You’ve taken on a big project(s), a new job, or life is just hectic. The challenge is now you’re experiencing forgetfulness, brain fog, anxiety, irritability, and possibly even shortness of breath. This year I turned 40 and it seems as though it was a surprise to my body. Whereas I’m generally a busy person, my days typically consist with me waking up as early as I can, squeezing in some physical activity, then running through the day until I crash at about 12:30am it had never been an issue for me. Shortly after my birthday I began wheezing and breaking out in hives daily. Things that I generally enjoy or were considered my “self care” was causing my body to react defensively, whether it was preparing for an upcoming project or jogging. In fact I still haven’t been able to do a high intensity workout.
Sometimes you’re aware that you’re doing too much or overcommitted but sometimes the warning shows up in your body or is pointed out by others. Once you’ve realized that overwhelm is trying to take over here are a few tips on how to manage it:
- STOP – this may seem counter intuitive because if you’re overwhelmed then you have obligations that need to be done. Stopping doesn’t necessarily mean being neglectful or irresponsible; however it does mean forcing yourself to pay attention to yourself and your needs. An amazing exercise to assist with this is called a “Brain Dump”. This is my personal favourite it doesn’t take long and is quite effective. It’s basically taking every thought that’s in your head and writing them out on paper. No particular order just on the paper, it sounds like another task but this actually gives you relief. Here’s a great article on what it is and why it works https://littlecoffeefox.com/brain-dump/
- BREATHE – It’s another no brainer J. You have to breathe anyway so why not add a technique to it that can help you to create some clarity and regulate your mind and body. Some simple deep breathing actually does wonders. I used to think that breathing techniques were overrated but I’ve since learned the science behind it and have also experienced the benefits from it. If you really want to step it up a notch add meditation with a guided visualization, another thing I was reluctant towards but am glad I did.
- REACH OUT/UP – As the helper it’s easy to keep reaching down to help others and forget and/or neglect yourself. While all three of these steps are important step three is critical for maintaining a healthy level of stress. This could be as simple as sharing your feelings and/or concerns with a friend or seeking some assistance from a coach or therapist. Sometimes the overwhelming feelings are being triggered from more than a task list or seeming insurmountable responsibilities but need to be addressed with a professional to help you get back on track.
Even though I still have times when I feel overwhelmed this list is what’s kept me consistently moving forward.
All the best to tackling the overwhelm monster in your life.
Live intentionally!
