Overwhelmed. Confused. Aggravated. Unproductive. Disorganized. Frustrated.

Ever felt that way at work? I did this morning. Three hours of false starts and wasted time over how much I have to do, how little time I have to do it, how little resources I have available, and on and on and on. You get the picture.

So I decided to do the best thing I could do…get out of the office and go putt!!!

How to Overcome Overwhelmed

We live just a few houses from the #1 green at Marcus Pointe golf club in Pensacola, FL, a wonderful 18-hole course surrounded by 500+ beautiful homes. I knew I needed a break, to get away, and I could not think of a better place to go for an hour. And I must say, it worked wonderfully.

After honing my putting skills for about an hour, here is what I learned about overcoming owverwhelmed.

Three Steps to Overcome Overwhelmed

1. Recognize you are under stress. It’s ok to admit you are under stress to yourself and even others.
2. Decide to take a real break. When I mentioned all this to my wife (yes, I still enjoy my home-based business for over 20 years), and mentioned I was going up to putt, she said, “Great idea!” More than likely, she did not want her grumpy, complaining husband around – would you?
3. Then just do it! I could have easily walked back into my office and reignited all my anxiety, but I followed through with the plan.

The ROI

Just walking on the golf course, hitting a few putts, watching other golfers warm up on the driving range, and just standing outside in the awe of God’s green world, literally took away all my sense of overwhelm. Then I strolled home and ate a wonderful lunch with my wife. That alone was a great ROI.

But there was more. This afternoon has been amazingly productive:

1. I wrote this post.
2. I accepted a radio interview next month for my new book, “The Impacter.”
3. I rewrote copy for this website for my social media guru.
4. I organized the rest of my week with only high-priority actions and not cramming everything into this week.
5. I got to kiss a happy wife three times (that was worth everything alone.)
6. And it’s only 3:30 and I have plenty more time for additional productivity.

Simple story. Simply actions. Nothing you did not already know. Just a helpful reminder for you.

So the next time you feel overwhelmed, why not go hit a few putts!