5 Practical Steps To Manage Feeling Overwhelmed
It’s hard to know where to start. There is so much coming down the pipe at all of us right now we could easily succumb to overwhelm.
Feeling overwhelmed is perhaps the most common symptom of anxiety and it can affect us both mentally and physically.
And here’s the riddle: The best way to stop feeling overwhelmed from anxiety is to control your anxiety. How is that done?
The good news is there are some practical actions we can take to help us manage and maintain perspective.
Breathe mindfully - The most basic way to do mindful breathing is simply to focus your attention on your breath, the inhale and exhale. You can do this while standing, but ideally you’ll be sitting or even lying in a comfortable position. Your eyes may be open or closed, but you may find it easier to maintain your focus if you close your eyes. Experts believe a regular practice of mindful breathing can make it easier to do it in difficult situations.
Sometimes, especially when trying to calm yourself in a stressful moment, it might help to start by taking an exaggerated breath: a deep inhale through your nostrils (3 seconds), hold your breath (2 seconds), and a long exhale through your mouth (4 seconds). Otherwise, simply observe each breath without trying to adjust it; it may help to focus on the rise and fall of your chest or the sensation through your nostrils. As you do so, you may find that your mind wanders, distracted by thoughts or bodily sensations. That’s okay. Just notice that this is happening and gently bring your attention back to your breath.
Go for a walk - You don’t even have to go outside. It often helps just to get a different perspective by moving from one room to another. Our environment has a powerful influence on our thoughts so if you often feel anxious in your kitchen then try relocating for a while to the family room. It’s a good way to give your brain a reboot and your body a chance to move.
Exercise - Exercise is also a powerful tool to combat feeling overwhelmed for two reasons. First, it tires out your muscles and improves breathing so that your symptoms are not as severe. Secondly, it floods relaxing neurotransmitters into your brain and tires your mind so that you can't have as many overwhelming thoughts.
Record your thoughts in a journal - When your thoughts are overwhelming try journaling. Recording your thoughts by writing them out can have a powerful effect on your mind. It's as though your mind relaxes about the thoughts because they're on paper. So if thoughts are overwhelming, write them down to experience some relief.
Find beneficial distractions - While it can be tempting to just hunker down and immerse yourself in the latest Netflix distraction, don’t make that your go-to solution. The best thing we can do for ourselves when we come home feeling overwhelmed is to leave the TV and computer off. Do something that slows our mind down. Consider reading something that expands your consciousness, sit back and listen to some smoothing music, or engage in a creative project that is meaningful to you.
Finally, it’s hard to maintain perspective in these uncertain times. Over history though humans have always found a way to rise with strength. I think this quote is apt at this time:
“We must become bigger than we have been: more courageous, greater in spirit, larger in outlook. We must become members of a new race, overcoming petty prejudice, owing our ultimate allegiance not to nations but to our fellow men within the human community.”
- Haile Selassie