8 Things To Do When Feeling Overwhelmed

Stress does not rule you.

We all get overwhelmed from time to time. Work. Home. Relationships. Money. These stressors rarely act alone, and that’s the problem.

Anybody could probably handle one set of stressors at a time without much problem, but when they start to pile up, things can get a little hairy.

That’s why it’s good to have a few strategies tucked up your sleeve for dealing with those times when things get a tad overwhelming.

Here are eight that have always worked for me.

1. Step Away

It’s okay to push it all away for a little while and step away. Go for a walk, go play a video game, read a book — that sort of thing. Even if you’re dealing with many tasks that need doing, you can take them on more handily if you’ve taken some time to disconnect from the source of your stress for a short time.

Heck, try some exercise. Get the blood pumping a bit. Athletes warm up before big games. A little physical activity on your part can make you feel more ready to take on large challenges.

2. Deep Breaths

If you don’t have a lot of time but still need a quick way to destress, try some deep breathing exercises.

Stand up with your arms outstretched a bit. Breath in deeply through your mouth, hold it for a five-count, and slowly exhale through your nose. Imagine stress flowing out and away from your body with each exhalation.

Do this for a couple of minutes, and you should feel more ready to address your stress.

3. Drink Some Water

Believe it or not, water intake alone can improve a mood. Don’t overdo it, of course, and get sick, but make sure you’re fully topped off in the hydration department.

I recommend drinking from a water bottle of some sort, if only because you’re less likely to gulp. Sipping your water can encourage a more contemplative mindset.

4. Talk It Out With Someone

Too much going on? Maybe too many bills suddenly coming due? Feel like there’s an avalanche of expectation heading your way?

Phone a friend. Talk to your spouse or a roommate.

Another perspective helps. You could even find the other person has some tangible ways to help. They may take some of the burdens off you or know something specific about your challenges that make things easier to deal with.

Look at it this way… it couldn’t hurt.

5. Spread It Out

Are the things stressing you out things that have to be taken care of by you? A few years ago, I was going through a lot of financial strain because there was too much going on for me to deal with. Various load payments. Utilities. Other expenses.

My wife stepped in and took some of the bills from me. She turned out to be a lot handier with wrangling the house and car loans. I still handle utilities, and we’ve split managing other household expenses.

I’ve not felt so overwhelmed by financial issues since.

Delegate or ask for help. It works.

6. Take a Nap

Seriously. Take a nap. Or if it’s evening, just go to bed.

Everything seems a bit better after you’ve had some sleep.

At the very least, you may wake up with some new perspective.

7. Trim Things Down and Say No

You know you can say no. right?

When too many people expect too many things from you, you can dial it back and tell them it’s not a good time.

It’s not always easy. And if it’s a business thing, you might be worried it will hurt your career. But burning out will hurt your career more.

There’s nothing wrong with knowing your limitations. If anything, it puts you in a better position to give tasks the attention they deserve.

8. Take It One Step At a Time

I’m currently in the midst of a substantial year-long house renovation project. Frankly, it’s something we’ve needed to do for years, but I always found the whole thing too overwhelming to contemplate.

This year, I took a different approach. I’ve looked at the project overall and broke it down into much smaller, more uncomplicated steps. So far, it’s been going pretty well. I’m working from front to back. One part of the house at a time, each room is further broken down into smaller steps.

So much easier to tackle and actually getting results.

You could apply the same approach to a lot of things with multiple factors involved.

Don’t think about doing it all at once.

Take it one step at a time.

It’s Going To Be Okay

The best way to deal with stress is to slow down and try and look at things from a different perspective. Many of these strategies can help with that shifted view — another useful tool.

Nothing is really insurmountable.

Even taking the time to read this should help a bit — even if you didn’t care for the content itself.

The trick was in slowing down and getting out of your own head for a few minutes.

So, carry on. Keep calm, and carry — well… you know.

Cheers!

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