7 Things to Remember When You Feel Overwhelmed
Reading time – 5 minutes
Feelings of overwhelm can threaten your happiness and your relationships. I have blogged about habits of happy people and listening skills to use so partners can get organized. Living amongst clutter, having no routines and an unmanageable schedule can cause feelings of stress and overwhelm. Often, it results in you being short-tempered with other people. Eventually, you may develop other mental health issues, anxiety, if you keep living in the same environment.
7 Things to Keep in Mind When You Feel Overwhelmed
At times, everyone gets overwhelmed, here are seven things to remember when you start feeling overwhelmed:
- Your emotions are natural: Feelings of overwhelm are often a sign from your body that it is time to slow down and scale back. You can also control your feelings, so addressing this feeling and replacing it with better ones is possible.
- It isn’t the end of the world: This is part of life. The good news is that you can stop the feelings of overwhelm by recognizing it for what it is and taking proactive steps to prevent the cycle from happening.
- Now is a good time for a brain dump: Overwhelm leaves our minds cluttered. By writing down all of the things you need to do or feel, you are alleviating some of the mental energy you have had to expend keeping it all in.
- Take action instead of wallowing in your thoughts: Action breeds more movement and will propel you out of your feelings of overwhelm. Look at your space and decide what you can do to make it work better for your lifestyle and personality. Don’t be afraid of change. Additionally, new opportunities will crop up, and you should embrace them.
- Avoiding digital stimulation is the better choice: Getting lost in social media will only leave you feeling worse when you realize you lost time to work. Notifications can leave you in a constant state of panic. Remember that it is okay to turn off notifications for periods of time and focus on what you need to get done. Having a schedule will help you to stay on track and accomplish your tasks.
- Stepping outside is a good thing: You do not have to be tied to your desk and laser-focused on what needs doing. Give your body the break it deserves to help you reset and recharge.
- You have been here before: More than likely, you have felt this way before. It won’t last, and you can shorten the timeframe by being proactive.
Feelings of overwhelm don’t have to stop you from being productive. Remember that this happens to us all, and you can take action to overcome it.
Many clients have mentioned how relaxed they feel once things in their lives are organized. A weight has been lifted. It is a circular argument; if I handle my feelings of overwhelm, then I can get organized or if I organize my space, I will feel less overwhelmed.
Which comes first for you? Let me know in the comments.
Julie Stobbe is the 2024-2025 winner of the Harold Taylor Award for outstanding contributions to the organizing industry and Professional Organizers in Canada. As a Trained Professional Organizer and Lifestyle Organizing Coach, she brings happiness to homes and organization to offices, coaching you virtually using Zoom. She has been working with clients since 2006 to provide customized organizing solutions to suit their individual needs and situations. She uses her love of teaching to reduce clutter, in your home, office, mind and time. She guides, mentors and supports you to be accountable for your time, to complete projects and to reach your goals. If you’re in a difficult transition Julie can coach you to break-free of emotional clutter constraining you from living life on your terms. Online courses are available to help instruct, coach and support your organizing projects. Get started by downloading Tips for Reorganizing 9 Rooms.
Contact her at julie@mindoverclutter.ca
When I organize my space, I feel less overwhelmed. You’ve actually helped me with this before!
Most recently, I bought a new laptop. It’s smaller than my old one and has a functional trackpad, so I no longer need a mouse and mousepad on my desk. It also doesn’t need to be plugged in very often. It feels amazing not to have as many cords and to have that extra space while I’m working.
I like a clean work space too. I have my laptop on a raiser and I can tuck most of the cords away under neath. RIght now I have a lot of paperwork around. Whne I am able to clean off my desk it feels great to walk into my office and start working.
Overwhelm is a favorite topic, although, not a favorite feeling. However, as you so beautifully expressed, it’s a normal part of life. Accepting that is half the battle. Knowing what to do about it is something else. And the strategies you shared are a great start.
Two other strategies that help me are talking with a friend or family member and writing in my journal. Being able to process those feelings by myself or with someone willing to listen is so helpful. As a verbal processor, riting and talking tap into that strength, which is why it’s so helpful for me.
Being able to share my overwhelm with a good listener helps me to feel less anxious quickly. It then lets me focus on solutions instead of problems.
I felt overwhelmed this past weekend. I used some breathing methods that helped me get out of my head. I like to clean or do something active when I feel overwhelmed. Moving really does help me step back, observe, and figure out the things I can control and do first. Thanks for sharing so many great tips for people when they feel overwhelmed.
I your thought about being able to step back, observe and figure out a sloutions. For some people it is talking about it , writing about it and being active is also one of the methods I use to quiet the overwhelm and look for solutions. My latest overwhelm is figuring out how to clean up spilled latex paint off my van rugs.
Everyone feels overwhelm. For me, remembering that I have handled worse situations is very helpful. It makes me feel that I can handle whatever is thrown to me now.
I also find that talking it out with a friend is very helpful.
And, of course, the old brain dump and then just getting started on something on that list helps you feel that you are gaining control.
That is a very important statement, how to feel like you have gained contol again. Also knowing that you can and will be in a different situation soon so you have the confidence to do what you need to do to get there. Perhaps I should say beat overwhelm with confidence.
I think #4 is the thing that I come back to over and over. It’s very possible to get stagnant in the “overthinking,” and frankly it is a pretty unpleasant place to be. I think planning and thinking are important, but it can be it’s own type of overwhelm. We can make the monster grow bigger via perpetual ruminating.
In contrast, taking action (as Linda Samuels said in her post this week – any action!) can be like popping a balloon that has been pressing on our peace. Just do something, and then see where that leads you.
Just do made Nike famous. Planning does work to a certain point and then it is time for action. Planning will never be perfect it is a starting point and then modifcations happen and you slowly get to the solution and feel less overwhelmed.