SAN DIEGO — Do you often say yes to a lot? Do you have a hard time delegating or you might consider yourself a perfectionist?
You could be what one life coach considers an "overwhelmed high performer" who is close to burnout.
CBS 8 is Working for You to show how these types of people can reset and gain control without feeling like a failure.
Overwhelmed high performers are opposite of the new type of worker who is known as the “quiet quitter.”
“Overwhelm itself is actually future negative fantasizing. “You're not really present. You're already thinking about the future. And it's terrible. And you don't get anything done. And there's so much to do, and so little time,” said Stef Ziev.
Ziev is a certified life and executive coach and now the author of The Choice is Yours: A Simple Approach to Live and Lead with More Joy, Ease, and Purpose.
“The opportunity is to come back to center, put your feet on the ground, feel your fingertips on that keyboard, and just really come into this present moment and that's when you can make a better and healthier choice for yourself,” said Ziev.
The author, who admits she is a recovering perfectionist, says overwhelmed high performers often react instead of responding, they are on autopilot and believes overwhelm is an unconscious choice.
“This lack of conscious choice, I believe, is causing the rifts and divides in ourselves, in our families, in our communities and in our nation,” said Ziev.
The job search engine and review site Glassdoor, reports the phrase "mental health" in company reviews jumped 91% from 2019 to 2022. "Burnout" mentions were up 42% in that same time.
In Ziev's book she outlines five things you can do to regain control:
1. Get present: If you’re feeling overwhelmed that typically means you’re future, negative fantasizing. That is, you’re thinking about the future and it’s not going well. As a result, you get distracted, you’re stressed, and there’s no way you’re getting your best work done. To interrupt this experience and bring yourself back to the present moment, name what’s here now. Say to yourself, “I’m sitting in this chair. My feet are on the ground. My fingers are on the keypad.” Once you feel more centered, consider one step you can now take toward your task at hand. Let that lead the way.
2. Set Intentions: This can be both the literal goal you want to achieve as well as the experience. Ex: “To write the report with ease.” Or “To share the presentation with confidence.” Keep it simple. This is your focal point. You can also implement intention setting for you and your team before each meeting. This serves multiple purposes including: taking a breath in between meetings, creating clarity, and connecting with yourself and others.
3. Create and Communicate Boundaries: What do you need to do your best work? Think about what this means to you and then communicate those parameters to anyone who supports you and any other relevant party. Ask them for their partnership in keeping these boundaries in place. People cannot read your mind, so outline and share your needs to set yourself up for success.
4. Take your space: Getting grounded, having time to think, work, and strategize are foundational to being a high-performer. Bio, mental, and meal breaks are also vital for you to fuel yourself and thrive! Consider breaking up your time in three blocks: 1) Meetings 2) Work 3) Breaks. Claiming your space, holding it sacred, and using it deliberately is important for you, as well as your team, and your organization to flourish.
5. Celebrate your wins! As often as you can, give yourself the gift of stopping and acknowledging your accomplishments and to praise the achievement of your team, no matter how big or small. This is a great way to expand your joy and energize your people!
She also believes you can help fill your tank with self-care.
“I think that there is something really important about just being kind to thyself, that's going to actually have a really wonderful ripple effect in the world as well.
Ziev’s book will be available everywhere on May 24.
WATCH RELATED: 'Quiet Quitting' without quitting your job