6 Things to Consider When You’re Feeling Chronically Overwhelmed
Do you ever glance at your to-do list and feel panicked because there is so much to do and so little time? You are not alone!
People swear by productivity hacks, prioritization tactics, and breaking down large chores into smaller chunks to avoid feeling overwhelmed.
Don’t get me wrong; all of these can be beneficial, but they just address the symptom of overwhelm, not the underlying reason.
Let’s discuss a few more methods to control your overload so you can rock your life without it rocking you.
1. First and foremost, accept your overwhelming feelings
I realize this seems illogical, but hear me out! When we are overwhelmed, we tend to view it negatively.
As humans, the first thing we do when we encounter a problem is hurry to resolve it. Or, worse, we blame ourselves for creating the problem in the first place.
What if, for a time, your overwhelm was not an issue? What if it’s simply something you’re feeling due to being a person on this planet?
Nothing went wrong. Take a big, slow, deep breath with your nose, then exhale through your mouth as if you’re trying to fog a mirror. I’m serious: pause and do it!
How can you accept your overwhelm without attempting to change or eradicate it? What message is the overload trying to convey to you?
2. How often do you say “yes” when you mean no?
Sometimes, we say yes to things we don’t want to do because we like the reasons for doing them.
For example, you might agree to your best friend’s bar crawl bachelorette party to support her, even if bars and drinking aren’t your thing.
Saying yes when you want to say no becomes difficult when you feel you “have to” prevent disappointing or offending others.
This causes a significant energy leak in your life, which leads to resentment and burnout.
Time is the most valuable resource. Would you continue to freely give away your time and energy if you valued them as gold?
3. Intentionally stuff your plate.
Is your metaphorical life plate full of nutritious foods you enjoy eating, but you’ve realized there’s too much of them, and you can’t eat them all?
Is it filled with foods you detest but are compelling yourself to consume?
When you feel overwhelmed because too many wonderful things are happening, it’s not the same as feeling overwhelmed because you don’t enjoy the majority of your activities.
Do you enjoy how your life is set up? Do you want your average day? Would you wish to experience that day repeatedly for the entirety of your life?
If not, it may be time to reconsider how you spend your time and whether it aligns with your values.
4. Adjust your perspective on your to-do list
The weird thing about to-do lists is that they never really finish. It’s like a CVS receipt, and it continues for miles.
If you measure your success by whether or not you complete the tasks on your to-do list or how near you are to finish them, you will be continuously overwhelmed. Completing a to-do list is a shifting aim.
What if the goal flips from completing tasks to enjoying the process?
This can be accomplished by making more time in your day for rest or joy and by making the boring, routine aspects of life more enjoyable.
Need to clean the house? Listen to your favorite song or podcast. Need to work out? Go for a walk in the sunshine.
Need to pay your bills? Eat your favorite snack while doing so.
While not everything is enjoyable, there are methods for incorporating more of it into the activities you already perform.
5. Talking about rest…
Rest has become a buzzword in the personal development arena, with everyone and their cat preaching how important it is. I agree.
However, I’ve observed that people “rest” to be revitalized and more productive.
This transforms rest into a means to an end rather than what it truly is: something you experience for the purpose of experiencing it.
You cannot pour from an empty cup, but you do not need to fill it to empty it again. You can fill it merely because you want it to be complete.
A word of caution about resting when you’re overwhelmed or unaccustomed to it: relaxing is tricky. As strange as it may sound, sleeping is a skill.
So it’s acceptable if you feel horrible at first and are busy with everything you need to do.
You aren’t doing it wrong. Your mind may wander, but stay focused and return to the present moment.
6. Call a friend
As a feminine-essence being, you are an innate receiver. When you don’t ask for help because you believe you “should” be able to handle everything or that it makes you a burden to others, your inner feminine is not nourished because she enjoys receiving it with thanks.
Don’t avoid that aspect of yourself because you don’t believe it’s worth support.
What would it feel like to delegate to someone else if you were honest with yourself?
What would it be like to sigh in relief if you didn’t have to do it anymore? Consider who can assist you in this matter, and then approach them.
We must get through life with support systems. Refrain from being frightened to rely on yours.
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Everyone sometimes gets overwhelmed by their to-do lists, and productivity and time management tips can be handy. But if your current approach isn’t cutting it, it’s time to consider what your overwhelm is telling you about how you show up in your life and what (and who) you make yourself available for.
