5 Tips for Conquering Overwhelming Situations

 

There’s a silent killer among us and I’ve had enough of it.

 

It’s responsible for 3 out of every 4 doctor’s visits.

 

 

It kills more people every year than car accidents, alcohol or nicotine.

 

And it’s costs American businesses more than $344 billion per year.

 

It’s stress. And it’s time to face it head-on.

 

In this short post, I diver deep into one facet of stress – feeling overwhelmed – and give you proven techniques to reduce it in your life starting today.

 

So, what exactly does feeling overwhelmed by stress mean? Dictionary.com says:

 

“To cover or bury beneath a mass of something” ;

 

“To overpower; destroy; crush”;

 

Yeah, that sounds about right.

 

So what causes overwhelm?

 

Anything from a major stress event like changing jobs or a birth or death; to a long to-do list with little or no breaks.

 

How do you know overwhelming stress has hit you? Aside from feeling like you’re drowning, you may experience irritability, anger or worry. Your heart may beat fast or you may cry or lash out.

 

Is there anything you can do when you feel stress creeping upon you? Yes! Here are 5 tips for conquering overwhelming sitautions today:

 

• Slow down. Yes, you read that right. When you feel overwhelmed, the last thing you want to do is slow down or stop – but you need to. Continuing to run yourself dry will only further your level of stress – and add to the physical and emotional toll on your body.

• Cut back. If you find yourself overwhelmed more than 2-3 times a month, cut back on your commitments. Let someone else bring the hors d’oeuvres to the book club meeting, and cut at least one or two things out of your schedule.

• Relax. Individuals who experience overwhelming stress are usually the least likely to stop and rest. If this is you, recognize you are hurting yourself by not taking breaks. Make it your new rule to take a five minute break for every 45 minutes you work. Also, work on planning quarterly vacations for yourself – even a day trip to the spa will work – to recharge and rejuvenate.

• Prioritize. Instead of an endless to-do list every day, choose your top 3 priorities at the start of each day. If you finish those, feel free to add more; but only aim to complete 3 things each day.

• Delegate. This one is my favorites because it helps the overwhelmed person in two areas: cutting back on stress and learning how to ask for help. Entrepreneurs and working moms rave about the power of delegation after trying it out. What kinds of things can you delegate? Anything you want! Start with a list of all of your daily tasks. Then think about which ones your partner or kids could do instead. Or, maybe it’s time to finally hire that cleaning service for your home or look for an assistant to handle all those administrative tasks you don’t like.
  

 

Feeling overwhelmed is a serious health threat, but it doesn’t have to be. Use one of the above 5 tips for conquering overwhelming situations today.

 

Which of my 5 tips are you most likely to use the next time you feel overwhelmed? Scroll down below and leave me a comment. I love hearing from you!