7 Tips to Overcome Overwhelm
Overwhelm is NOT your natural state of being...
We've all been there though right? And it is not a nice place. Everything is going along great, but slowly in the background you feel it building up. That old familiar feeling. Ick.
So what can we do about it?
1. Pause.
Switch off the autopilot button and take control. That doesn't mean you need to sit in lotus pose for four hours but take a few minutes to 'be' and check in. Notice what thoughts and feelings are coming up, resisting the urge to judge or analyse them. Name them.
Thoughts might be…”I’ve got so much to do. I’m so busy. I’m so stressed. I can’t do this.” See if you can name them.
Feelings might be…”Stress, overwhelm, anxiety, dread, nervousness, exhaustion.” Name whatever you’re feeling.
Notice where in your body you’re feeling it - maybe it’s tightness in the chest, tension in the neck and shoulders, sick feeling in the tummy.
2. Breathe.
Take a few deep belly breaths. Feel the flow of air as it moves in and out of your nose and lungs. Bring your awareness to the expansion and contraction with each breath. Place one hand over your heart space and one hand over your tummy. Feel the rise and fall of the breath. Move out of your head and tune into your body. If the mind wanders off to all the things, gently bring it back. Return your attention to the present moment.
3. Ground.
Notice your feet in contact with the floor. Feel the sensations of your socks, shoes or barefeet. Raise your heels off the floor a few times planting the soles of the feet into the ground. Notice how that feels in your body. Rub your hands on your thighs building some friction. Notice how that feels. Look around and notice what you see, hear, smell.
4. Meditate.
Pop on your favourite meditation or spend 5-10 minutes free styling if you have your own practice. If your kind of meditation is absorbing yourself in art or the outdoors then go get creative or get out in nature! Flip the switch. We are often more unproductive and less efficient when we’re hooked by overwhelm. Changing things up can be enough to reset the nervous system and get out of your head.
If you're still feeling overwhelmed at this point...
5. Write it out.
Write down what you feel overwhelmed about. Is it too much to do, too little time? Taking on too much, overcommitting? Saying yes to things when you mean no? People pleasing? Perfectionism? Stress over a deadline? Write it all down, stream of consciousness style or dot point. Whatever helps you gain clarity and get it out of your head. There’s no need to read it back, just get it out on the page.
6. Prioritise.
Cross off your mental or physical to-do-list anything that DOES NOT have to be done today. Delegate what you can.
Chunk it down into bite sized, digestible pieces. Lighten your load. Get some perspective. If that means cancelling plans, rescheduling an appointment, doing your groceries another day, saying NO, then DO IT! Clear your calendar and your mind. Sometimes it’s also about doing what needs to get done today to reduce the overwhelm! Ticking one thing, or something (anything) off your list. 'Doing' in order to make you feel better. Celebrate those small steps.
7. Be kind.
Above everything else, be kind to yourself. Show yourself some compassion as you move through this uncomfortable feeling of overwhelm. Know that it will pass. Extend yourself the kindness you would to a friend. Watch that nasty inner critic.
Repeat the mantra three times “I’m doing the best I can right now” and “this feeling will pass.”
Know that life will happen despite the overwhelm. Assignments will get finished, job applications sent off, houses moved, the to-do list will eventually get done as will the dishes. Being in a state of overwhelm is a sign something needs addressing. Something has triggered our fight or flight stress response.
It doesn't have to be this way. I get it. I've totally been there and sometimes still experience overwhelm. We are humans afterall. But I also have the tools to shift it.
So slow down, re-evaluate. Keep checking in. What isn't in alignment? What needs adjusting in my diary or on my to-do-list? Is there a need for more 'being' and less 'doing'?
Or perhaps there is no problem? Perhaps our monkey mind is trying to make a mountain out of a molehill?
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