The Ten Things approach shows how productivity grows when small efforts, clear focus, and consistent action become daily habits. Thomas Hobbes, an English philosopher, described life in Leviathan, his poem, using the words solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short, creating a powerful and scary sentiment about limited time. In my in-house legal experience, I’ve learned that being smart and having strong intelligence, concentration, and focus aren’t enough. As a General Counsel, Corporate Secretary, and Chief Compliance Officer with Marketo, Inc., Sabre Corporation, NASDAQ, SABR, and Travelocity.com, I saw how in-house lawyers, corporate lawyers, and corporate legal departments can struggle with competing demands. My earlier work as an associate at a large St. Louis-based law firm, followed by experience with corporations and law firms, taught me that productivity isn’t a secret superpower. Laura Vanderkam, a time-management author, reinforced this through an interview and statement about how small things done consistently become meaningful results. Those little things build productive power, and their cumulative effect turns consistent action into big things across a day, week, or month.
The same principle works across corporate governance, legal leadership, compliance leadership, and practical time management. My experience serving on advisory boards, a board of directors, and as a board member, along with writing six books as an author, has shown me the value of steady progress. Through CLEs, coaching, consulting, professional coaching, legal consulting, and speaking engagements, I’ve seen how small improvements can strengthen professional routines. As CEO and Senior Counsel at Hilgers Graben PLLC in the Dallas office, I apply that thinking to legal counsel, the legal department, and in-house counsel responsibilities. Productivity habits, daily productivity, weekly productivity, and monthly productivity can improve efficiency, accomplishment, and the ability to get things done. Distraction remains unavoidable, whether it comes from a radioactive spider, a passing tangent, or thoughts about a movie, high school, and prom. Even Ravenous and Never Been Kissed remind me how easily attention can wander.
The high school romance genre became popular by recycling classic literature while seeking new ideas. James Berardinelli, a colleague, discussed Clueless, Emma, She’s All That, Pygmalion, Cruel Intentions, and Les Liaisons Dangereuses, while Stanley Kauffmann considered high school students, city government, and French novels. Other examples include Great Expectations, 1998, its film update, Cinderella’s true story, Ever After, Romeo + Juliet, The Rage: Carrie 2, and Carrie. Austen, Jane Austen, Shaw, George Bernard Shaw, Shakespeare, and William Shakespeare remain important through classic works, classic novels, literature, adaptations, film adaptation, literary adaptation, remake, retelling, and cinematic adaptation. The pattern continues through romance films, teenage romance, prom ending, film, cinema, movies, storytelling, and literary source material. For practical productivity strategy, the goal is to harness small efforts instead of trying to accomplish everything at once.
Quick Answer
When you are feeling overwhelmed at work, pause before trying to do everything at once. Take a short break, identify your most urgent tasks, break large projects into smaller steps, and focus on one priority at a time. You should also communicate with your manager when your workload becomes unrealistic, reduce unnecessary distractions, and create healthier boundaries around your working hours.
The most effective approach is usually a combination of immediate stress relief and better workload management. You may not be able to control every deadline or demand, but you can control how you organize your next step.
Comparison Overview
Understanding the difference between common responses to workplace overwhelm can help you choose a more effective strategy. Some reactions provide temporary relief, while others solve the underlying problem.
| Response to Feeling Overwhelmed at Work | What It Does | Best Time to Use It | Potential Limitation |
| Taking a short break | Calms your mind and reduces mental overload | When you cannot think clearly | Does not fix an unrealistic workload |
| Making a priority list | Creates structure and clarity | When you have too many tasks | Requires you to choose what can wait |
| Breaking tasks into smaller steps | Makes large projects easier to start | When a project feels intimidating | Can take planning time |
| Doing one task at a time | Improves concentration | When multitasking is causing mistakes | May feel difficult in a busy environment |
| Talking to your manager | Helps address workload and priorities | When deadlines conflict | Requires clear communication |
| Delegating work | Reduces unnecessary pressure | When others can share responsibility | Not every task can be delegated |
| Limiting distractions | Protects focus and productivity | When interruptions are constant | May require workplace cooperation |
| Setting boundaries | Prevents work from consuming all your time | When work spills into personal life | Can require a change in habits |
| Asking for help | Gives you support and perspective | When you are stuck or overloaded | Some people find it hard to ask |
| Reviewing your workload | Helps prevent future overwhelm | On a regular basis | Works best when done consistently |
The important point is simple: not every solution works for every cause of overwhelm. If you are stressed because you have one difficult task, breaking it into smaller pieces may help. If you are overwhelmed because three major projects have the same deadline, however, the real solution may involve discussing priorities with your manager.
Main Differences Between Ten Things: What to Do When You Are Feeling Overwhelmed at Work
The ten strategies below fall into different categories. Some help you manage your immediate emotional response, while others help you change the work conditions creating the pressure.
| Strategy | Main Focus | Immediate or Long-Term? |
| Pause and breathe | Regaining calm | Immediate |
| Identify the cause | Understanding the problem | Immediate |
| Prioritize tasks | Managing workload | Both |
| Break down big tasks | Making work manageable | Both |
| Focus on one thing | Improving concentration | Immediate |
| Take a real break | Restoring mental energy | Immediate |
| Communicate about workload | Managing expectations | Both |
| Reduce distractions | Protecting attention | Both |
| Set work boundaries | Preventing burnout | Long-term |
| Build a sustainable system | Reducing future overwhelm | Long-term |
These approaches work best together. A five-minute pause may help you think clearly, but better prioritization and communication can help prevent the same situation from happening again.
What to Do When You Are Feeling Overwhelmed at Work: Start by Pausing
When your workload feels impossible, your first instinct may be to work faster. You might jump between emails, answer messages while attending a meeting, and start three projects without finishing any of them.
That approach often makes overwhelm worse.
Instead, pause for a few minutes. Step away from your screen if possible. Take slow breaths and give yourself enough space to stop reacting to every new demand.
Why Pausing Helps When You Feel Overwhelmed at Work
Overwhelm can create a sense of urgency around everything. Suddenly, every email feels important and every task seems like it must be completed immediately.
A pause helps you separate real urgency from perceived urgency.
Ask yourself:
- What actually needs my attention today?
- What has a real deadline?
- What can wait until later?
- What am I worrying about that I cannot solve right now?
- What is the next useful action I can take?
You do not need to solve your entire workload during this pause. Your goal is simply to move from panic mode to problem-solving mode.
“You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” — Martin Luther King Jr.
The same idea applies to work. You may not know exactly how you will complete everything, but you can usually identify the next step.
Identify Why You Are Feeling Overwhelmed at Work
Before you can deal with workplace overwhelm effectively, try to identify what is causing it.
Sometimes the problem is obvious. You may have an unusually large project or several deadlines happening at once. Other times, the cause is less clear.
For example, you may feel overwhelmed because:
- Your workload has increased.
- You have unclear expectations.
- You keep getting interrupted.
- You are trying to multitask.
- You are working long hours without enough rest.
- You are worried about making a mistake.
- You have too many meetings.
- A difficult coworker or client is creating extra stress.
- You do not have enough time to complete your responsibilities.
- You are putting pressure on yourself to make everything perfect.
Separate the Workload From the Worry
This distinction matters.
Imagine you have eight tasks on your list. The actual workload is the eight tasks. The additional mental stress may include worrying about disappointing your manager, fearing that you will miss something, and repeatedly thinking about everything at once.
The workload and the worry can feed each other.
Write down the specific reason you feel overwhelmed. A simple sentence can create clarity:
“I am overwhelmed because I have three major deadlines this week and I do not know which one should come first.”
Now you have identified a problem you can address: prioritization.
Prioritize Your Tasks When Work Feels Overwhelming
One of the best answers to what to do when you are feeling overwhelmed at work is to stop treating every task as equally important.
A long to-do list can create anxiety because your brain sees one large mountain of work. Prioritization turns that mountain into a clearer path.
Use Four Simple Priority Categories
Try sorting your tasks into these groups:
| Priority | Meaning | Example |
| Urgent and important | Needs immediate attention | A deadline due today |
| Important but not urgent | Needs planning | A project due next week |
| Urgent but less important | May need quick handling or delegation | A routine request with a short deadline |
| Neither urgent nor important | Can often wait or be removed | An unnecessary task with no clear value |
You do not need a complicated productivity system. The key is deciding what comes first.
Ask Your Manager for Priority Guidance
If several tasks genuinely seem urgent, do not guess.
You can say:
“I currently have three high-priority assignments with overlapping deadlines. Which one would you like me to focus on first?”
This is not a sign of weakness. It is responsible workload management.
A manager may not realize that several assignments are competing for the same hours. Clear communication can prevent you from spending time on the wrong priority.
Break Large Tasks Into Smaller Steps
Big projects often feel overwhelming because they are too vague.
“Finish the report” sounds like one task, but it may actually include:
- Researching information
- Collecting data
- Organizing notes
- Creating an outline
- Writing a draft
- Checking facts
- Editing the content
- Formatting the document
- Sending it for review
Your brain may resist starting because it sees all of these steps at once.
Turn an Intimidating Project Into the Next Action
Instead of writing:
Finish presentation
Write:
- Open the presentation file.
- List the five main points.
- Find supporting information.
- Create the first three slides.
- Take a short break.
- Continue with the next section.
- Review and edit.
The first task now feels much easier.
This strategy works because progress becomes visible. You are no longer waiting until the entire project is complete to feel successful. Each finished step gives you evidence that you are moving forward.
A Simple Case Study
Consider an employee named Sara who has to prepare a 30-page report by Friday.
On Monday, she writes “Complete report” on her to-do list. She feels overwhelmed and keeps avoiding it.
The next day, she divides the project into smaller tasks:
- Tuesday morning: Research section one
- Tuesday afternoon: Draft introduction
- Wednesday: Complete analysis
- Thursday morning: Finish remaining sections
- Thursday afternoon: Edit and proofread
- Friday: Final review and submission
The report is still a large project, but it no longer feels like one giant unknown problem.
The workload may not change, but the way you experience the workload can change dramatically.
Focus on One Task at a Time Instead of Multitasking
When you feel overwhelmed, multitasking can look productive.
You might answer an email while listening to a meeting, switch to a spreadsheet, check a notification, return to the email, and then remember another task you forgot.
By the end of the hour, you may feel busy without feeling productive.
Why One-Task Focus Can Reduce Overwhelm
Every time you switch between tasks, you need to mentally reorient yourself. Too much switching can make your day feel scattered.
Try choosing one important task and giving it your full attention for a specific period.
For example:
- Work on one task for 25 to 45 minutes.
- Silence nonessential notifications.
- Close unnecessary browser tabs.
- Avoid checking email unless the task requires it.
- Take a short break.
- Decide what to work on next.
You do not have to focus perfectly all day. Even one or two protected periods of concentrated work can make a meaningful difference.
Remember: Busy Is Not Always Productive
A packed day does not automatically mean a productive day.
Sometimes the most valuable thing you can do is spend 40 uninterrupted minutes completing one important task rather than spending 40 minutes responding to minor interruptions.
Focus is a limited resource. Protect it like one.
Take a Real Break When You Are Mentally Overloaded
Some people feel guilty about taking breaks when they have too much work. They think, “I cannot stop because I have too much to do.”
But continuing to work when your concentration has completely dropped may not save time.
A real break can help you reset.
What Counts as a Real Break?
A short break might include:
- Walking for a few minutes
- Drinking water
- Stretching
- Sitting somewhere away from your workstation
- Looking outside
- Eating a proper meal
- Taking a few quiet minutes without work notifications
The goal is not to escape work for hours. It is to give your mind a short period without constant demands.
Avoid Turning Your Break Into Another Source of Overload
Scrolling through stressful messages, checking work chats, or consuming a flood of information may not give your brain much rest.
If possible, choose a break that creates a genuine change of attention.
A useful question is:
“After this break, am I likely to return with more mental energy or less?”
Choose accordingly.
Communicate When Your Workload Is Unrealistic
You cannot always solve workplace overwhelm alone.
If you consistently have more work than you can reasonably complete, better breathing techniques and longer to-do lists may not fix the real problem.
Sometimes you need to communicate.
How to Talk to Your Manager About Feeling Overwhelmed at Work
Try to be specific rather than simply saying, “I have too much work.”
For example:
“I am currently responsible for Project A, Project B, and the weekly client reports. Based on the time required, I am concerned about completing all three by Friday. Can we review the priorities or adjust the deadlines?”
This approach is useful because it includes:
- The specific work involved
- The practical concern
- A request for a solution
You are not just presenting a problem. You are inviting a conversation about priorities.
Do Not Wait Until Everything Has Gone Wrong
It is often easier to discuss workload before a deadline has been missed.
If you know early that you cannot complete everything to an acceptable standard, communicate as soon as possible.
This gives your manager more options. They may:
- Move a deadline.
- Reassign part of the work.
- Reduce the scope of a project.
- Clarify which task matters most.
- Provide additional resources.
- Help remove lower-value responsibilities.
Early communication is usually easier than emergency communication.
Reduce Distractions That Make You Feel More Overwhelmed
Sometimes the number of tasks is not the only problem. The number of interruptions can make every task take longer.
A single workday may include:
- Email notifications
- Chat messages
- Phone calls
- Meetings
- Social media
- Coworker questions
- News alerts
- Personal messages
Each interruption can pull your attention away from what you were doing.
Create Small Periods of Protected Focus
You may not be able to eliminate all distractions, especially in a collaborative workplace. However, you can often reduce unnecessary interruptions.
Try these strategies:
- Turn off nonessential notifications.
- Check email at planned intervals when appropriate.
- Keep only the tabs you need open.
- Put your phone out of immediate reach during focused work.
- Use a clear status message when you need concentration time.
- Keep meetings focused on clear goals.
- Write down distracting thoughts so you can return to them later.
The goal is not to become unreachable. It is to prevent every notification from controlling your attention.
The “Later List” Technique
Sometimes distractions come from your own thoughts.
While working, you suddenly remember:
- I need to reply to that email.
- I should schedule a meeting.
- I forgot to check something.
- I need to buy something after work.
Instead of immediately switching tasks, write the thought on a “later list.”
Then return to your current task.
This gives your brain confidence that you have not forgotten the idea, while helping you avoid unnecessary task switching.
Set Boundaries to Prevent Work From Taking Over
Another important part of learning what to do when you are feeling overwhelmed at work is recognizing when work has expanded beyond healthy limits.
Technology can make work feel endless. An email arrives after dinner. A message appears during the weekend. You tell yourself you will check something for “just five minutes,” and suddenly you are mentally working again.
Healthy Boundaries Can Look Different for Different Jobs
Your boundaries may include:
- Having a defined time to stop working.
- Avoiding nonurgent email outside working hours.
- Taking your full lunch break when possible.
- Using vacation time to genuinely disconnect.
- Not agreeing to every extra responsibility automatically.
- Protecting time for sleep and personal responsibilities.
- Discussing expectations about after-hours availability.
Some jobs require on-call work or flexible schedules, so the exact boundary will vary.
The important issue is whether you have enough predictable time to recover.
Learn to Say No Professionally
You do not always need to say “yes” immediately.
Try phrases such as:
“I can help with that. Which of my current priorities should move to make room for it?”
Or:
“I do not have the capacity to complete this by today without delaying another deadline. What would you prefer me to prioritize?”
These responses are not simply refusals. They make the workload trade-off visible.
Every new task requires time, attention, or resources. When you accept more work, something else may need to move.
Ask for Help Instead of Trying to Handle Everything Alone
Many people wait too long before asking for help.
They may worry that asking questions will make them look inexperienced. However, spending five hours struggling with something that a coworker could explain in 10 minutes is rarely the best use of anyone’s time.
Know What Kind of Help You Need
Asking for help becomes easier when your request is specific.
Instead of saying:
“I do not know what I am doing.”
Try:
“I understand the first part of this process, but I am unsure how to complete the final reporting step. Can you show me the correct procedure?”
Specific requests make it easier for another person to help.
You might need:
- Information
- Training
- A second opinion
- Extra time
- Temporary assistance
- Clarification about priorities
- Emotional support from someone you trust
A Short Example
Imagine a new employee who spends several days trying to learn unfamiliar software alone because she does not want to interrupt her team.
Eventually, she asks a colleague for help. The colleague explains the process in 20 minutes and shares a shortcut that saves hours every week.
The lesson is not that you should depend on others for everything. It is that independence and asking for support are not opposites.
Knowing when to ask is a professional skill.
Review Your Workload and Build a Better System
The final step is about prevention.
If you regularly feel overwhelmed, look for patterns. Do you always struggle at the end of the month? Do meetings consume too much of your day? Do you underestimate how long projects will take?
A regular review can reveal problems before they become emergencies.
Questions to Ask at the End of Each Week
Take a few minutes to review:
- What created the most stress this week?
- Which tasks took longer than expected?
- What interruptions affected my focus?
- Which work could have been delegated?
- Did I spend time on low-priority activities?
- What should I start earlier next week?
- Which deadlines need clarification?
- What system helped me the most?
You do not need to create a perfect productivity system.
The best system is often the one you can actually maintain.
Create a Simple Weekly Planning Routine
A practical routine might look like this:
Monday: Review deadlines and identify the three most important priorities.
During the week: Break major projects into smaller steps and update your priorities when new work appears.
Friday: Review what was completed, what needs to move forward, and what caused unnecessary stress.
Over time, this process can help you notice recurring patterns.
For example, you may discover that you are scheduling too much work in one day. Or perhaps you consistently underestimate how long administrative tasks take.
Once you can see the pattern, you have a better chance of changing it.
What to Do When Feeling Overwhelmed at Work During a Busy Day
Sometimes you do not have time for a major planning session. You are already in the middle of a stressful day.
In that situation, use this quick reset:
Stop for a Few Minutes
Do not immediately react to every new request.
Take a breath and slow down.
Write Down Everything Competing for Your Attention
Get the tasks out of your head and onto paper or a document.
Mental overload often becomes worse when you are trying to remember everything.
Choose the Next Most Important Task
Ask what genuinely needs to happen first.
Do not choose five tasks. Choose one next action.
Complete or Advance That Task
You may not finish it immediately, but make meaningful progress.
Reassess Before Moving On
Once you finish a step, look at your list again.
Priorities can change. That is normal.
This method creates a simple cycle:
Pause → List → Prioritize → Focus → Reassess
When everything feels chaotic, returning to this cycle can make the situation feel more manageable.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When You Feel Overwhelmed at Work
Some responses to stress can accidentally make the situation worse.
Trying to Do Everything at Once
This divides your attention and can increase mistakes.
Avoiding the Most Important Task
Procrastination may provide short-term relief while making the deadline more stressful later.
Treating Every Request as an Emergency
Not every message needs an instant response.
Working Without Breaks for Hours
Long periods without rest can reduce concentration and make simple work feel harder.
Keeping Everything in Your Head
Use a written list or planning system instead of relying entirely on memory.
Saying Yes to Everything
Taking on every request can create an unrealistic workload.
Waiting Too Long to Communicate
If deadlines or priorities are impossible, discuss the problem early.
Expecting Yourself to Be Perfect
High standards can be useful, but perfectionism can turn manageable work into endless work.
The goal is not to become productive every second of the day. The goal is to use your time and energy in a sustainable way.
A Practical Case Study: Managing an Overwhelming Workload
Consider Daniel, a marketing coordinator.
At the beginning of the week, he receives a campaign deadline, two urgent client requests, a weekly report, and several meeting invitations. He also has 147 unread emails.
Daniel’s first reaction is to answer emails as quickly as possible while switching between every project.
By Tuesday afternoon, he feels more overwhelmed than before.
He decides to change his approach.
First, he lists every major responsibility. Next, he contacts his manager and asks which projects have the highest priority. He learns that one client request can wait until Thursday.
He then blocks 45 minutes to work on the campaign without checking nonessential messages. He breaks the campaign into research, draft creation, review, and final edits.
By the end of the day, he has not completed everything. However, he has completed the most important part of his work.
That changes how he feels.
The key lesson is that reducing overwhelm does not always require finishing every task immediately. Sometimes it means creating clarity about what matters first.
Did You Know?
Feeling busy and feeling overwhelmed are not exactly the same thing.
You can have a busy day with a clear plan and still feel in control. Overwhelm often happens when your demands feel greater than your available time, attention, energy, or resources.
That is why adding more hours is not always the best solution.
If the underlying problem is unclear priorities, for example, working late may simply mean you spend more time doing tasks in the wrong order.
Likewise, if constant interruptions are causing the problem, faster typing will not solve it.
A better question is:
“What is making this work feel unmanageable right now?”
The answer can guide you toward the right strategy.
How to Know When Workplace Overwhelm Is Becoming a Serious Problem
Occasional busy periods are common. A major deadline, seasonal rush, or unexpected project can temporarily increase pressure.
However, ongoing overwhelm deserves attention.
Watch for patterns such as:
- Constantly feeling unable to catch up
- Regularly working far beyond expected hours
- Making more mistakes because you cannot concentrate
- Dreading work every day
- Never feeling mentally disconnected from work
- Frequently missing breaks because your workload feels impossible
- Losing motivation because every task feels too difficult
- Feeling that your responsibilities have become consistently unrealistic
If the problem is persistent, look beyond short-term productivity tricks.
Consider discussing the situation with your manager, reviewing workload expectations, and seeking appropriate support.
FAQs
What does “Ten Things” mean in this context?
“Ten Things” refers to a practical approach to getting more done by focusing on small, manageable actions. Instead of trying to complete everything at once, you build progress through consistent daily habits.
How do small things improve productivity?
Small tasks may seem insignificant individually, but completing them consistently creates a cumulative effect. Over time, these actions can improve efficiency, organization, focus, and your ability to get important work done.
Does being smart automatically make someone productive?
No. Intelligence can help, but productivity also depends on habits, consistency, time management, concentration, and the ability to manage distractions. A simple system can often matter more than raw intelligence.
How can in-house counsel use this productivity approach?
In-house counsel can break large legal responsibilities into smaller actions. Reviewing documents, responding to emails, tracking compliance matters, and completing administrative tasks regularly can prevent workloads from becoming overwhelming.
What is the main productivity lesson from Laura Vanderkam?
The key lesson is that small things done consistently can eventually produce significant results. This encourages people to focus on steady progress rather than waiting for large blocks of time or perfect conditions.
Conclusion
Productivity doesn’t always require a complicated system or a dramatic change in routine. The most useful improvements often begin with small actions repeated consistently. For busy professionals, especially in-house counsel, this approach can make demanding responsibilities easier to manage.
The real power comes from the cumulative effect. A small task completed today may seem unimportant, but repeated over a day, week, and month, it can create meaningful progress. That’s the practical value behind Ten Things: focus on manageable actions, reduce distractions, and let consistency turn small efforts into big results.
