How To Deal With Overwhelm

We’re a couple of days into the new year. How’s it going so far? Excellent, I hope.

And yet I fear you may say you’re already feeling overwhelmed with the new year.

There’s the goals you’ve set that you’re already behind on. There’s the resolutions you’re no longer committed to. There’s not enough time in the day to get done what needs to be done.

You’re struggling and wondering how to deal with the overwhelm you’re feeling.

When you’re feeling overwhelmed, it’s never a good feeling. You feel you can’t accomplish what you’ve set out to do. There’s a struggle. You might even feel like you’re drowning.

That’s the power of feeling overwhelmed. You no longer feel in control and the world is spinning around you.

It’s always amazing to me how heavy the feeling of overwhelm can be in your life.

Don’t fret though. There’s hope that we can combat overwhelm and take back our lives.

Let’s learn how we can deal with overwhelm.

Talk with others: I’m a firm believer there’s power in numbers. When we’re joining with others, we’re able to face more than we are alone.

Ecclesiastics 4:9-12 puts it this way-

Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; But how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

This is confirmation that friendships are a powerful tool in overcoming overwhelm and other issues we may face in our lives.

Find a friend or two that you can confide in. Share your pain and struggles with them. Allow yourself to be comforted by their presence and the wisdom they can offer in dealing with the overwhelming feelings of life.

Focus on one task: Have you ever fallen victim to the shiny object? You know the task that pops up while you’re working on an important goal. The task tells you to drop everything and pay attention to me! Stop working on the goal and look at me!

Yeah, that one. I have and it’s easy to do.

The shiny object is also a major cause of feeling overwhelmed. Shiny objects cause us to take our focus off of the important and onto the immediate or enjoyable. We’re tempted to put more important objectives on the back burner.

Don’t do it man! I’m telling you, it’s only going to cause you to feel even more overwhelmed.

Instead, focus on one task and accomplish what’s important. Don’t waiver from the task in front of you. Complete it and feel the rush of satisfaction that will wash over you.

Do this over and over again and you’ll find yourself getting things done. Soon the feeling of overwhelm will fade away.

Clean up your work area: Another cause of feeling overwhelmed can come from a messy work area or home. Some people deal really well with clutter, others freak out.

For those of you that freak out over the sight of clutter, get cleaning!

Clear your desk of everything except what’s important and being worked on. Clean up the floor around your desk. Remove clutter and garbage from your sight.

Bask in the glory of a clean work area. And notice how the feeling of being overwhelmed has crawled away, begging for mercy.

(NOTE) This is something I struggle greatly with. My typical work area looks like a tornado went through it. From those I’ve talked with, a cleaner work area helps people concentrate and relax more.

Now you know three tactics for dealing with overwhelm. You can talk with your friends. You can get laser focused on the task at hand and ignore distractions. Lastly, you can clean up your work area so you’re free of clutter.

Question: How do you deal with overwhelm? Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.

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