I Am Feeling Overwhelmed

Wade Webb on September 8, 2021

realtor feeling overwhelmedFeeling overwhelmed is a natural part of life. Everyone occasionally feels overwhelmed by expectations, responsibilities, and a lack of time. The past 16 months have been a huge test on us as Realtors© and being able to handle everything coming at us. However, dwelling on feelings of overwhelm and letting them knock you off course can be detrimental to both your mental health and your productivity. If you find yourself saying “I’m overwhelmed” or feeling stuck with more than you can handle, here are some things to keep in mind to help you get through it.

1. These Emotions Are Natural. In the scope of the Earth’s history, human emotions are a fairly recent development. It’s no wonder we haven’t learned to peacefully coexist with them and end up fighting them on a daily basis. It can often feel like these feelings should be easy to overcome, but feeling overwhelmed is a natural response to having too many things going on at once. It’s your mind’s way of telling you that you need to slow down if you want to live a healthier life. Recognizing that overwhelm is your body’s way of trying to help you through difficult times can help shift the relationship you have with this emotion. Once you recognize it for what it is and invite it in without fighting it, you can begin to work with it to improve your feelings in a healthy way.

2. It’s a Breakdown of Thoughts, Not of Life. Our minds are powerful things, and feeling overwhelmed can feel like the end of life as we know it. In the book, As a Man Thinketh, James Allen says: “As he thinks, so he is; as he continues to think, so he remains.” We have the power to manage our thoughts, and as a result, manage who we are and who we will grow to be. This involves making our mental and physical health a high priority. When you’re feeling overwhelmed, your life isn’t falling apart—your thoughts are. Take a minute to find and clean out all your self-deprecating, negative emotions and thoughts. As you do this, you will find yourself feeling refreshed and invigorated with renewed energy to take on the world.

3. Things Can Turn Around Quickly. Maybe you’re saying “I’m feeling overwhelmed” as you face a project at work and don’t think you have the energy or time to finish it. You start letting yourself play out every negative scenario resulting from a failed project. Sitting on the couch and dwelling on these thoughts isn’t going to make anything better. In fact, it usually makes things worse. Things seem to fall in place as you chip away at a project and come to realize it wasn’t as bad as you thought. A good friend of mine always say to me “Things work out most of the time, just not all the time. It’s all good.”

4. You’ve Felt This Way Before. Think about the last time you felt overwhelmed. How did you overcome it? In the end, was it really as bad as you thought? If you don’t learn from past experiences, you’ll find yourself suffering from the same problems over and over. Successful people are the ones who understand that every experience, good or bad, is valuable. Go to a quiet place, and take as long as you need to remember previous times in your life you felt this way and how you overcame it.

5. Your Problems May Not Be as Bad as You Think. The best way to find out how good you actually have it is to take a break from worrying about your own life and do something kind for someone in a worse spot than you. Volunteering at a homeless shelter or orphanage can help put your problems into perspective, and that tight deadline may not seem so overwhelming. Furthermore, acts of kindness can produce oxytocin, which can help you feel better all around. This is vital when you’re feeling overwhelmed.

6. It’s Easy to Keep Doing Nothing. Your situation changes quickly when you start doing something, but it’s always easier to continue doing nothing. The mind generally doesn’t react well to change and will do its best to help you keep doing what you’ve been doing. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, that may mean it tries to make you do nothing. Those who overcome their struggles quickly are the ones who never give up, even when they feel that all is lost. At times, it might feel like there is nothing you can do, but that is exactly when you need to do something. How will you ever know for sure there was nothing you could do if you didn’t try? At the very least, you will find personal confidence in knowing that you did everything you could.

7. Gratitude Can Help Immensely. In a world of people obsessed with putting their best self forward, it’s easy to feel like everyone has more than you. Get that thought out of your head, and remember what you do have. Often, the things you have right now are things you were worried about having in the past. Don’t let an insatiable desire for more blind you from seeing and appreciating everything you have right now. Gratitude can combat feelings of overwhelm by bringing you into the present, which will combat worries of the future. Once you’re in the now, you can focus on what you need to do to get past feeling overwhelmed and overcoming the many things coming at you at once. If you don’t know what to do you’re overwhelmed, take some deep breaths and try to start a gratitude journal: How a Gratitude Journal and Positive Affirmations Can Change Your Life

8. People Want You to Succeed. Remember there are people in your life who want you succeed. Your life touches so many others, and there are people out there rooting for you. These people are part of your support system, and you can turn to them each time you’re feeling overwhelmed. You can call them for a quick pep talk, invite them out for coffee if you need a break, or even ask them for help with your overwhelming list of things to do. The bottom line, feeling overwhelmed is a natural part of life that comes from trying to always take on more than we should. This feeling is difficult to avoid in today’s world, but there are things you can do to reduce those feelings once they do arise. Remember the reminders above whenever you’re not sure how to move forward, and you’ll soon find yourself on the other side.

 

Strength and courage,
Wade

Hitting A Wall & Avoiding Real Estate Fatigue

Wade Webb on June 16, 2021

hitting wall avoiding real estate fatigueLast week for the first time in way too long, I was able to unplug and literally get off the grid and completely get out of cell phone reception for a good 4 days and I didn’t realize how badly I needed that time away from the business and the toll it has taken not only on me but on so many others as well in the real estate industry. They say, “Strike while the iron is hot.” In real estate, the iron has most certainly been hot for some time. At a certain point, you’ve got to ask: How many times can you keep striking until you strike out? For the last nine months or so, many agents have been operating at warp speed, and when you’re moving that quickly, hitting a wall isn’t pretty.

So how do you keep your energy up to maximize this market without burning yourself out? I’ve got some strategies this week for you.

1: Delegate, Automate, Systemize & Outsource. We’ve talked about this before… There’s no reason why you should be doing everything yourself in this business. Leverage is so important to a business owner like ourselves. Even if you’re relatively new and not quite ready to bring on an assistant, you can outsource tasks to Virtual Assistants, your company’s transaction coordinator or others. Put simply, you’ve got to be willing to trade some dollars to buy back your freedom. Why? Because digging yourself out of burnout mode is much more difficult than simply avoiding it in the first place. If you’re doing it all yourself and feel that wall approaching quickly, act now to delegate or outsource tasks.

2: Earners Are Learners. I’m a firm believer that new ideas create inspiration. So if you’re always learning something new, it keeps you on your toes and keeps your business fresh. When you’re knee deep in transactions, it might seem difficult to find the time to learn new things. But the impact it will have on your mindset – the promise of working toward better days – is worth devoting 20-30 minutes a day to that effort. Remember, small steps taken repeatedly will get you where you want to go. Learn a little every day, and I bet you’ll feel a difference in your energy.

Burnout Avoidance Tip No.

3: Train Something New. Instead of learning something new, teaching others something new can have the same energizing effect. Maybe you’ve recently hired a new team member who you can transfer some of your skills to… This is a powerful way to keep yourself engaged while also freeing yourself up in the future. The more you teach others to do things you handled previously, the more you can focus on your HABU – highest and best use of your time.

4: Reflect On Your Successes. When you’re super busy, it’s all too easy to slip into “grind” mode where you complete one transaction and move directly into the next one. But if that’s what you’re doing, you’re missing a crucial element in the process…

Celebrating your wins! There’s huge value in stopping for a bit to recognize your hard work and how it paid off. Maybe it’s a nice dinner out. Maybe it’s “treating yourself” to something you’ve wanted. Maybe it’s an impromptu “happy hour” celebration with your team. Or maybe it’s contributing to a cause that’s meaningful to you. Whatever you do, take the time to reflect and recognize your achievements. Because if you don’t, you’re depriving yourself of the joy you work so hard for – and headed toward eventual burnout.

No. 5: Live a Life Outside Your Work. If you read this tip and it stings a little, you probably need to work on this. There’s a tendency among some real estate agents to almost take pride in working 24/7. But you and I both know that’s not a recipe for long-term success. If all you do and think about is real estate from the moment you wake up to when your head hits the pillow, your days in this industry are numbered. And you’re likely not living a truly fulfilling life. Instead, maybe you start your day with a meditation. Or exercising. Doing something like that – anything other than diving head-first into more real estate – will actually bring you greater clarity and energy as you proceed through your day. (While we’re at it, don’t forget the other two elements of taking your M.E.D.S. – Meditate, Exercise, Diet and Sleep – to avoid burnout.) Also, make sure you’re scheduling your life before your business. Whether it’s your kid’s soccer game or dance recital or just a few hours of quality time at home, block out that time on your calendar to make sure it happens. Then get your work done in the time remaining. Remember, work expands to fill the time we allow for its completion, so you can get the same amount done in less time as long as you establish the right boundaries.

No. 6: Attitude Of Gratitude. You probably know I’m a huge fan of practicing gratitude as part of my morning routine. The simple act of writing down the things and people you’re thankful for is transformative. If you struggle to identify what you’re grateful for, here are some great questions to ask yourself:

What do I love about my job?

What do I love about the people I help on a daily basis?

What do I love about my colleagues I work with?

Who do I love?

Who loves me?

Ask yourself these and other similar questions every day. Then watch the impact it has on your mindset.

No. 7: Time For A Holiday! I miss travel so much the past 15 months and cannot wait to book the next experience. For many people, 2020 was a year of crazy ups and downs. It started strong, then the pandemic hit and agents all wondered if they’d ever sell another house, and then the market came roaring back and hasn’t slowed down since. And here’s what I suspect happened to a lot of people… They now find themselves in late May early June 2021, and they haven’t taken any time off since they returned from that initial lockdown. As a result, you’ve been working for months on end with no break. With life returning to normal, it’s time for you to take a vacation. Simply scheduling something will get you excited and help prevent burnout. And we all know how productive you get when you’re in those final few days before departure. So here’s my advice to you: Book your trip, buy your tickets, and make it happen!

If you’re on the cusp of burnout, choose a few of these tips and implement them immediately! Like I said above, it’s a lot easier to avoid burnout altogether than it is to pull yourself out of it once it’s too late. Make the wise choice, honor your work-life balance, and give yourself the fulfilling life you deserve!

Strength and courage,
Wade