improving

If work regularly feels unmanageable, is affecting your sleep or mood, or is making it difficult to function outside work, it may be time to seek additional support.

Your employer may provide occupational health, an employee assistance programme or other wellbeing support.

You can also speak with your GP or an appropriate mental-health professional if you are concerned about how you are feeling.

You do not have to solve your entire workload at once.

Sometimes the most useful question is simply:

“What needs my attention next?”

6.1: Work-Related Stress

6.2: How to Recognise Burnout

6.7: Managing Workload Pressure

6.9: Returning to Work After Time Away

2.4: What Can I Do When Everything Feels Too Much?

11.8: Breaking Problems Into Manageable Steps

22.3: I Have Too Many Problems to Deal With

General information only. This is not a diagnosis or a substitute for professional healthcare advice.