The dictionary defines “to overwhelm” as: “to drown beneath a huge mass.” Do you find yourself having more to do than time to do it? Do you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, and yet you cannot stop taking on more and more responsibility?
If this sounds like you, you are not alone!
Ample scientific evidence is ringing an alarm bell about how much feeling overwhelmed and experiencing high levels of stress impact our health and performance. But we don’t have time to read those studies or the peace of mind to come up with solutions. Luckily, you have a scientist at your disposal, who suffered great health consequences from chronic stress and is passionate about developing practical, science-based solutions just for you.
Next time you find yourself at the tipping point where healthy motivation or positive stress (called eustress) is turning into distress, and you are feeling overwhelmed, I invite you to try out three simple hacks that are supported by science and, although simple, are very effective at nipping feeling overwhelmed in the bud.
1. Take a break!
If you are anything like I used to be, when responsibilities became overwhelming, I would steal more hours from my personal life to try and complete all my tasks. I hoped that once I got caught up, I would be able to get back to a healthy work/life balance. Research, however, is showing that one of the most effective things we can do to meet life’s demands better is to get off the rollercoaster, even if it is just for a few minutes. Despite how busy you may be, shut your devices down, and create some space to do something that gives you pleasure. Research is showing that one of the biggest factors as to whether stress will be a friend or a foe to our well-being hinges upon whether our stress levels are intermittent or constant.
By taking an active stance to infuse breaks, so that your nervous system has the opportunity to reset and restore, you are actually intercepting the chemical reactions in your body that result in a myriad of consequences, including but not limited to depression, insomnia, hypertension, GI problems, higher incidence of infection, and even memory impairment.
2. Practice the one-minute rule.
When I found myself so incredibly overwhelmed and hiding my debilitating anxiety behind my awards and my outward success, I came across Gretchen Rubin’s incredible work and her “one-minute rule.” Gretchen Rubin, one of the most influential observers of happiness and human nature, is the author of three New York Times best sellers: The Four Tendencies, Better Than Before and The Happiness Project. The one-minute rule involves completing any and all tasks that can be completed in one minute or less before tackling larger projects. These tasks could be hanging up our coat, making our bed, confirming an appointment, sending a quick follow-up email, depositing a check, and so on and so forth. Although completing these small tasks may seem like nothing in the larger scheme of the “huge mass we are drowning under,” I have found Gretchen Rubin’s one-minute rule to be extremely impactful. It helps me take some weight off my overwhelmingly-full plate so I can focus on the bigger and more energy-demanding priorities. Try it out and see for yourself!
3. Plan Ahead.
Planning ahead can minimize unnecessary stress. Can you remember a time when you had a million things happening at the same time, and you were late for an appointment, and you could not find your car keys? I can!
Although in isolation, not remembering where you put your keys is not that big of a deal, it can be the “straw that breaks the camel’s back” in the midst of a crazy day. What if we could take the necessary steps proactively to eliminate those extra stressors, or at least plan ahead and develop back-up plans that control their negative impact? I have found so much calm in the midst of chaos from something as simple as having a specific spot for my keys and the mail and the stamps and all the little things that, although not great stressors in isolation, can tip us off the optimal performance zone when we are already dealing with an overwhelming number of things to do. Take a minute to look back at a time when some small things tipped you off your optimal performance. Determine which of those things are within your control and plan ahead for them, so that the next time you have a million things happening at once, you can feel less overwhelmed.
In conclusion
In this information-overloaded, fast-paced world, it is very normal to feel overwhelmed and stressed out.
Our immaculate brain has naturally evolved with the propensity to focus more on negative aspects of experience, inadvertently activating our fight or flight response, temporarily shutting down the thinking part of our brain, and slowing down the optimal performance of our important functions like our immune system.
We all know there are many things we have absolutely no control over. However, increasing our knowledge and embracing the amazing power of our brain and nervous system is within our control. We can learn how our brain and nervous system can turn against us when untamed, and learn how to tame them. Working with our incredible nervous system and not against it, is one of the most impactful avenues we can take to lead us to changing anything that is not working for us, reunite us with our best self, and reinstate that lovely balance of home and work life.
