It’s 4 AM, and sleep has been eluding me for an hour. Six “overhangs” are whirling through my mind, and it isn’t the first time. Through years of working with my clients at Even Keel, I’ve realized I’m far from alone; these mental weights are a universal tax on our productivity and peace of mind. The question isn’t whether they will appear, but how we choose to manage them.
What exactly is an “overhang”?
I prefer this term over “backlogs” or “to-dos.” Overhangs are those unfinished tasks and nagging ideas that plague us. They need to be dealt with, yet they often feel larger than our current capacity or willingness to tackle them. They pile up, they loom, and the longer they exist, the more impossible they seem to overcome.
However, overhangs are not insurmountable. They simply require a shift in strategy: time, energy, and deliberate planning.
The Strategy for Clarity
The first step I guide my clients through is the Externalization Process. Simply put: make a list. Some items are minor – scheduling a doctor’s appointment, calling a repairman, or finally hitting “send” on an overdue email. Others are more substantial, like filing taxes or, in my case, sitting down to write this article.
The act of moving these thoughts from your head onto paper immediately makes them feel manageable. By dividing the “bulk” of your stress into individual line items, you stop trying to solve ten problems at once. You can’t conquer a mountain in a leap, but you can certainly take one step, then another, and then another.
Prioritize and Conquer
Once the list is visible, we prioritize. Some tasks are time-sensitive; I recommend marking these with hard deadlines so they stop “floating” in your mind. Others are “quick wins.” I often suggest tackling a few simple tasks first. Checking them off provides an immediate sense of victory. Each small win shrinks the list and increases the emotional energy needed to tackle the larger “heavy lifters.”
Breaking the Cycle
The hardest part for many, myself included, is the urge to delay. Procrastination thrives in ambiguity. I’ve found that the most effective way to break the cycle is to ask a single question: “Will this have to be done eventually, regardless of when I start?”
If the answer is yes, then doing it now is an act of kindness to your future self. By clearing the overhang today, you prevent it from hanging over your head tonight. Overhangs don’t have to be overwhelming. With a clear system, they can, and will, be overcome.
Sleep well.
About the Author: David Ladd is the founder of Even Keel, a professional organizing and productivity consultancy. With years of experience helping individuals and businesses regain control over their environments and schedules, David specializes in creating sustainable systems that reduce stress and increase clarity. When he isn’t helping clients find their “even keel” he can be found engaging with the local community or enjoying the peace of time with his family.
