How to Deal with Overwhelm

As the year begins to progress, the feelings of the post-holiday season and New Year spark are beginning to fade as we find projects and deadlines at work piling up. Friends and family are coming out of hibernation and wanting to socialize more and some people are beginning to feel overwhelmed as the goals they set for themselves at the beginning of the year grow increasingly tedious or impossible.

With so many life responsibilities at hand – work, friends, family, loved ones, not to mention the desire to schedule some much needed “Me Time” – life can begin to feel a bit overwhelming. After all, you are only one person and there’s only so much you can handle before feeling like you’re teetering on the edge.

Whether you are already in the midst of overwhelm or on your way there, there are strategies you can apply to your daily routine to keep yourself more grounded and clearheaded:

1. Stop Judging Yourself/Comparing Yourself to Others– Remember, you are only one person and there’s only so much you can handle. It’s easy to get caught up in comparing ourselves to others who appear to be doing it all without missing a step, but the truth is we don’t know what their life is like or if they feel the same way. Using disparaging language such as “I should’ve done that” or “I’ll never be as good as so and so” is counterproductive and can make you feel more overwhelmed. When you catch yourself in these self-defeating mindsets, try to change your story to “I did everything I could in the time I had” or “I’m doing the best I can” and believe it.

2. Focus on the Present Moment– Oftentimes, our stress and anxiety is triggered by focusing too much on the past or future. Our minds wander to something in the past we feel we could’ve done differently, or on predicting a future situation that we have no control over in this moment. Before we even have a chance to take action on an issue, we already begin to feel overwhelmed by it. While it can be useful at times to refer back to past situations for learning opportunities, and plan for our future, these thoughts prevent us from focusing on the most important things in the present.  It is only in the present moment that we can experience clarity and fresh insights.

3. Prioritize and Take Action– Feeling overwhelmed can be triggered by having a seemingly never-ending task list and not knowing where to begin. The truth is that it’s a vicious cycle because once we start to feel overwhelmed, we panic or get paralyzed by indecision. Instead of looking at your list thinking “I’ll never be able to get all this done,” try breaking down and prioritizing your task list. Pick only a few things, or even one primary task, that need to get done today and save the rest for later. Then clear your head with some mindful breathing, go for a walk, or put on some motivating music and take action. The act of completing tasks and checking things off your to-do list, whether it’s work, “me time”, or social activities, can help you feel more accomplished and less overwhelmed.  And the fewer items you have to focus on, the more efficient and clear-headed you will be.

Finally, it’s important to remember that we are not superheroes. And even if we were, it’s important to know that not even superheroes are perfect. There are numerous factors that can contribute to feeling overwhelmed, and while these strategies are a good place to start, your solutions to preventing and gaining control over overwhelming thoughts and situations begin with understanding what caused it in the first place. Perhaps it’ll help to let go of some things and cut back on responsibilities, or simply change your frame of mind. Whatever the stressor or solution happens to be, listening to yourself and your needs is the key to start.