7 Things to keep in mind when you feel overwhelmed

You will experience overwhelmed feelings occasionally throughout life. Whether it be with regard to employment, school, social responsibilities, or just everyday living. All of us experience anxiety, stress, and overwhelm.

According to an article, feeling constantly overwhelmed can have a variety of cognitive impacts, such as mental slowness, forgetfulness, confusion, difficulty focusing or thinking clearly, and a reduced capacity for problem-solving. Cognitive fatigue can happen when our brain is subjected to too many demands for an extended period of time. As a result, the feelings we experience could impair our capacity for clear thinking and productivity.

The emotions we are experiencing now are three times stronger than they were before the COVID-19 outbreak. It’s also a good idea to treat yourself after a long day of work or to have a self-care plan if you’ve accomplished anything, no matter how big or small it is.

Know that you’re not the only one if you likely find yourself stating, “I’m overwhelmed,” or feeling stuck with more than you can handle. Here are 7 things to remember if you’re feeling overwhelmed.

• Step back and inhale deeply.

You should be aware that when you have too many things going on at once, feeling overwhelmed is a normal reaction. Therefore, practicing deep breathing techniques is a quick approach to start reducing unpleasant feelings. If the overpowering situation is in front of you, consider moving away from it to put some distance between you and the source of your feelings. Your body is trying to encourage you to slow down so that you can live a better life. Deep breathing exercises are said to be a great technique to encourage relaxation and reduce your stress reaction.

• Note down what’s stressing you.

Jotting down things you have in your mind might be effective. This can help by giving you a sense of control over your schedule and in helping you safeguard your time and space. Do not feel obligated to participate in an activity if you do not want to, especially if you have been anticipating the virtual happy hour. Change the activities you don’t want to do with ones you will like doing. Your well being depends on having healthy boundaries!

• Be kind to yourself.

Remember that it’s okay to feel overwhelmed, especially in our society right now. It also helps to keep in mind that feeling overburdened will not last. Allow yourself some freedom. We have the ability to control our thoughts, which in turn controls who we are and who we will become. Making both our physical and mental health a top priority is necessary for this.

• Ask for help from a loved one.

Do not forget that there are people who care about your success in your life. There are people who care about you because of how much your life affects them. You can count on your social support system if you need to vent or work things out. Speak to a friend or a member of your family. These individuals are a part of your support system, so you can reach out to them whenever you’re feeling overburdened.

• Know that you’ve had this feeling before.

Consider how usually you experience overwhelm and stress. How did you deal with it? Was it really as horrible as you thought in the end? If you don’t draw lessons from your prior mistakes, you’ll keep running into the same issues. People who recognize that every experience, no matter how positive or negative, has value are successful.

• Pick one thing at a time.

When you think there is too much to do, you constantly feel overwhelmed. However, no matter how much work you have to accomplish, you can only work on one thing at a time. Contrary to what many people think, multitasking actually involves continuously pausing one activity to perform another. You can only focus on one thing at a time, no matter what. Decide on that one thing, then focus on it.

• Concentrate on the present moment.

You need to concentrate on the present moment now that your mindset has improved and you are not thinking negatively any longer. Ask yourself, what is the most important concern I can influence right now and take action on? If you don’t have a clear next move, keep asking yourself this.

Once you’ve made up your mind about what you want to do, the next step is to write out the steps you must take to achieve your goal.