Do you often feel that there are too many things to do in a day and you don't know where to begin?This is a condition called overwhelm. A feeling of being ungrounded, unclear and a lack of energy can accompany it.

Do you notice that when you feel overwhelmed that you aren't productive? The following outlines some steps to dealing with overwhelm.

Stop! Review your vision statement for your professional or personal life. If you don't have a vision or purpose statement, it would be a good idea to create one.

Look at your daily activities. Do these support your vision? If not, consider stopping those activities.Make a list of all those things that need to be done. Look at them in light of your vision statement. Which one of these takes priority?

Prioritize your list and then do those things that are most important to you first. Be aware that you will never get everything done. Give up being a perfectionist!

Schedule your day the night before. This can help to put an end to a day and reduce the feeling of overwhelm as you know your schedule when you wake up.

Create a time management system. How will you allot your time each day? Will you have a regular scheduled time for certain activities such as exercise, grocery shopping and work? A great resource is Time Management by Julie Morgenstern.

Make a place in your schedule for fun activities. Your schedule is not just for work!

Most importantly, you want to be sure that you are clear on what is most important to you!  Your time and priorities need to reflect who you are, what you feel you are here to be doing and your values. Without this awareness, you won't have something to work towards that is meaningful to you.

Suzanne is a personal and business coach for women in transition. A certified executive coach, she has a background in corporate business and psychology. For more information about Suzanne's coaching practice call 781-641-0338 or look on the Web at www.TheLookingGlassGroup.com.