Overwhelm is exhausting and unpredictable. When workers are overwhelmed, they become stressed to the point where they feel they are losing control and unable to handle tasks that once were manageable, which can lead to burnout, according to Harvard Business Review.
Overwhelm can be hard to recognize if your team members are capable people who can hide their overwhelm. Three common symptoms of overwhelm include being alert yet exhausted, with workers needing rest but being unable to shut off; feeling mentally frozen yet wanting to escape; and internally breaking down behind a calm facade.
Overwhelm often can be caused by people feeling powerless to control their situation; crushed by unrealistic expectations; and depleted because of a lack of time, support or energy. Harvard Business Review shares the following actions leaders can take to reduce overwhelm and help build healthier workplaces.
- Spot the silence and the strain. Overwhelmed employees can be good at appearing calm when they are stressed. Leaders should look for signs of withdrawal or decision paralysis during meetings or frantic working with no breaks. Find out what could be contributing to an employee’s overwhelm.
- Engineer micro-control in a macro-uncertain world. Unpredictability can trigger overwhelm. People often feel less stressed when leaders provide small doses of predictability, such as knowing priorities and what comes next. Leaders can help employees break large goals into small, clear priorities.
- Recalibrate standards—starting with your own. Overwhelm tends to thrive in workplace cultures of perfectionism and invisible expectations. Leaders must provide explicit, shared standards. Reframe expectations to ensure they are realistic.
- Create psychological permission to say “I’m at capacity.” Ensure your employees feel comfortable setting boundaries without being afraid of stigma or risk of reprisal. For example, replace “Can you take this on?” with “What would you need to make this manageable?”
- Design work for recovery, not endurance. It is important for leaders to normalize regular breaks, mental detachment, exercise and relaxation. Encourage a balance between work and rest.
