Too much to do, too little time to do it. Does that sound familiar? You are not alone. There is so much going on in our lives and in the world today that life seems to be moving faster and faster. Many of us are so caught up rushing from one thing to the next that we forget to stop and breathe.
We all know the feeling of overwhelm and it’s not fun. It leaves us feeling stressed out and often paralyzed to take action. Or we decide to take something off our plate – the very thing we want and need most. Here are examples:
You know yoga makes you feel good but instead of going to class, you work longer or gulp down a glass of wine. Or you postpone working with a coach who can frame a new outlook and help you develop an action plan. We’ve all been there!
When I’m feeling overwhelmed, here are 5 things I do to shift:
Take a Time Out.
When you feel overwhelmed, this is when you need to take a breather! Get into your body by taking deep breaths or meditating for 5-10 minutes. Put some soothing music on. Go for a walk. All these things will help you shift.
Write it Down.
Write down what’s in your head that’s making you feel overwhelmed. Is it a work project? Life in general? Once you start writing, your overwhelm will naturally diffuse. You’ll gain perspective on how much you really have to do.
Ask Yourself: What Am I Feeling?
Overwhelm often happens not because there’s too much to handle, but because our emotions get in the way. Our feelings and emotions are what make us stressed out.
If you can, talk it out with a friend.
Take Action.
Determine your priorities. Everything doesn’t have to happen this minute! Do the things that are urgent, save the important ones to do later and delegate or outsource the things that you don’t need to do.
Be Grateful.
I bet your life is pretty incredible. It’s amazing how differently we feel when we shift our perspective from “there is so much I HAVE to do” to “there is so much I GET to do.” Give it a shot – appreciate all that you have now.