Are you overwhelmed with life? Feeling stressed out and nearing burnout all day long? Is your to-do list longer than the hours in your day?
Friend, I get it. As the world begins to reopen after the last fifteen-or-so months of shutdown, life is picking up speed. I don’t know about you, but I can’t figure out where May went to. When life is fast, we tend to try to match its pace. And when that happens, well, we can easily find ourselves overwhelmed and overloaded.
Take a look with me at the word overwhelm. It means: to overcome completely in mind or feeling; crush; overpower; engulf; inundate; drown. For those of us who know how it feels to be overwhelmed with life, these words perfectly describe the feeling, don’t they?
Let’s take a step back.
Let’s pause for a moment and figure out why we’re feeling overwhelmed in the first place. Are we overcommitted? Are we using our time wisely? Could it be because we woke up on the wrong side of the bed for the last umpteen days? Why are we overwhelmed with life?
Maybe it’s a combination of factors. There are days I could use time more wisely. I also have a tendency to overcommit. I recently shared in a post of how I’m intentionally avoiding over-commitment this summer. It’s important to take a moment to figure out why we are feeling overwhelmed with life before we can make a change. In order for us to know what you change! Do you know what’s causing your overwhelming feelings?
The 6 tips below may help us with a tangible solution.
6 Helpful Tips for When You’re Feeling Overwhelmed With Life
1. Begin with a positive start to your day.
I’ve learned over the years this simple tip can make or break my day. I’m a praying person, so I begin my day praying, or what I like to call it, talking to God each morning. I talk to God as if I’m talking to a friend. Giving Him my concerns, my hopes, my dreams. I ask Him to provide for and bless my family and friends. I thank Him and praise Him. Starting the day with the One who is in control helps me remember I don’t have to be. That’s His job. All I need to do is follow. This removes the stress and overwhelm right at the start of my day.
2. Write a list.
We all have things on a list, whether that’s a tangible list on paper or digitally, or one that’s tucked somewhere in our minds. The thing is, the list in our minds can somehow grow exponentially and before we know it, that list overwhelms us. When we take the list in our minds and write it out, something happens. The list feels a lot less overwhelming and much more achievable. Even if that list is long. We can see it and begin to cross items off that list. That’s empowering!!
3. Catch more zzzs.
I know, this can be a tough one. Especially if we’re burning the midnight oil. But studies prove when we receive adequate rest, our minds are clearer, our bodies function better, and our emotions and feeling stay more in check. Try going to bed fifteen minutes earlier, or set your alarm for fifteen minutes later in the morning. Or try both. That’s an extra half-hour of rest yourself with thank you for.
4. Take it one day at a time.
Looking too far ahead in our schedules can be another way we feel overwhelmed with life. Jesus’ words are a powerful reminder of this in Matthew 6:34.
“So don’t be anxious about tomorrow. God will take care of your tomorrow too. Live one day at a time.”
Matthew 6:34 TLB
When we simply focus on today, living in day-tight increments, God gives us the strength we need for today. We’ll get tomorrow’s strength tomorrow. Living in today helps us stay underwhelmed and encouraged.
5. It’s okay to say “no.”
When I look back at the times when I felt overwhelmed with life, much of it had to do with the truth I was overcommitted. I was doing more than I needed to do. Trying to be and do everything for every one. Attempting to do more than I was called to do. Friend, what has God called you to do? In what do you find joy? The thing is, when we focus on doing what God calls us to, we don’t need to take on everything else, too. We can say “no.” And I invite you to. If you’re plate is already overflowing, what can you remove? What can you take off your plate? God doesn’t expect you to do it all, and neither should you.
6. Take a break.
When feelings of overwhelm begin to arise, pause and take a break. That’s likely going to be the last thing you think you should do. After all, when we have lots to do, taking a break will stop our progress, right? Wrong. Taking a break, stepping away from the desk, taking a quick walk, doing a couple stretches, switching gears, and/or changing thoughts, even for a handful of minutes, can release those overwhelming feelings and help us be more productive in the end. Plus this helps to release stress in our bodies, and that’s always a great thing!
We don’t have to feel overwhelmed with life all the time.
In fact, that’s not God’s best for us. I invite you to try any of the above tips and see how they work for you. Add to this list in the comments below if you do something specific to release stress and overwhelming feelings throughout the day. I’d love to learn from you! Life is too short to feel consistently overwhelmed with it. Choose to enjoy this life more.
Let’s choose to enjoy this life more together. God bless you, friend.
Much love,
Photo: WorldInMyEyes @ Pixabay
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