20 Tips For When You Are Overwhelmed

Are you having one of those days?  You’re late to work, the kids are in moving in slow motion, and you can’t get them into the car?  Do you have a friend who’s very sick and there doesn’t seem to be anything you can do to help her?  Is your house a complete mess and you are supposed to be having company this weekend?  Did your husband just get laid off from his job?

We live in a high-stress, on the go society!  Whether it is your job, family, friends, house, or your health each can affect how you live day to day.  When we got back from Puerto Rico and had the week of everyone in our house being sick, I wasn’t sure if I was ever going to get back on track with the house or our health.  Laundry, dishes, and toys seemed to be piled everywhere and I didn’t feel well enough to get out of the recliner!  Fortunately, everyone is well again and slowly the house is coming back together as well my sanity!

Ladies, when you are overwhelmed, there are some ways to help!  Here are 20 tips to help you when you are feeling overwhelmed:

1. Pray!  Sometimes the only thing you can do about a situation is to give it to God.  I have found for myself that just doing this alone can really help my mood and feelings.
2. Ask for help!  There are times when you feel like you are sinking and a little help would really pull you out of that mess.  Whether it’s calling mom to come help wash your laundry when everyone has been sick, hiring someone to come in and deep clean for you once a month during a transition such as having a new baby, getting take out for supper on a crazy day, or asking if a coworker can help you with a project, getting and receiving help can relieve your stress.
3. Get some fresh air.  Whether it’s a 5 minutes of fresh, crisp winter air, a quick run around the outside of the house, or an hour of warm summer breeze, getting outside can help you think clearly and relax.
4. Prioritize!  Ask yourself what is the one most important thing you need to do right now, and do that ONE thing.
5. Stop and smell the roses!  Fresh flowers do a wonder on my mood.  Buying a $5 bouquet at Wal-Mart makes me happy when it’s winter and everything outside is cold.  Another idea is to light a great smelling candle or put in your favorite smelling cubes in your Scentsy warmer. 
6. Stop what you are doing and take a break!  Sometimes you need to just get away for a little bit.  I remember when I was in school and math would stress me out.  Sometimes by walking away from the problem I was stuck on for 5 minutes was just what I needed to come back and solve it.  Quiet your mind and breathe until you are feeling more calm.
7. Look at your schedule or to-do list and start crossing off things that do not have to happen. The laundry can make it to tomorrow.  So can the mess of toys on your floor.  Feeding the family…probably not, which leads me to….
8. Get out something for supper.  Whether it is defrosting some meat, putting a meal in the crock pot, or just starting to prepare dinner (depending on the time of day) this can help you lessen the stress of meal time.  The most stressful time of day in my house is about 5:30.  Kids are tired, hungry, easily irritated, and we call it the “witching hour.”  By having a meal planned out (even if it’s just in my head) and the prep work done, it helps so much curb the harsh words that can come out of my mouth and helps me be a nicer mom, as well as keeping them happy!
9. Crank up some happy-uplifting music.  When I’m feeling tired and drained, some happy music really gets me back on track.  However, when I have a headache, I do the opposite and shut everything off.  So do what works for you!
10. Write it down! Sometimes just writing down your frustrations in a journal or on a piece of paper makes things better.  It also can give you some clarity on your anxiety is justified or put into perspective of what you need to do next.
11. Take a personal day.  When I was a working outside the home mom, the best day I ever gave myself was a personal day.  I remember one day, right after we’d been sick, the house was a disaster, and I was to be back at work.  There weren’t any clean clothes in the house and I took a personal day where I cleaned for about 3 hours, took a nap, and caught up on the rest of what I was behind.  It felt like the greatest luxury at the time!
12. Get a massage.  I will admit this is something I would probably never do for myself, but I’ve received a massage as a gift twice and the results were amazing for my stress level.
13. Stay out of the stores!  Retail shopping when you are overwhelmed will probably lead you to feeling even more overwhelmed later when you realize what you spent while you were stressed out, especially if you are having money issues!
14. Hug someone!  Whether it’s your pet, husband, or child giving and receiving a long hug seems to melt away frustrations, especially if your anxiety is with that person you are hugging!
15. Exercise!  Do 50 jumping jacks, take a walk around your office building or take a short jog!  A little movement can make you feel like a whole new person.
16. Call a friend.  Sometimes women just need to talk it out.  However, make sure you choose the right friend to call.  We all have those friends that lift us up and puts things into perspective giving us great advice… those are the friends we need when we are overwhelmed.
17. Be thankful!  Make a list of 3 things you are grateful for!  By focusing on what you have and not what you don’t, your attitude will improve.  This is a great exercise to do over a period of time (I do this everyday in November each year to get ready for Thanksgiving), as well when you are feeling discontent.
18. Take a nap.  Sometimes we are overwhelmed simply because we are tired.  Catching up on a cat nap can really help you get back on track.
19. Take a hot shower or a bubble bath.  Grab your great smelling bubble bath and allow yourself to go sit and soak for 20 minutes.
20. Seek professional help.  If the feelings of being overwhelmed and anxiety don’t seem to end and you can’t relax, please go see a doctor.  You may be suffering from an anxiety disorder, depression, or have a different medical issue that needs tended to.  You are important and so is your health!

What do you do when you are stressed and overwhelmed to get back on track?