Are you feeling overwhelmed? If so, you are not alone. A recent study found that two-thirds of British employees are overworked, and around three quarters of British adults have felt like they were ‘unable to cope’ at some point in the last year.
Feeling overwhelmed can be all-consuming. It can make it impossible to focus on other things, and it can cause other problems such as insomnia, anxiety and depression. Thankfully there are little things you can do every day to feel less overwhelmed – and none of these things will cost you a penny.
Here are six things you can do if you are feeling overwhelmed.
1. Take An Emotional Break
If you are feeling stressed the last thing you might want to do is take a break, but this is actually a great way to regroup and gather your thoughts. Take half an hour or an hour to yourself, and don’t spend the time mindlessly scrolling through social media on your phone; do something that will actually relax you. Read a chapter of an engrossing book, watch an episode of a feel-good show or meet a friend for coffee. This will take you away from the problem, and it will help to calm you down and give you perspective.
2. Take A Physical Break
It can also be useful to take a physical break from the problem. Leave your home or office for a quick walk, even if you only have time to stretch your legs in the car park. This will help to burn off some nervous energy, and don’t worry about this messing with your motivation; being in nature can actually help people to be more creative, so you will likely be more productive when you return to work!
3. Be Consciously Thankful
It can be difficult to be thankful if you are feeling overwhelmed, but if you are reading this article there is a lot to be thankful for. You can read, you can access the internet and you are educated – but that isn’t all. It is also likely that there are lots of other good things in your life, such as a loving family, good friends or a career. So try to be more consciously thankful each day, and you will be more emotionally prepared to deal with any stress that comes your way.
4. Delegate Certain Tasks
It can also be useful to delegate tasks that cause you stress. Maybe you could delegate work to your assistant, or maybe you could hire a virtual assistant to help you out with certain tasks. This means you will have more time to focus on the things that really matter to you.
5. Talk Things Over With A Loved One
You may also want to talk things over with a loved one, especially if you are struggling to come up with a solution to a problem. Talking things out will calm you down and give you perspective, and even if your friend doesn’t have any advice you will still feel better for sharing the problem. After all, a problem shared is a problem halved!
6. Breathe Slowly
Finally you could try breathing slowly and deeply. This modest action only takes a few seconds or minutes, but it will help to ground you in the present and reduce feelings of anxiety. Simply take a deep breath, and hold it in your lungs for a few seconds before releasing the air. Repeat this until you feel more relaxed and calm.
