Are you having trouble thinking of ways to encourage yourself when you become overwhelmed?
I know I am!
It’s difficult to stay afloat when the waves of life are crashing down upon us. Sometimes our work life interferes with our home life which becomes intertwined with family time or social plans. Balancing multiple schedules at once gets extremely overwhelming extremely fast! We’ve got to figure out how to keep our heads above the water.
Take a look at these four easy-breezy ways to encourage yourself when you become overwhelmed.
Remind yourself to slow down and take a deep breath
‘Slow down and take a deep breath’
How many times have you heard that one?
While the remedy sounds easy, some moments in the day are too overwhelming to remember that stopping to take a deep breath is actually an option!
Try this neat trick our pediatrician shared with my kiddos. Think of a code word, a really silly one, and each time you feel the tension climbing, shout it out!
Make sure it’s a silly happy word like ‘brownie,’ ‘cupcake’ or ‘donut’ (yes, I currently have a sweet tooth)
It sounds absolutely ridiculous, but it works! Shouting out a silly word might feel weird at first, but you will laugh a little and stop to take that deep breath you need.
Be confident in saying no when you become overwhelmed
It’s okay to say no from time to time.
I’m guilty of saying yes to every person with a project because I’m a people pleaser. If you are like me, you quickly find out that not only have you overbooked yourself, you probably aren’t putting quality time into completing the task you just accepted.
Saying no is acceptable when your schedule is overwhelming.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you become overwhelmed
You are not a failure if you need to ask for help.
I like to think I’m big and bad and can conquer the world. It’s so unrealistic!
Housework is a personal obstacle for me. As Momma Bear, I feel it is my responsibility to keep everything nice and tidy alone. While I enjoy cleaning, it’s not feasible for me to complete chores by myself as I juggle a busy work schedule. So, I ask my little ones to pitch in, and my burden is lifted.
That’s a small obstacle compared to other heavy burdens we tend to carry. We are not perfect and we are not capable of ‘doing’ or being able to handle everything all alone. When you need help with work, children, school, or anything else, just ask.
Accepting a helping hand will stop that overwhelming feeling AND it’s a great reminder to know you are loved.
Give yourself lots of grace when you become overwhelmed
Last I checked, we are all imperfect human beings.
We try to keep it together because it seems like everyone else has it together when it’s simply untrue. On occasion, everyone misses an appointment or a best friend’s birthday. I missed a big one this year!
We all gain a few pounds, fail with our financial bookkeeping, and continue to be late for work. Our lives need a lot of work, but we must understand that we can’t fix everything overnight. It’s okay to fail here and there as we work to get back on track.
It’s okay to give ourselves a little grace.
On that note, I just remembered that I forgot to return an important phone call yesterday.
I don’t think I’ll ever actually ‘have it all together,’ but I’m trying really hard. I hope you enjoy trying these four ways to encourage yourself when you feel overwhelmed.
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33