Feeling overwhelmed? Here are 8 tips that will help you feel less like a basket case and more in the flow with your life.
Tips for feeling less overwhelm
Remember that feelings are temporary.
You will not feel overwhelmed or frustrated or lonely or sad or blah forever. I promise.
Despite how unpleasant feelings can make us feel stuck or like we will never feel good again, it’s not true. You will laugh again, feel peace again, and not feel like a chicken with her head cut off. I promise. It might not be today or next week, but those negative feelings will not last forever.
Minimize — don’t skip — your routines.
In the mornings, I like to journal, read, and relax. But it’s not all that relaxing when all I can think about is everything I need to do that day.
Instead of skipping my favorite thing in the morning, I cut back.
Same with an exercise routine, don’t skip it altogether because you can’t get 30 minutes in. Do 5-10 minutes to relieve stress, help you sleep, and keep you making positive health habits.
If you spend 20 minutes doing your makeup, find some products that do double duty like these pictured. The highlighter stick is a highlighter and blush in one. And the lip gloss adds shine without being too much. Plus, it moisturizes your lips and isn’t super sticky.
Do one thing
Every day, I have ONE thing on my to-do list. One. Just one. That way, even if I get nothing else done, I still feel ok at the end of the day.
Also, don’t make this one thing something huge. It can be “go to the dry cleaners” to “finish and mail Christmas cards” to “drink hot chocolate & watch a Christmas movie without playing on my phone.”
Stop
My biggest advice when feeling overwhelmed is to stop and take a breath. Then I figure out what the most important thing is at that moment. It could be to set a thirty-minute timer and finish the task of the day. Or maybe it’s going for a 10-minute walk or sitting outside while I list the things I have accomplished that week.
Don’t power through when you feel like you are powerless; you’ll ultimately get nothing done or be unhappy with your work and likely feel worse when you are finished.
Ask for help
No need to do everything yourself! Enlist your family to help with dinner or clean up for guests. Buy convenience items at the store, so you don’t have to make everything from scratch. Ask your neighbor to pick up carpool for you this afternoon, so you can finish a project. Have your coworker grab you a coffee when they go out.
Cut yourself some slack
You are not a superhero. You are human. And it's ok to not live a picture-perfect life. Picture perfect is not real.
You don't have to do everything or be everywhere. And you certainly don't have to be so hard on yourself.
Ditch the assumptions
Ask yourself: Are you sure?
Are you assuming that someone is mad at you? Maybe you're thinking that you are being a burden? Are you assuming that you are being judged?
Assumptions can be detrimental
Say “No.”
Guess what... Saying the word “no” is a complete sentence.
You don’t have to explain your answer. Saying no does not automatically make you a jerk. And you can say no and still be friends.
And here’s another little thing to remember, when you say “yes” to something, you are actually saying “no” to something else.
Do you have any tips for feeling less overwhelmed? I'd love to hear them!
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