How to Stop Feeling Overwhelmed?

Sometimes I feel that feeling overwhelmed in this world of chaos is the new normal. This feeling generally comes by realizing that we always have something more to do or some other pending work on our to-do lists. And when we are not able to manage those works or lists properly, we feel overwhelmed, anxious, or stressed. Not to mention the complications that COVID-19 brought for us, it becomes quite difficult to juggle all of your responsibilities at the same time.

Reasons why you feel overwhelmed.

Are you feeling overwhelmed now because you procrastinated all this while, or is it because of the huge volume of tasks that keeps piling up even when you are well-timed to complete those?

Is it because of an over-busy schedule or maybe increased responsibilities because you are new in your respective field?

Does it seem that your time is managing you rather than you managing your time?

Are you trying to do too much all at once?

Are you pushing yourself too hard or do you think you are not good enough?

To find the cure to the problem, you must know its cause first. And the above questions can help you find the reason why you feel so. Besides this, let’s look into some of the other major reasons.

1. You must be aware of your overwhelming triggers

You are working while following a tight deadline but then interrupted by someone or something. Now, it’s sure that your work will be delayed and you will again start thinking about why you could not complete it on time. Therefore, it becomes essential to be aware of your overwhelming triggers. It could be interruptions, procrastination, lack of dedication anything.

2. Lack of Knowledge or Skill

If you are trying to do something but don’t have the required skills or enough knowledge in that field, you can never excel in that work or anything, unless you practice and practice enough. If you are expecting to complete those tasks at your desired pace, it will definitely be daunting.

For instance, I literally suck at making designs. I am not a graphic designer. Now if I have to design something (especially in the case of blogs when an emergency arises) I am quite overwhelmed because I know that I don’t know each and everything about graphic designing that other experts in this field are already aware of. Now if I expect my work up to that perfection or compare it with those of experts, this will be completely unrealistic as well as my fault too. It’s only me who is making me overwhelmed, not some other.

That’s the second reason why overwhelm happens because you’re working on something but is not skillful enough for that thing. Therefore the task seems huge and tough for you.

3. When you don’t have a plan

You think of writing a book, but you don’t know how. What’s your plan? From where to start, where to end? What are you going to do? How are you going to make that happen?

You know nothing regarding the answers to these questions. Now ask yourself. Do you think you can execute such a huge plan without feeling overwhelmed?

Your plan becomes absolutely crucial at this stage. Until and unless you have a vision or a plan for your any of the projects, there is a high probability that you waste a significant amount of time wandering around what to do or what not to do.

4. Why inner-critic, tell me why?

“I think I should finally quit this job and invest more time in setting up my business. But what if my business fails? What if I could not take control of my finances? Will I be able to convince my family of this?”

These statements sound familiar to you, isn’t it? Well, that’s the only work of our inner-critic present within all of us, which is none other than amplifying our limiting beliefs. And it worsens the situation more.

5. Other common anxieties

Your day-to-day family problems, some sort of toxic relationships, difficulties at home or office, the work culture that is always ready to criticize you, the never-ending assignments of your academics, fear of failure; ah enough with the list! I am sure you might have many more.

That’s the reason I called it the new normal at the very beginning of this article.

YES! I am overwhelmed, now what?

This overwhelming emotion is not something that attacks you. It’s a feeling you experience because you often believe that there’s too much to do and you don’t have enough time to do it. And once you recognize this fact, you’re better equipped to deal with it.

But how? Let’s see further.

1. Creating a “Priority list” among your “To-Dos”.

We all have a To-Do list with us, and it’s quite easy to get lost in that list. But if we prioritize our tasks from the most important and urgent to the least important ones, that’s a more conscious choice.

2. The approach of “One at a time.”

I have observed that the more tabs I open in my browser, the less I am able to concentrate on any one particular task that I aim to complete. And for this reason, these days I make sure that if I am writing a blog, I am writing only, not doing some sort of keyword research or looking at templates in Canva, to design for my blog.

Moreover, when you focus completely on just one project, you can get that job done much quicker and on a higher productive note. In this way, you don’t juggle multiple tasks in your mind at a particular time.

3. Don’t just think, but decide.

When you try to find the perfect answer, you keep on thinking rather than deciding. Your mind becomes crowded with a lot of options and possibilities. And this inability to decide adds to your overwhelm.

There will always be something better; a better deal or a better product or a better package. If you want to buy a shirt from a shop, how much time will you be able to give while choosing? You can’t take forever to decide, right?

So try doing the best you can with the available information and choose to be happy with your decision.

4. Asking for help doesn’t make you weak.

This is the toughest one for a lot of people. Because of the fear of being judged, they hesitate to ask for help. But you need to understand that you are not a superman or superwoman. You don’t or can’t know each and everything. And if someone is always there for you, it can take a lot of pressure off and bring you support and comfort during overwhelming times.

5. Recharge yourself.

And spend your break time doing something you enjoy, even if it is for just 5 minutes. After all, you are really busy with a tough schedule. De-clutter, take a walk, sleep, look into nature ( even if it’s just outside your window), listen to music, paint, etc. This will make you feel refreshed and rejuvenated. And when you are calmer and more relaxed, you can again start your work in a recharged mood that also easily.

If you are aware of your overwhelming triggers, then you must also be aware of the habits or things that make you happy. Recharge yourself by concentrating on them.

6. Don’t set unrealistic expectations for yourself.

Sometimes, especially during your tough times, you can only afford too little done before you are mentally exhausted. Pushing yourself harder at those times will only lead to more frustrations that can inhibit your ability to think clearly or solve complicated problems.

Related post: How to stop Stressing over your tough times?

Learn to accept that you can’t push yourself more and it’s completely okay. Don’t stress too much that you could not finish it on time. Keep it real.

7. If needed, be comfortable while saying no.

Saying no to the energy-drainers of your life is the first step to your personal growth. Whether it be the toxic people of your life or your energy-sucking bad habits, you must try to avoid them, as they have the power to worsen any bad situations.

Ask yourself if there is a way to reduce such negative vibes. Rather surround yourself with positive people who lift you up and who add value to your life.

Also read: How to deal with the toxic people of your life?

Final Thoughts

Overwhelm is the leading cause of stress, anxiety, and burnout. And overwhelm will be overwhelming if you don’t take proper steps to avoid it. It is said that how you spend your days becomes how you spend your life. So why not live it well and to the fullest!

Most importantly, at the end of the day, all we want is just some peace of mind, feeling that my day was worthwhile and this was the best that I could do.

Further reading that can help you to get rid of overwhelming feelings:

1. 12 Proven Strategies for a Stress-Free Living.
2. What to do when you really don’t know what to do with your life?