How to avoid getting overwhelmed when you have anxiety
Feeling overwhelmed can be one of the worst feelings in the world, especially if you live with an anxiety disorder.
It usually hits when you have a ton of things to do. You might start the day off well and feel in control but then something out of your control gets in the way and throw you off. And before you know it all your deadlines and tasks start falling all over one another like dominos and you're spinning around trying to get everything back in control.
Sound familiar?
We've all had crazy days like this, it's part of life, but when you live with anxiety it can easily lead to a full-blown panic attack.
So how do you take back control of a crazy day? And how do you manage your anxiety levels when you're feeling overwhelmed?
In this article, I’ll show you some of the strategies that work well for me.
Try them out and see which one or ones fit your lifestyle and personality.
1 - Be still for a moment
Before your day even begins take some time to be calm. Make an effort to focus all your attention and senses on the moment.
Think about your cup of tea. The breeze or the sunshine. How does it smell, taste, feel?
When you focus on your senses you bring your mind out of that overwhelm state and this helps ground you and calm you down.
The way we start the day has a massive impact on how we approach the rest of the day. So, starting the day off calm and in control of your thoughts helps you stay calm and in control for the rest of the day.
2 - Think about why you’re feeling overwhelmed
Take some time out, again before the day properly begins, and think about your day ahead.
Is there something that's coming up that you're anxious about? What’s making you feel so overwhelmed?
Do you have too many responsibilities right now? Is it emotional stress (relationships) that’s getting to you? Or did you forget to prioritise a task and are trying to finish it in record time?
When you know where the problem comes form you can figure out and use the right strategies to tackle them.
3 - Think about what’s adding to your stress or overwhelm - then streamline it
Think about all the little and big things that are on your to-do list for today.
Which of those tasks are stressing you out.?
Take some time to figure out how you can streamline the process .
Hacks and gadgets are great for this, and while it may seem like a silly solution every little bit helps to bring your anxiety levels down.
I’m a huge fan of hacks and gadgets because they make my life easier and helps me get through my chores faster which frees up time for myself. I can use this time to finish up work so that I don't have to worry about it the next day, or I can use that free time to relax and unwind so that I'm not stressed out the next day. This goes far in preventing panic attacks and overwhelm.
4 - Learn to delegate
If the task is too big for a simple gadget or hack you will need to ask for help.
If you're anything like me then this is actually a difficult thing to get right. Asking for help can seem like you're admitting that you aren't strong enough. Or maybe you just don't want to inconvenience anyone around you.
The reality is that asking for help is a normal healthy part of life. We all need help sometimes, and it feels good to be able to help someone else out.
Consider asking for help from your family, or co-workers, depending on what the task is.
Remember that no one expects you to be superhuman and do it all yourself. Let people help.
5 - Learn to say no
If delegating isn't an option then you need to learn to how say no.
"No", is a magic word when it comes to handling your anxiety. It is the line drawn in the sand that sets your boundaries.
This is where you determine what's enough, and how you stop yourself from taking on too much, then feeling overwhelmed and triggering a panic attack.
6 - Take time to regroup
There will be times when everything gets so overwhelming that we feel like we're going to crack.
This is when you need to take some time for yourself to regroup. If you don't then you run the risk of having a panic attack or nervous breakdown.
Take some time away from work and home responsibilities. This may mean delegating and asking for help or even just ignoring some tasks altogether.
But your mental health is more important than a task. And if you take a little time now, you save a lot of time you would have to take to recover.
NOTE:
It's important to know your anxiety triggers and what it feels like when your anxiety levels start getting too high. When you know when you have too much on your plate, you can use strategies to bring your anxiety back down and actively prevent a panic attack.
7 - Learn how to pace yourself.
You are not superhuman, and no one expects you to be.
You need to recognise that you can't do everything at once no matter how hard you try. It's not that you're not good enough, it's that no one can, so you can't expect yourself to be able to either.
It may be tempting to fill your schedule to the brim, especially if you've delegated some of your tasks, but you need to avoid doing this at all costs! (even if you don't battle with anxiety)
Don't fill those new 'gaps' in your schedule with new tasks. Instead, focus on the tasks that you've already set for yourself and put all your effort into them first.
This will help you avoid getting overwhelmed by an overloaded schedule and to-do list and help you keep or get the quality of your work high, without compromising your mental health.
Need some help figuring out how to plan your day to avoid getting overwhelmed? In my ebook, How to stop feeling overwhelmed I give you the exact journal prompts and daily planners that I use to stay focused and productive without triggering my anxiety.
Learn more about this ebook -->
8 - Set priorities
Instead of filling your to-do list up to the brim, figure out what 3 tasks take priority today.
Then focus 100% on that and only that.
This will help you complete those tasks at the high standard that you expect from yourself, without getting overwhelmed.
9 - Set office hours
When you work from home it can be difficult to stick to regular office hours. You may be needed at all hours of the day by family or clients or your boss. But running your life like this is a sure recipe for overwhelm.
You’ll find yourself sitting up till midnight trying to finish projects. This not only feeds into your anxiety but also means that your outputs will be sub-par and lower than your best.
A better way to approach your work is to set strict business hours. Then you plan well ahead - setting deadlines for your goals, and working steadily towards these deadlines within your office hours.
This simple change in approach will help you keep your anxiety levels down, avoid overwhelm, keep the standards of your work up and allows you to get to everything you actually need to - including home tasks and still feel in control of your life.
The next time you’re feeling overwhelmed, take a deep breath and remember your coping mechanisms. It’s ok to feel overwhelmed, but you don't have to let it ruin or run your life.
Having the right strategies in place will help you avoid a full-blown panic attack and will help you manage your anxiety the right way.
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