I was recently listening to a phone-in quiz on the radio that beautifully demonstrated the structure of overwhelm. It was a movie quiz - The caller was given 30 seconds to name 10 films within a particular genre - for example: 10 romantic comedies or 10 action films. Seems like an easy enough task wouldn’t you agree? But it was amazing - there was loads of ‘ummm’ing and ‘errr’ing and most callers were only able to name 3 or 4 films in the 30 seconds.

Then I noticed something else: The callers that were successful in naming several films or the 10 required films had clearly employed a strategy. For example, the individual that successfully named 10 action films started by listing some Arnold Schwarzenegger films and then moved on to some films starring Bruce Willis.

The question ‘name ten action films’ is too abstract. There are too many options. You will begin groping for a film, any film (maybe the last film you saw, or your favorite film, or the first film you saw at the cinema or a film with 10 or 30 in the title) and then evaluate if it fits that genre, and then say it out loud or not, and begin groping for the next film. By attempting all this processing with the feeling of too many options, not knowing where to start and the perception of time pressure, you are making the task extremely difficult for yourself.

However - those that were more successful had clearly presented the question to themselves in a more specific way - they had selected a specific thing to work on - rather than action films they had first thought of action films starring ‘Arnie’ for example.

If I were to ask you to name 3 current TV programmes, the answers will not come as quickly as if I ask you to name 3 reality TV shows (a bit easier), and the answers will come quicker still if I ask you for 3 reality TV shows that are or have been hosted by Ant And Dec (The specificity means that you know exactly where to look for the answer).

So there’s a lesson for all of us in there somewhere. The next time you feel overwhelmed, when you find yourself saying, “It’s everything!” Pick one thing and work on it.