Are You Overwhelmed at Work?

If you frequently feel overwhelmed at work, then your problem may be overstimulation. Sometimes, in order to get more done, you have to remove potential distractions. At first, these challenges may seem unimportant. I’ve learned just making a little change can produce a big difference.

A few years ago, I had to have an MRI scan. At the medical office, a nurse explained the procedure. I would be slid into a very small tube. For about 20 minutes, a strong magnetic field and radio waves would produce an image of my insides.

The process would be painless but I would be in a small space. The machine would also make a lot of loud noises.

I understood the science behind the procedure and felt safe. But when I was placed in the machine, everything changed. About ten seconds into the scan, I hit the panic button I had been given by the nurse.

She seemed surprised that I was having a problem. I told her that inside the tube I suddenly felt very claustrophobic. I had to get the scan done and I wasn’t sure how it was going to happen.

The nurse came up with a simple solution. She had me close my eyes and then placed a paper towel over them. Then I was slid back into the tube.

I knew if I opened my eyes, I would’t see anything. Suddenly, I had the confidence to get through the procedure. The impossible was now possible.

The only thing that changed was that my sense of sight was removed from the equation. Being able to see that I was in such a small space opened the flood gates to anxiety.

On that day, I received a clean bill of health but also learned an important lesson. Sometimes, too much stimulation can be a bad thing.

On the job, are you over stimulated by your environment? Is there something you can turn off or metaphorically cover with a paper towel?

For some, it’s turning off incoming email alerts, so they don’t have to stop what they’re doing every time a new message arrives. Others silence their work phones, when they need to concentrate. And certain smartphone apps may be better left untouched during office hours.

Maybe your environment makes you feel overwhelmed at work. A noisy office can be quieted through the use of headphones. A do not disturb sign can stop the flow of visitors.

In today’s world, we can be blessed and cursed by the availability of stimulation. It’s okay to remove some of it.