Let’s get real: there are times in life when you’re going to feel overwhelmed. Whether it be with work, school, social obligations or just life in general, we all feel overwhelmed, anxious, or stressed at some point. It’s important to give yourself grace when you have these feelings. Try not to brush them off or push through whatever is causing you to feel anxious — your mental health matters and if you’re feeling stressed, understand that you can take a step back.
In this blog post, you’ll learn five strategies to take care of yourself when you’re feeling overwhelmed, and what to do before that happens.
Stress is a normal response to challenges or changes. It’s a natural human reaction to our environment. It’s okay — and healthy — to feel stress. But sometimes, it may be too much, and you might feel overwhelmed.
According to WebMD, stress can make you feel more emotional than usual, anxious, and restless, or may cause headaches, body aches, and tense muscles.
Other signs and symptoms might include irritability, changes in sleep or appetite, and just feeling tired overall.
Overwhelm often emerges when there’s just too much going on. You may feel too much input, too much stress, too many things to do. When you feel overwhelmed, you may feel like you can’t escape the stress or can’t cope with it in a healthy way.
It can be difficult to juggle all of your responsibilities at the same time, and self-care can often feel like just another thing tacked onto the list. Making yourself a self-care plan before you start to feel overwhelmed means you can more easily turn to what makes you feel better.
Self-care plans are personal, which can be just the thing for when things feel like too much. So what should you do when you feel overwhelmed?
If you’re feeling overwhelmed or anxious, a quick way to begin to alleviate those feelings is by doing breathing exercises. If the thing that’s overwhelming you is in front of you, try taking a step away from it to create some separation between you and whatever is making you feel this way. Deep breathing exercises are a great way to promote relaxation and lower your stress response. Need some breathing exercise guidance? We’ve got you covered.
Protecting your time and space can help give you a sense of control over your schedule. While we all have responsibilities to take care of, those little extra events, dates and errands can pile up. Sometimes, saying “no” and setting healthy boundaries can be just what you need.
Remember that it is OK to feel overwhelmed. It also helps to remember that feeling overwhelmed doesn’t have to last. Give yourself some grace – if you don’t get to that chore or have to ask for an extension at work, you can. Your mental health should be a top priority.
Your social support network is there for you to lean on if you need to vent or talk things through. Reach out to a friend, get coffee and chat with a coworker, or pick up the phone and call a family member.
Writing down why you feel overwhelmed or anxious is another great way to help alleviate those feelings. It helps to do this unstructured — having a written stream of consciousness allows you to express yourself freely and getting those thoughts out of your head will be a relief.
Need more inspiration for writing it out? Take a look at this article explaining the benefits of journaling — it also provides some writing prompts!
When you’re feeling overwhelmed, remember that the feelings you’re having are temporary and with the right coping mechanisms and support, you can take care of yourself when things feel overwhelming.
Ready to dive into your self-care plan? Here are 10 Ways to Practice Self-Care as an Act of Kindness.
Often, when someone is feeling overwhelmed — whether from anxiety, depression or other just the daily stress of life — the first step is to talk it through with someone. Mental Health First Aid is a course that teaches you the tools to recognize and respond to the signs and symptoms of a mental health or substance use challenges. Learn how you can help today.
