Overwhelm

Being overwhelmed is something that lots of us deal with daily. It can be exhausting, damaging, and have a major effect on both our mental and physical health. There are different ways that we can feel overwhelmed and manage it which I have listed below. It can be so draining to a point we wish we could just switch off our mind and shut down like a computer. We wish we could just turn off that voice in our head with its long list and too many options to consider.

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Too much choice:

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In the modern world we have too much choice. Whether it be searching for a new job on a job site and finding 1000 results, a huge amount of matches and conversations going on a dating app, new people to get to know from a group or at a party, or looking for a new watch on Amazon and finding 20,000 to choose from. The world is moving at a fast pace and we are constantly bombarded with so many options to a point it just almost becomes meaningless. I just want a new dishwasher, why are there so many? How many times have you said "ahh I’ll just go for this one" and regretted it sometime after. 

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The trouble with too much choice is we’ll never be happy until we find something we consider "perfect". There will always be something better, bigger, smarter, stronger, closer around the bend. But is there such a thing as perfect? We can end up in a continuous loop searching and fantasising about what we want. We set our expectations high and want the best, but the best can be hard to find. We sometimes regret the choices we make when we finally do make one, and that make us unhappy. "I should have gone for that one instead" is something you may have said before.  

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There are ways to help lower the feeling of overwhelm. I’d recommend really narrowing down what it is you’re looking for. If you’re looking for a new home, be specific about what it is you need. What MUST it have? Where MUST it be? What am I willing to accept? Be specific about what you're looking for and what would suit you best in the long term. Consider what is necessary and what do you really need? Figure out what will work best for you, and not someone else who wont be living there. Always follow your gut instinct when making a decision. Sometimes less really is more. We can spend to much time searching, and not enough time living. 

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Too many things to do:

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Do you ever feel exhausted by all of those things you need to do? Does it keep you up at night tossing and turning in bed? That to-do list you have in your head keeps adding more and more and reminding you of what you should have done, and what you need to do. 

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Well, you’re not alone. Everyone goes through this from time to time. It's almost like when we are lying there with our own thoughts and no other distractions our mind comes alive. It's a reason why so many sleep with the TV on or listen to music to help them sleep, or need an alcoholic drink, or even sleeping pills before bed. Lying there thinking "oh no I forgot to pay that bill" or "I’ve got so much to do tomorrow before work".  The thing is, all this is normal, It's about how we manage these thoughts that will help to calm our minds and lower our feeling of being overwhelmed. We can end up laying in bed at night unable to sleep because our minds are giving us a constant stream of thoughts. So how can we help to lower our feelings of this:

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• Put pen to paper and write a list. Do this clearly and neatly, tick off each task once you complete it and add as much to it as you feel you need to. Writing down all those things to do helps to clear your head and put a plan together on paper. If you find your mind being most active in the evening, then do it before you go to bed.

• Try to get things done as early in the day as possible, in the morning. That way you’ll have less to do by the end of the day, and that’ll probably result in a more relaxing evening.

• Don’t procrastinate! Don't leave it until the last minute. Just get it over and done with. Whether that be a phone call to make, tidying up the kitchen, getting something repaired. If you can’t do it now then do it as soon as possible. The trouble will the "leave it till later" mindset is it prolongs what needs sorting, and plays havoc on our minds. We tend to do this because we might not see it as a priority now and see it as an unpleasant task such as having to clean the oven. Procrastination can also be down to anxiety or worry about the task or a future event.

• Keep a diary and keep track of what you have achieved. You’ll feel great when you look back and see how productive you were.

• Ask for help! If you feel you are struggling and becoming overwhelmed then call out to friends/family/neighbours to lend a hand. Don’t feel you have to take everything on by yourself.  Having an extra person can get the task done faster and more efficiently. Other people's advice and perspective on things can really help. Also, look at speaking to a counsellor.

• Do activities that make you feel present to avoid your mind racing such as cycling, a hobby or fun activity, reading, writing, driving, the gym, having friends round and cooking a meal etc. 

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If we are to calm the feeling of Overwhelm in our lives then I believe we have to workout what it is that's caused us personally to feel this way. What can we do now to reduce the feeling of having too much to do? How can we get around the paradox of choice? 

What makes you feel overwhelmed in life? How do you deal with it? Let us know by email at findtherightpath@outlook.com