We all want to know how to stop being overwhelmed these days. Especially in today’s world. We do more, manage more, live more than any humans ever before us.
It’s stressful.
I’ve always been focused. I can get a lot done in a small amount of time, which has been a blessing for me as a consultant and in my personal life. Not so long ago I realized I was super stressed…overwhelmed. I couldn’t keep my focus on a single task for even a minute. And I was hyperventilating. Not good. Facebook might have had something to do with it, but still…I’m responsible for my reaction to my world.
I sat down and felt my way into my body. Slowed my breathing, began to relax my muscles. Even my skin was up tight! I tuned into my mind and found myself flittering around faster than a moth to that proverbial flame.
Yep, I was overwhelmed.
The Science of Overwhelm
The feeling of being overwhelmed happens when we get too much on our plates and at the same time get too high level in our thinking.
Instead of having a clear set of definite actions with priorities and a plan, everything gets mushed into this big blob of “all the stuff I have to do,” blended with the constant barrage of “what now” news flashes… and we get overwhelmed.
Our minds have too much information and we’re running too fast to process it all. That big blob of “stuff” can’t be unraveled, which adds more stress (and more todos and anxiety) to that blob. Our circuits just plain melt down and we slip into overwhelm.
How to Stop Being Overwhelmed
It’s actually pretty simple to learn how to stop being overwhelmed. Doesn’t feel like it in the moment. But it is. The key? Take back control of your attention.
These three simple steps will help you stop being overwhelmed so you can take back control.
1. Stop. When we’re in overwhelm our unconscious mind shifts into overdrive, trying to access and process all of the details that make up the blob. The problem is, our mind can’t get there. Not when we’re flitting from thought to thought, focus to focus. So the first thing to do is stop. Sit down, stop thinking and start breathing. Pay attention to the moment and nothing else.
2. Get the Details. Now that you’re quiet, start to make a list of all the specific things you have to get done. Once you have the things, create the details beneath each thing that make up the steps you have to take to accomplish said thing. Take a moment and notice that the overwhelm is beginning to fade as you take control of the details within the big scary blob.
3. Prioritize. Next, prioritize all of the things and their detailed actions so that you create a plan. Break it down into manageable chunks. Be specific about when each detail will get your attention. Plan everything so that you can see how all things are done in a timely way.
By the time you finish step three, you’ll notice that you’ve shifted from overwhelmed and taken back control. Because you paid attention to more specifics vs a big nasty blog of overwhelm.
The Bottom Line
It’s a fact that our modern world creates stress and overwhelm.
That doesn’t mean you have to give up control, throwing our hands in the air and believing you don’t know how to stop being overwhelmed. Not even.
Science has given us the knowledge and steps to stop being overwhelmed. And yes, these steps work. I use them and I teach them to all my clients.
So, go take control! And then, go be unstoppable. You deserve it!
