Hey, all! Long time, no talk. Full disclosure, I have been feeling extremely overwhelmed lately. I have a lot of stuff going on behind the scenes. My personal life is a bit hectic, my work life isn’t ideal, and let’s not forget about the worldwide pandemic we are all trying to survive. Basically, I’m feeling overwhelmed by life!
But that’s okay, ya know? Life ebbs and flows. The good wouldn’t be good if I didn’t experience the bad…or so they say. The important thing is to not let the overwhelm win. It is important to learn ways to still live life and get things done even when you are feeling less than ideal on the inside.
Side Note: I actually had to take my own advice to get this post written.
Feeling Overwhelmed? Why?
What causes feelings of overwhelm? I guess the first thing we should do is define “overwhelm.” For the purposes of this post, I am using the Merriam-Webster dictionary definition, which is “upset or overthrown.”
“I am overwhelmed with housework.”
“All the work my boss has put on my plate is overwhelming.”
I often hear people intermix using overwhelm and anxiety. They can be related, but they aren’t necessarily the same thing. Just because you are overwhelmed doesn’t mean you are anxious.
If you struggle with anxiety, you may find my posts about Coping with Anxiety, Quotes for Anxiety, and How To Be Happy helpful to you.
What causes a person to feel overwhelmed can vary, but common causes might include work, family responsibilities, school, etc. I feel overwhelmed the most when I am not prepared. I am a planner. Planning ahead brings me comfort and satisfaction (and joy, who doesn’t love planning notebooks and nice pens?). When I don’t have a chance to wrap my head around what is going on I feel very overwhelmed. I also feel very overwhelmed when my house is out of order. Chaos on the outside + chaos on the inside. My mind is constantly thinking about all the things I have to do in addition to cleaning my house. It might sound crazy, but it really messes with my mind.
How to Stop Feeling Overwhelmed
The most effective way I have found is to accomplish a few things on my “to-do” lists either by doing them myself or by finding someone else to do them for me.
Occasionally I have found that the best way to get something done without causing me more stress is to hire someone to do it. There is no shame in hiring an outside person to help you get things done. If it helps you feel better and you can afford it, I say – Go For It!
How to Get Things Done When You Are Feeling Overwhelmed by Life
So, you are feeling overwhelmed by everything in your life, but you still have to get things done – am I right? Life doesn’t stop just because we are bombarded with things to do, feel, or get done.
Don’t fret! I have listed 5 ways that help me to get things done in spite of feeling overwhelmed. Anytime I know I have to be productive, but I am paralyzed by all that has to be done, I turn to these 5 things to help me through.
Make Lists
To-Do lists are my everything. I have lists about everything. Grocery lists, To-Do lists, Target lists, gift idea lists, home project lists, etc. However, even though I am, without-a-doubt, a “list person,” sometimes they can be overwhelming.
Where do I start?
When do i start?
How do I start?
This is what I have heard referred to as “task paralysis.” When you have so much to do that you can’t do anything at all. One way I overcome task paralysis is by breaking tasks down into simple tasks rather than big tasks.
For example, a common task on my list is “clean the house.” Depending on the state of your house, this can be overwhelming. Instead of writing “clean the house” as a task on your list, try writing the different steps involved, such as “fold the laundry,” “put away the laundry,” “vacuum the floor in the bedroom,” etc. Once things are broken down in manageable steps the whole project seems easier.
I love to keep track of my lists in my dayplanner. One of my favorite dayplanners are the Erin Condren Life Planners. I love them!
Do A Little Everyday
Gratitude
Sometimes taking time to recognize the wonderful things in your life puts things into perspective. This can either help you realize that nothing on your to-do list is more important than the things you already have OR it will help you realize which things are the most important on your to-do list.
What Can You Learn From This?
It has been my experience that if I can find something positive or a lesson to take away from a particularly unpleasant situation it makes me feel a little better. Maybe the lesson is to relax or take more time for your family or focus on self care…it can be anything. At the end of the day if you can say “well this sucked but at least I got to….” Then I call that a win.
Worst Case Scenario
Think to yourself “what is the absolute worst case scenario?”
Then ask yourself “Am I okay with this?” or “What will I do if this happens?”
Once you have a game plane for the worst-case scenario you most likely won’t feel quite as overwhelmed as you did before. Feeling unprepared adds to my anxiety, so this really helps me feel prepared to tackle anything.
I hope you find these tips useful! Let me know in the comments below what kinds of things help you get things done.
