Today was one of those days where you are bombarded with things from the moment you wake up until 1am the next morning without so much as a two minute break. My day was absolutely packed today and as I sit here writing this at 1am its all I can do to keep my eyes open long enough to post this blog. The sad thing is I haven\u2019t even begun to start on my to do list for today, nor have I been able to read all the emails I needed to, which is stressful.\u00a0 Yet all I can do is remind myself that some days you just have to do the best you can and then call it a day\u2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I’ve had plenty of days where I feel overwhelmed, and on those days I’ve often sought advice from others on how one can avoid feeling overwhelmed. In one article written by Margarita Tartakovski, she cites the advice of clinical psychologists Marla Diebler and Kevin Chapman and gives six strategies that can help:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Suggestions for Preventing or Stopping Overwhelm<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 1. Accept your anxiety.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Has fighting your feelings of overwhelm ever helped you erase\nthem? Probably not. More likely, battling your emotions only boosted them. According\nto Deibler, \u201cIt\u2019s \u2018normal\u2019 to experience some degree of anxiety when stressors\nare unfamiliar, unpredictable, or imminent.\u201d Think of acceptance as riding out\na wave, she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. Change overwhelm-inducing thoughts.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Thoughts of uncontrollability or unpredictability are the\nbackbone of overwhelm, according to Chapman. It\u2019s the unrealistic or\nunreasonable thoughts that spark our stressed-out reaction. That\u2019s why it\u2019s\nimportant to pay attention to what we tell ourselves and learn to create helpful\nthoughts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s say you have a mile-long to-do list, and all you keep\nthinking is \u201cI\u2019ll never get this done.\u201d That\u2019s a damaging thought that can lead\nto distress and anxiety, Deibler said. And it paralyzes you from\nproblem-solving and taking action, she said. But remember that you\u2019re not a\nslave to your ruminations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ask yourself \u201cIn what ways might this [thought] be inaccurate,\nunreasonable or unhelpful?\u201d Deibler said. Next, consider how you can think more\nrealistically. Here, your goal is to generate alternative thoughts that will\nlead to positive emotions and behavior.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For instance, to revise the above overwhelming thought, Deibler\nsuggested these alternatives: \u201cI may not get it all finished today, but if I\nwork on it or if I seek assistance, I will likely get it done;\u201d \u201cI know I\u2019m\nfeeling overwhelmed right now, but if I take a break, I may feel differently\nabout this when I return;\u201d \u201cIt seems overwhelming to me right now, but if I\nbreak it down into smaller parts, it may be more doable.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. Change your multitasking mindset.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c\u2019Multitasking\u2019 by definition implies that we are doing too many\nthings at once,\u201d Chapman said. He suggested readers shift their perspective.\n\u201cWe have to change our expectation that everything<\/em> has\nto be completed right now \u2018or else.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n 4. Focus on right now.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n When you\u2019re consumed with what may or may not happen in several\nminutes or months, you can\u2019t appreciate the here and now, Deibler said.\nInstead, schedule time to plan for the future, so you can breathe in the\npresent moment, she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 5. Take a deep breath.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Deep breathing encourages our body\u2019s relaxation response,\nDeibler said. Other calming and stress-reducing activities include progressive\nmuscle relaxation, guided imagery, Tai chi and yoga, she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 6. Take action.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n To quell overwhelm, engage in an activity that you enjoy, such as listening to music, reading a book or taking a walk, Deibler said. And consider how you can solve the stressors that triggered your overwhelm in the first place, she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I would add to that – after you’ve done your best just call it a day and go to bed…which is exactly what I’m going to do right now. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n\n\n\n