How to Cope When You Feel Overwhelmed
Most of us manage to keep our heads above water under normal circumstances, but when things start to weigh us down, our energy can drain away and we feel overwhelmed. Before we realize it, we are underwater and struggling to come up for another gasp of air.
When we stop coping with the demands of our life, it can feel like we are drowning.
The cognitive impact of feeling overwhelmed is detrimental to our daily activities and relationships. Logical decision-making seems somehow out of reach. Our memories are impaired, and our mind races out of control. We feel like we should be doing something to address the mental overload. It is hard to break the cycle when cognitive fatigue sets in. The more we struggle, the deeper we sink.
At this point, we need to be ruthless with ourselves. There are coping mechanisms when we feel overwhelmed, but we need to make a rational decision to step back and take action:
Starting to feel overwhelmed?
Work out the primary cause. While there will be many contributory factors to your sense of overwhelm, seeking to deal with those that dominate your mind is the best course of action. Solving the scary ones will put the more minor issues into perspective. If a task’s magnitude stops you from starting, break it down into more manageable elements. Doing something is always preferable to doing nothing – maintain momentum.
Set boundaries and say “no” more. When things are getting on top of you, get strict with your time. These boundaries are both for you and others around you. Chunk your time through the day and get the most challenging tasks out of the way in the morning. Say “no” to distractions and power through your to-do list. Explain that you temporarily have a lot on your plate to those around you. They’ll understand if you are unavailable for a while.
Offer your worries a physical outlet. Mental tribulations ease when you focus your mind on matters of the body. Go for a walk to release some endorphins, do some breathing exercises, chew gum, or slowly sip a glass of cool water. When pent-up stress is offered a different outlet, tension can subside for a while. You give yourself a window to think more clearly about what to do next.
Take one step at a time – stop multitasking. Whenever our attention wanes, overwhelming feelings seep in to fill the void. It might seem productive to tackle multiple issues simultaneously, but it is in those micro-moments between tasks that we remind ourselves over and over just how much we have yet to do. Do one job at a time, get it done “well enough,” give yourself a mental break (go for a walk, etc.) and then move on.
Ask for help and delegate where possible. Sharing your worries with a loved one is helpful, but sharing them with someone who can actively help is even better. Reframe how you organize your work and consider whether others could take on some of your responsibilities. You might be surprised at how something mundane for you can be a learning opportunity for someone else. Let go of your need for control.
Accept what you can’t control. Sometimes you can’t help being late for a deadline, failing to hit a sales target or not being able to help a colleague as promised. When an unforeseen external event disrupts your plans, you should do your best to cope but ultimately not be too hard on yourself if you fail to deliver. Keep a sense of balance with your other responsibilities. Sometimes stuff just goes wrong, and there is nothing you can do about it.
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This blog is shared with Job Seeker Duetists.
Written by former recruitment ghostwriter Paul Drury (not AI).
