Feeling overwhelmed? Try these 7 steps

We can all feel overwhelmed from time to time. Life can throw up some stressful events, and these can lead to us feeling stressed, worried, and like it’s all too much to handle.

But what can we do about these feelings and how do we know when we need to seek help?

Tip 1: Try mindfulness and meditation

Mindfulness has been proven in many clinical trials to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. The practice is not just something that we can do when we are experiencing negative thoughts and feelings, but rather it can be built in to our regular lives so that when the challenging times come along, we can harness the benefits more easily. 

Student Psychological Services have a free mindfulness course available called “10 minute mind”. We also have lots of useful resources for mindfulness on our webpages.

Tip 2: Focus on your sleep

Everything seems more overwhelming when we are tired, even on a good day. Sleep is important for the restoration of our body and mind. Try having a think about your own ‘sleep hygiene’. For example, do you have a regular bedtime routine? Do you avoid screens (especially the phone screen) an hour before bed? Are you getting 7-9 hours of sleep per night? If the answer to any of these is no, or you are aware of always feeling tired, you might want to consider making a few small changes to your sleep routine. See our pages on sleep for more information. 

Tip 3: Try saying ‘no’

We all feel pressure to get things done, and to please others. Sometimes we can feel overwhelmed when we simply have too much to do. Try to think about prioritising the most important things and realise that it’s okay to tell someone you don’t have time to do something. Saying no doesn’t need to be a negative experience; perhaps you could try saying “I don’t have time for that right now, but next week is looking like I have more space’, or “I’d really love to do that, but right now I need to prioritise my work/sleep/downtime”.

Tip 4: Get active

Feeling overwhelmed or stressed can make us feel physical symptoms such as a fast heart rate, sweaty palms or digestive problems, as well as emotional symptoms like anger or tearfulness. Stress creates an abundance of the stress hormone, cortisol. Exercise can reduce the levels of cortisol, particularly high intensity exercise. Other kinds of exercise are helpful too – going for a walk can increase a sense of connection with nature which can make us feel more relaxed; yoga can allow us space to meditate and focus on our own body, which leads to increased wellbeing; a dance class can make us laugh and allow us to release all the ‘feel-good’ hormones.

Tip 5: Get organised

Sometimes we feel overwhelmed when we are juggling too many things at once. Keeping a calendar or diary can be really helpful in feeling more in control. You can also download apps for organisation – try searching your app store. Lists are another way of feeling like you are in control. Try starting with the ‘quick wins’ – things that you can tick off straight away. It feels good to see those ticks on the list!

Tip 6: Slow down and be kind to yourself

Sometimes it feels like we need to keep on going if we’re ever going to get to the end of our to-do list. But counter-intuitively, sometimes it’s helpful to take a break from whatever is troubling you. Take a day off and spend some time just focussing on your basic needs. This can help to recharge our batteries and allow us to come back fighting! Even better, schedule some regular downtime and make sure you use it.

Lastly, what if none of this helps me?

If you are feeling so overwhelmed that you’re feeling unwell and are having long-lasting physical symptoms, or you feel like your mental health is suffering, you should see your GP.

You can call 116 123 to talk to the Samaritans if you want to get things off your chest. They’re available 24 hours a day.