5 Tips to Stop Feeling Overwhelmed

Headache #1472830 by Pete Linforth, Pixabay

Yes, I'm feeling the stress. President Harry Truman was famous for having said, "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen."

I paraphrase that and tell myself, "If you can't stand the stress, get out of writing and publishing business."

It's not so much that I'm stressed as that I'm overwhelmed by all the things I need to do before May 1 rolls around.

I can chalk that up to being gone for more than 2 weeks in March and being home but handling other family  emergencies in April.

Every day the things I don't get done rollover to the next day making my To Do list grow and grow.

Overwhelmed Defined

Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines overwhelmed as: "To bury or drown beneath a huge mass...To inundate."

Do you know that feeling? Chances are, you do. The feeling of being overwhelmed is a common malady in today's fast-paced world. It seems the more technology we're given, the more we're expected to do. But the number of hours in our day stays the same.

5 Tips To Stop Feeling Overwhelmed

1. Focus on today and what must be done today and avoid thinking about tomorrow and the next day, etc. Just look at today and see what's most important to do.

2. Be confident in your ability to meet today's challenges.

3. Tonight, before you "close out" the day, plan what you'll do tomorrow. Having a plan, and writing it down, helps you focus on your tasks rather than having amorphous thoughts about all the things that must be done. You might have less to do than you think.

4. Whatever you're feeling about all of your obligations, give yourself permission to having those

feelings. Own your feelings without guilt.

5. Make time for you. Meditate or just take a few minutes to close your eyes and think about something that made you happy.

Also, make sure you're getting at least 20 minutes of sunshine every day (vitamin D), eat healthy and avoid junk food, and drink plenty of water.

If you physically feel well, you'll have the energy and stamina to tackle your responsibilities.

Takeaway Truth

Hang in there. Take care of yourself. Get at least a couple of things done every day, and eventually you'll clear your list of tasks.