5 things to do when you feel overwhelmed

June 14, 2021

Feeling overwhelmed is definitely something I am familiar with. Sometimes I can sense it coming days in advance, other times, it creeps on me out of nowhere. Often, overwhelm makes me feel like I don’t have my life together. Can you relate?

When it comes to feeling overwhelmed, a lot of it can be related to factors that we can control, meanwhile a large portion can also be factors that are outside of our control. We all deserve to be happy and at peace, so here is my action plan for when I am feeling overwhelmed:

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1. Do a brain dump

Grab a piece of paper or a notebook or grab my FREE downloadable here and write everything down, EVERYTHING. Every little thing that maybe on your mind, even if you think that it is irrelevant, just write it down. Get it out of your head and onto paper (or the notes app on your phone!).

If you’re like me, you probably have millions of things running through your head like to-do lists, new ideas, things to remember, things to buy, etc., taking up precious real estate in your brain. When this happens, the best thing we can do is rid our mind of all that extra weight and get it out onto paper - I usually fill up an entire page. Once you do this, you’ll notice that you feel like you have a weight lifted off your chest (or your brain). Your mind suddenly feels more clear when it no longer has to remember all of these things!

2. A) Categorize everything from your brain dump

Now it’s time to organize that mess you just created and move on to the second step of the action plan: categorizing your to-do list. All of our categories will look different, but here is an example of a few of mine:

-         Work stuff

-         Side Hustle stuff

-         House stuff

-         Cleaning

-         Errands

-         Events

-         Stuff to buy

(Pssssst….The second page of my downloadable freebie has a nice to-do list all ready for you! You can fill it out on the computer or print it out)

By organizing everything into categories, we can see every single item in a way that it is less cluttered and more clear. This is your mini action plan! Feel free to use colours and highlighters too.

In doing this, you have a rough road map of what you need to do in what area of your life. You won’t forget something because it is written down and you won’t need to things about the “next step” because it is already on your action plan!

2. B) Pick your top 3

The next part of the action plan is to pick the 3 most important things that you would like to get done right away. Then pick another 3 more for tomorrow, 3 more for the day after that, and so on.

Why only 3? This may seem like a small number, but some tasks do require lots of time and effort! 3 is a very achievable number and a realistic goal to set for yourself every day while still leaving room for you to live your life and go about your routine.

Once you get those 3 things done, you’re going to feel a sense of accomplishment which puts you in a good mood. Good mood = happy you!

3. “Take a deep breath”

A very simple yet often overlooked habit! I never realized how powerful breathing actually was until I began implementing it regularly when I felt overwhelmed.

Taking intentional deep breaths and focusing on breathing not only helps to relax our bodies, but also detoxes them. Breathing stimulates the lymphatic system, which works to eliminate toxins from the body.

The key to successful breathing exercises is to be in a quiet place and to intentionally focus on your breathing. The rule of thumb is: the deeper the inhale, the deeper the exhale, the deeper the detox. (For example: breathe in for 5 seconds, hold for 5 seconds and exhale for 5 seconds – repeat5x).

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4.  Self-Care

When I get stressed out, that is when all of my good habits go down the drain. I suddenly don’t care to eat well, move my body or do any of my other self-care habits. Now I know that when I am stressed, that is when it is MOST IMPORTANT for me to focus on caring for my mind and for my body.

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5. Ask for help, Accept help, Delegate

This one was a tough one for me to learn (still a work in progress!), but it is okay to receive help. I’ll be the first to admit that my mentality used to be “if I can do it myself, I may as well do it myself,” but that is exactly what led tome feeling overwhelmed in the first place!

You don’t have to be the one to do EVERYTHING. There are people out there who are more than happy to help you. Asking and accepting help is never a sign of weakness, but rather a sign of strength. Asking for help shows that you are aware and ready to take action to help yourself.

Overwhelm is a very real feeling and a feeling that we all face from time to time. Now, although this is normal to experience, there are tactics that we can put in place to tackle overwhelm when it comes. Remember, you deserve to be happy and feel at peace always!

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Don't forget to head over to the "For You" page to download your Brain Dump template!!

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Know yourself, know your body & until next time!

Mags

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