Summary: Do you ever feel overwhelmed with the amount of stress and anxiety you face every day? Learn how to deal with it in this article.
Do you ever have so much to do that you feel completely frozen?
Many people feel a need to do things well or “perfectly” that they don’t even know where or how to begin. They’re so afraid of messing up or not doing things the best way possible that they become too overwhelmed to get started at all.
It’s pretty common, especially when we feel a lot of pressure, whether that’s from ourselves or from anyone else, or when we have a lot of important tasks on our plates. Our culture creates a sense of scarcity, whether that’s time, money, or relationships, and it causes us to develop anxiety and fear that we must do everything right or we will lose the things we love or want.
Our sense of being overwhelmed can be caused by many day-to-day expressions of these feelings, such as big life transitions, trying to multitask, demanding jobs, not taking the time to process events or news, information overload, lack of sleep, and being overscheduled.
If you are feeling stressed and overwhelmed, you don’t have to do a complete overhaul of your life to make things better. Change can be hard, especially when it goes against the social norm, but there are small things that you can do right now to relieve some of the pressure and stress that you’re feeling.
- Unplug. Whether it’s for a weekend or an hour, try to unplug from everything. The best thing you can do? Turn off your phone. Don’t just put it in airplane mode, but turn it off completely and head outside for a walk. It’s incredibly refreshing to know that no one can reach you and you don’t have to do anything but enjoy the outdoors, even if it’s just for a short time.
- Set priorities. You can’t do everything. Look at what’s on your plate and think about your personal values – do those things match up? Be sure you’re saying yes to things that you consider valuable in life and start focusing your time and energy in those directions. It’s okay to say no when you need to put something else first.
- Delegate. Many of us can be controlling, wanting to do everything ourselves to make sure it’s done correctly. However, having such a tight rein can often be a downfall. Take a look at your to do list and ask yourself if there’s anything you can pass on to someone else. Give others a chance and get one more thing off of your hands.
- Journal through your thoughts. Sometimes, getting your thoughts out of your head and onto a piece of paper can make a world of difference. You can sort through what’s in your mind or even what you’re pushing down inside so you don’t have to face it by writing out what you’re thinking and feeling. There are no rules. What you write doesn’t have to be positive, just get it out.
- Single task. Single tasking allows you to focus on quality over quantity. Pick one task and get it done, and you’ll likely finish it much more quickly than if you’d been doing multiple things at once. Even if it does take you longer, it’s much less stressful on your mind and body to simplify what you’re focusing on.
- Get the nagging task out of the way. There’s always that one thing hanging over your head for days or weeks. It could be as simple as scheduling a doctor’s appointment or picking a paint color, but you’re putting it off because you can’t figure out the best choice. Just do it. Get that task out of your way and you’ll feel a weight lifted off your shoulders.