Do you do too much work

What is too much? And how do we know what enough is? 

When we push on working longer hours, it can have less than good effects on us. 

The consequences of stress, overload and that feeling of ‘it’s all too much’ can become the beast that is burnout. 

And it’s not a good place to be. 

Check off the five things to do to outsmart the overwhelm of too much work. 

It’s in an article by …. me 😀 in CEOWORLD magazine. 

Do this simple thing to make your brain work better

For all the hours we’re intensely focusing, working, pushing for deadlines and trying to be productive, there are times when we need something … softer. 

How about this : do you like the idea of ‘soft fascination’?

It sounds a little dreamy, a little curious, and as it turns out, highly recharging and refreshing. 

Overworking our attention wears it out. There isn’t a never ending supply. We have to recharge. Frequently. 

Some of the research suggests that we have about 4 hours of sustained effort in us before we need a recharge. 

So when you do recharge, try some ‘soft fascination’. It’s where we let our eyes relax, drift and go here and there. 

It’s different to sustained focus. And different to white wall boredom. 

Nature is the best place for us to enjoy in this activity of soft fascination. 

You don’t even have to go into nature for it to work. Looking out the window at nature will do. 

I love getting into nature whenever I can for this exact purpose. Walks. Beaches. Sunsets. Trees. Flowers. Weather. 

It’s all a vital part of helping make our brains work better.

Read more about it in this article in Inc. Magazine by Jessica Stillman.

Overwhelmed with to-do

When the ratio of to-do and done seems to be weighted in favour of to-do… what do you do? 

Many people take the overwhelm path. It’s all too much. Argh! 

But here are 5 steps that might help, thanks to Art Markman’s article in Fast Company. 

And if you don’t have time - or energy - to read it, I made you a picture of 5 steps. 

Do them, one by one. 

Too much information

The answer isn’t to communicate less. It’s to adopt some better practices. 

This article from the World Economic Forum ties nicely to some of the thinking in my book ‘Argh! Too much information, not enough brain’. 

There’s plenty of information to be had. There’s so much that it even has a name : infodemic. 

And synthesising or reducing information all the time isn’t the answer either. Abbreviated and reduced summaries have caused and created more information issues for us. 

We can’t take it all in, all the time. 

How might we think and work with information in better ways? 

➡️ And have you got your copy of ‘Argh!’ yet? It’s getting some great reviews from people who’ve bought it and put the practices to work to outsmart their overwhelm. Ebook and paperback are out now. Audio book is out there too …

I’ll read it for you

I’ve just finished the audio book recording for my new book Argh! Too much information, not enough brain: A practical guide to outsmarting overwhelm’. 

Thanks to Maryanne and Ryan at SquareSound we were able to record over two half day sessions. 

I love reading my own books, being the narrator. 

After working in radio for some years, recording commercial voiceovers for ad agencies and volunteering for Vision Australia as a newsreader, the sight of a booth and a microphone is a familiar one. 

When you put the headphones on, think of someone who is listening to the book and then read it to them ... it’s a great project to complete. 

Next I’ll record a session of ‘pick ups’ to fix any blips or errors after the proof readers have listened. 

And then it will be out into the world to places like Audible where you can download it and start listening. 

Are you an audio book fan? After I’d recorded ‘ish’, my book two years ago, people said they listened in the car, on the bus, at the gym, walking the dog, house cleaning, cycling, sleeping, on road trips and while others in the house were watching tv they weren’t interested in. 

What about you? Would you like me to read the book to you?