Feeling overwhelmed is a common experience in today’s fast-paced world, but there are effective strategies to regain control and find peace. Here are 12 actionable steps to help you navigate through overwhelming times and restore balance in your life.
These techniques have helping me in some of my most busy, stressful times including finals week in college.
Stress and the feeling of being overwhelmed impacts everyone and can stem from any personal or systematic factor.
Everyone feels overwhelmed at some point or another and although it is not always easy, it is possible to learn coping mechanisms to overcome that feeling as well as managing the stress and anxiety that comes along with it. So, here is 12 ways to overcome being overwhelmed.
“You can’t calm the storm, so stop trying. What you can do is calm yourself. The storm will pass.” – Timber Hawkeye
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1. Create a checklist
The first thing I do when I feel overwhelmed is to make a checklist. This is what helps me the most when I am feeling overwhelmed.
Making a list of all the things you have to do will help to organize your thoughts and tasks. It will be easier to see and process the information.
2. Prioritize
After you make a checklist and put everything out on the table, you are going to want to start prioritizing your list. Completing the most important, longest or hardest things first will most likely make you start feelings less overwhelmed faster.
Additionally, those important tasks should be done first to ensure they get done. Prioritizing is extremely important when you have a long list of the to-do’s.
- What things to you absolutely have to complete?
- What things can wait a few days?
- Which thing will take you longest to complete?
- What is the thing you are dreading the most?
Asking yourself these questions can help you prioritize your list better.
3. Schedule your week
Once you have creating a checklist and prioritized those tasks, you can then go and schedule your week. All you need is a planner, calendar, or something to write out your schedule.
I use an online IOS app called Pocket Planner.
Begin by filling in everything you must do. This could include, meetings, appointments, classes, and other commitments. Include the time of each event. (For me, this includes my classes, practice time, and work)
Then, fill in your prioritized tasks. These are things are the most important tasks are your list. These tasks should be done earlier in the day if possible because you want to be the most fresh.
Finally, add in the other tasks. These are the tasks that you wish to complete, however it is not as big of a deal if it doesn’t get done.
Mapping out your week will help each day go by smoother. It is always a good idea to give sufficient amount of time for each task. If something is going to task an hour to do, don’t give yourself 30 minutes to complete it. Instead, maybe give yourself an hour and a half.
4. Take time to rest
Sometimes when you are overwhelmed, its because you are doing so much and your body can’t keep up. Therefore, when you feel your body aching for a break, you should take it.
In fact, schedule time each week to take a break. Use that as a reset. Because if you don’t, your body will force you to take a break at an inconvenient time.
My entire 4 years of college, as soon as a holiday came up and I finally got a break, I would get sick. Without a doubt, every time. I would always keep pushing my body and say, “I just got to make it to the break, I just have to get through these next two week”.
That worked for a little bit but then my body completely shut down. This was my bodies way of forcing me to take a break because I wouldn’t give it one. One to avoid this is to take small breaks when you need!
5. Try breathing techniques
Deep breathing can be done anywhere in just a few minutes to calm stress, anxiety, and panic attacks. While practicing it regularly produces the most benefits, doing in periodically when needed also has sufficient affects.
Your breath is a powerful tool and when done right, may be one of the best ways to ease any overwhelming feelings.
- Get comfortable. You can lay on your back, in a comfortable seated position with your back and neck supported, change into comfortable clothes, find a calm location, etc.
- Breath in through your nose. Let your stomach fill with air.
- Breath out through your nose. Release all the air.
- Take at least 3 more full, deep breaths.
Nose breathing helps our body effective use the air you breath, filter out dust and allergens, boost your oxygen, and warms and moisturized the air you breath. As you are performing the deep breaths, allow your stomach and chest to expand on the in-hale and compress on the ex-hale.
For more deep breathing techniques and benefits, click here.
6. Exercise
Exercise one of the best natural forms of a stress relievers. This is because exercise reduces levels of the body’s stress hormones, adrenaline and cortisol as well as stimulating the production of endorphins, the body’s natural painkillers and mood elevators.
Not only that but exercise is also a great way to find clarity. Often times when you are feeling overwhelmed, your brain can become completely paralyzed making it difficult to figure out what to do or think. Exercise may clear your mind and give you that clarity you need to take steps forward and shake the mental paralysis.
Almost any form of exercise can help, you just need to pick something you enjoy. Example include, swimming, walking, jogging, cycling, gardening, weightlifting, ice-skating, dancing, etc.
7. Practice some self-care
Self-care is one of the my favorite things because it makes me feel so much better about myself and my mental state. However, it is not just my opinion because self-care has been scientifically proven to manage stress, lower your risk of illness and increase your energy.
Self-care is taking the time to do thing that helps you live well and improves your physical and mental health.
Here are some tips to help you get started with self-care:
- Get regular exercise – At least 150 minutes per week of moderate to intensity physical activity recommended to maintain your health and physical activity level.
- Eat healthy, regular meal and stay hydrated
- Make sleep a priority
- Try a relaxing activity – May include a bath, message, facial mask, journaling, meditation.
- Set goals and visions
- Focus on positivity
There is no right or wrong things to do for self-care has it is very individualized. Do something that makes you happy and healthy.
Want more on self-care? 10 Best Self-Care Tips After a Long Week
8. Focus on one thing at a time
When you are feeling overwhelmed, multitasking really not do you any good. In fact, multitasking at any point is not as productive as you might thinks. A study from the University of London found that participants who multitasked during cognitive tasks, experienced an IQ score decline similar to those who have stayed up all night. When your brain is trying to comprehend multiple things at once, it is unable to give its fully attention which quality of perform decreases.
When you are feeling overwhelmed, multitasking is especially harmful because your brain will be even more overloaded trying to balance multiple things. Instead, go through your to-do list focusing on one thing at a time. Once you are done with one task, you can then move on to the next.
Not only will this calm your brain but it is also more effective and efficient at getting things done.
9. Practice mindfulness
The feeling of being overwhelmed comes from the brain and mind. Therefore, practice mindfulness and relation will help to ease that feeling.
Mindfulness is a type of meditation is which are focus on being intensely aware of what you are sensing or feeling in the moment, without being judged.
Being able to understand your feelings and what is making you overwhelmed in the first step is fixing the problem. This also helps in other aspects of your life. Being aware of your feelings will only deepen the relationship you have with yourself.
Simple ways to practice mindfulness include:
- Pay attention. It’s hard to slow down and notice the busy world, however, taking time to experience the environment your are in and what is happening around you will help you feel more connected.
- Accept yourself. Being able to love yourself can be extremely difficult, however learning to treat yourself with kind words and affection is really important is promoting mindfulness.
- Focus on your breathing. As mentioned above, deep breathing and other breathing techniques helps to get in-tone with yourself and your body.
- Meditation. Bring your attention back to the present. Focus on your breathing, thoughts and other senses.
- Journaling. This is a great way to practice mindfulness as it allows you to reflect and express your opinions. They are so many different journaling techniques out there.
10. Say “no” sometimes
If you are someone that always says “yes” when someone else asks you to do something, you may want to consider saying “no” sometimes.
The ability to say no empowers you to use your time in a way that you see fit. This also allows you to focus on what’s really important and not be distracted by others. Over crowding your schedule is one way to set yourself up to feel overwhelmed.
Being able to say “no” can make you feel like you are in control of your life and boost your confidence. Not only that but it protects your priorities. If you feel bad saying “no” when you need, setting clear and consistent boundaries in your relationships can help easy those uneasy feelings.
11. Ask for help
Many people forget about their support system. When you are feeling overwhelmed, there is no shame in asking a friend or family member for help. You are not alone in your journey and sometime, we need help.
Reaching out to people and being direct with what you need can help ensure you are getting the support you need. Asking for help doesn’t have to mean you are burdening them with your problems, rather it can help lesson the pain you are feeling.
12. Do what you enjoy
Sometimes when you grind through each day crossing as much off your list as possible you start to feel like your life is repetitive, boring, and unsatisfying. This can lead to feeling overwhelmed in a life that keeps going in circles.
Make a point in your day and week to do something that you enjoy and that brings joy and purpose to your life. Ask yourself, what brings you pleasure? Maybe consider:
- Listening to music
- Baking something yummy
- Going for a walk
- Watching the sunset
- Spending time with loved ones
At the end of the day, your life is suppose to bring your joy. Although work is necessary for the majority of us, it shouldn’t consume your life to the point of feeling overwhelmed and a never ending chore.
And there you have it…12 things to do when you start to feel overwhelmed. Practicing even a few of these tips will greatly reduce those uneasy feelings.
“Take life day by day and be grateful for the little things. Don’t get stressed over what you can’t control.”
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