How to Take Decisive Action to Conquer Overwhelm -

Now that we have taken the time to get to grips with why feel overwhelm and how it feels, let’s take a look at what we can do about it.

Have a night-time routine that you stick to. Read the article here about morning routines.
Exercise more often to tire yourself out.
Ensure that you give yourself the best chance of having a good night’s sleep, for example:
- Limit alcohol consumption
- No screen time for 2 hours before bed
- Relax – either by undertaking some mindfulness, by reading some good fiction, or by having a bath before bed.
Consult a medical practitioner.

You need to get things back under control. Make the decision that you are going to do this. This is the critical first step.
Sit down. Write a list of everything that is on your mind and worrying you. Where is the sense of overwhelm coming from?
Be strict with yourself. Separate the list into two groups:
- Group 1: Things that are critical for the happiness and wellbeing of you and your family.
- Group 2: Things that are simply ‘shoulds’ – i.e. you are not sure why you are doing them, or you feel pressured into them. Be clear that they do not fall into Group 1.
Put Group 2 to one side. If you really need to, apologize and withdraw from doing everything on the Group 2 list. If you are feeling brave, simply bin the list.
Look at Group 1 – rank everything on there in order of importance. Start to tackle the things on there one at a time.
Read the article on time management here.
Ensure that you take a break during the day to do something that you enjoy. This is critical. You will find this hard at first. For example, watch some TV, bake a cake, listen to music alone, etc.
Exercise and eat well. Remain hydrated.
If you have issues at work, speak to the appropriate person, and ask for some support. This is your right – exercise it.

Follow the guidance in the section on ‘Issues with Sleep’.
Be strict with yourself and begin to build regular exercise into your day. This could be as simple as a 15-minute walk first thing in the morning. You will be surprised at how much better you feel.

Plan your time effectively and work on one thing at once. Refer to the guidance in the section on ‘Lost Sense of Perspective’.
Have a plan for how to use your time. Read the article on time management here.
Use to-do lists. Prioritize tasks and break them down into smaller ones.
Make sure you allocate time for taking a break and for doing something that you enjoy. See the section on the importance of having fun below.
Read the article on Procrastination here.

Self-care is a crucial part of our existence. You are going to have to be firm with yourself.
Set aside 10 minutes of quiet time where you will not be interrupted. In your mind’s eye, step out of your life and look at yourself as if you are someone else.
- What would you say to yourself?
- What observations would you make?
- Ask, is this the lifestyle you want to live?
- What advice would you give?
We cannot be effective if we are not happy and feeling the impact of overwhelm. By investing time in getting more balance into your life you will become more productive.
Be honest with yourself and face the issue.
Write a list of things that give you pleasure to distract you from overwhelm. These might be simple. Build time for them into your day.
When you have not practiced this kind of self-care for a long time you will need to start off small and build up to it.
A couple of times each week, do something specifically for a loved one that you know will give them real happiness. This will give you real pleasure too.
Live your life and focus on the ‘now’.

Have a regular routine and eat at the same time each day.
Plan your food for the week and ensure that you have all the ingredients in the house that you need.
Consider using a meal planning service to remove the stress of meal planning. This way you get the best of both worlds, you can order the ingredients and cook delicious healthy food and not have to go shopping! Plus, this removes the additional time-wasting stress of having to decide and plan what to cook.
Put some consideration into the types of things that you eat as there is a link between food and overwhelm. Eat nutritious foods that are good for your energy levels to combat overwhelm. If you are struggling to eat, eat little and often. Eat a bigger meal when you feel ready to.

Make sure you practice self-care regularly.
When considering things that give you pleasure, consider options for joining a new group of people. Start small such as a gym class.
Build a regular exercise routine into your life. Think about how you can improve your health.
Consult a medical or mental health practitioner.
Talk to your friends and loved ones and tell them how you feel.
Read self-help books written specifically for this issue.
Be strong – get out and see people. Do not be tempted to stay at home alone.
Set aside 15 minutes each day (preferably at the start of your day) and write a simple list e.g.:
- Things I am thankful for
- Things I am proud of
Do something for other people to improve their lives. Volunteer, donate to a charity, stop, and have a cup of tea with a lonely elderly person, etc.

Make a conscious effort to let others do things. Be strong with yourself – you don’t have to do everything!
Set yourself a challenge: on Day 1 let someone else do something that you would normally do. Accept that they might do it differently. Over the coming days and weeks build this up to let others do more things. You will find that people like to do things for you.
Stop and consider your thoughts. When you feel the control freak in you taking over and taking on more tasks stop, step outside or yourself and ask if it is necessary. Be firm and challenge yourself.
When you feel wound up and stressed that something is not being done to your satisfaction, step away, and take a break.
For the perfectionists amongst us. Set aside 20 minutes and google a term like ‘photo retouching before and after’ on Google Images. You will see that life is not really like it is in magazines. Learn from this – give yourself a break. Getting things done is more important than getting everything done to absolute perfection.

As ever, We’d love to hear from you. What action are you going to take as a result of reading this article?

Let us know your thoughts below.

Your observation may inspire someone else who needs help to act.

How to Take Decisive Action to Conquer Overwhelm