If you’re feeling overwhelmed, you’re not alone. You're overcome by intense emotions because something feels too stressful or too hard to handle. You’re snappy. You can’t concentrate. You want to shut down. Overwhelm is utterly uncomfortable, like you’re buried, drowning, completely defeated. No one wants to feel this way. 

R U OK? Day is an important reminder that every day is the day to ask, “Are you okay?”.

Dr Jodie wants you to know feeling overwhelmed is perhaps the most common symptom of anxiety.

How do you stop feeling overwhelmed? In this article, she covers 7 practical strategies to navigate overwhelming moments and how to prioritise your own mental health.

What is causing you to feel overwhelmed?

Feeling overwhelmed is a natural response to having too many things going on at once. It’s your mind’s way of telling you to slow down if you want to live a healthier life. Ask yourself, what is causing you to feel overwhelmed? In the following list, consider which situations are contributing most to your overwhelm either in the short term or long term.

• work responsibilities

• relationship stressors

• parenting

• demands of day-to-day life

• traumatic experiences

• financial worries

• political issues

• environmental warnings

• health concerns

• lack of support and isolaton

• bullying and harassment

• living in post-COVID world.

Once you recognise what’s causing you to feel overwhelmed, you can begin to work on how to manage these difficult times and the feelings that go with them.

1. Acknowledge your feelings

The first strategy in managing your feelings of overwhelm is to acknowledge these feelings. You may feel angry, irritable, or anxious, and cry easily. Your heart may be racing and it feels hard to breathe. Create a list of the things overwhelming you to help you recognise and accept your emotions, and make changes, where possible.

2. Put on your own oxygen mask first

The second strategy in managing your feelings of overwhelm is practising self-compassion — self-kindness over self-judgment. It’s about silencing the inner bully and being more gentle with yourselves. Research shows self-compassion has many benefits, including lowering levels of anxiety and depression. 

Plus, it’s a learnable skill! 

So, treat yourself with the same kindness and understanding you would a close friend. As Dr Jodie writes in The Mind Strength Method, “If you find it hard to lean into self-compassion and self-care, recognise that ‘putting on your own oxygen mask first’ means you will have much more energy and strength to help others.”

3. Break tasks into smaller steps

The third strategy in managing your feeling of overwhelm is breaking your to-do list or complex project into smaller steps. We are often overwhelmed by the large picture in front of us. If you can find a way to start with one small step, it’s often enough to shift being stuck in procrastination mode to help you begin to make headway.

4. Prioritise self-care (Sigh!)

The fourth strategy in managing your feeling of overwhelm is prioritising the self-initiated practice of self-care. Before you sigh about self-care because YOU JUST DON’T HAVE TIME FOR IT, did you know engaging in a self-care routine has been clinically-proven to reduce or eliminate anxiety and depression, reduce stress, and increase happiness? 

Self-care isn't a luxury. It equips you to deal with life’s ups and downs, including the feelings of overwhelm that creep in when you’ve got too much on your plate. Move more (in whatever way works best for you), eat a healthy, balanced diet, prioritise your sleep (leave your phone somewhere outside the bedroom!), and set boundaries on your time. 

5. You’re allowed to say ‘no’

The fifth strategy in managing your feeling of overwhelm is learning to say ‘no’. 

We are conditioned to say ‘yes’ to maintain respect and our reputation. However, saying ‘yes’ contributes to the scope creep in our lives and the resentment and overwhelm that comes with it. Instead, create a ‘no list’ of things you don’t like or that you no longer want to do. Say ‘no’ to checking emails at night, or answering your phone during meals.

6. Just be with mindfulness techniques

The sixth strategy in managing your feeling of overwhelm is being more mindful. Mindfulness helps you feel more calm, composed, and grounded when overwhelm has triggered a physical fight-or-flight response. Great mindfulness techniques include deep breathing (try box breathing), mindful meditation, or even a short walk in nature.

According to Dr Jodie: “The essence of mindfulness is intentionally observing and allowing both your internal and your external experiences to just be, with non-judgemental curiosity.”

7. Check-in with a clinical psychologist

Finally, managing your feeling of overwhelm may require the support of a clinical psychologist. Book now at The Anxiety Clinic for adult, teen and child psychology services, For more on anxiety, managing overwhelm and more, Dr Jodie is also a renowned keynote speaker and high-performance coach.