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How to Deal With Feeling Overwhelmed

August 29, 2018

This morning, I woke up with a racing mind. I know you know what I mean. That dreaded feeling of overwhelm. The first thing that came to mind is that if I’m feeling like this, maybe you are, too. Read on to find out how to deal with feeling overwhelmed, because I feel you, girl!

Declutter your space

I don’t know about you, but clutter STRESSES me out! Because I work from home (hey, I’m in PJ’s and a scrunchie most of the time, if you must know…), I’m constantly looking around the my living room at things that annoy me. To be honest, I can start to fixate, and it stresses me out! This just adds to any feelings of overwhelm I may have lurking. A quick tidy up, and if I have the time, a little purge, settles my mind a little bit. This usually leads to me getting some bills paid, (READ: parking ticket) sending a cheque to the government, finally scratching that lotto ticket someone gave me, which means I’m also tying up those loose ends as I get rid of those random papers, so win-win.

Remove the things you cannot control from the equation

Let me tell you everything that’s going on in my mind as we speak: when do I start my fertility meds? Will they make me feel sick? What if this doesn’t work? What if I can’t go to the wedding I am supposed to because of my IUI cycle? I need to practice my video skills. Should I redesign my blog? I have to call the pharmacy for my thyroid meds. Ava needs food, I have to go get that today or she won’t have anything to eat. First thing I need to do is finalize that clients blog so I can post it today. What are we having for dinner? I need to go check my clients Instagram for the latest comments on their photo. How much money do I have in my business account? I need to call my mom today. Is she feeling loved?

Get the point?

NONE of this is life threatening. Most of this, I cannot control. Those things I can control need to go on a list so I can prioritize. Oftentimes the thoughts that overwhelm us are OUT of our control, so stewing on them can be counterproductive, and really take away from our ability to get. shit. done.

Define what meets your objectives

Oh my gosh, oftentimes, I am pulled in a MILLION directions. Enter: Instagram.

The love hate relationship is REAL.

What do I mean? Well, how many times have you scrolled your Instagram, and felt like you aren’t doing enough? Like you should try something new? Hands up! It can have a very negative effect. Some of it IS inspiring, but what happens more often is that it distracts you from focusing on what meets your objectives. What does that mean?

We all have reasons we do what we do. For me, a large objective is supporting my family, which means getting paid for my work. I help clients build their brands via content, photography, social media, influencers and much more, so this is what takes up most of my time. It’s often a balance of servicing those needs, exploring new opportunities that come my way. Another objective for me is to explore the possibility of expanding my reach to help other wannabe and new business owners on a larger scale by starting a podcast, expanding my workshop offerings, community outreach, content creation and speaking opportunities. These are my current passion projects, and also deserve my attention. Any time I’m feeling overwhelmed, I ask myself if what is overwhelming me services my objectives, and if it doesn’t, it’s filed away for later.

BONUS: Expanding on that, simplifying life by automating aspects helps takes things off my plate. A meal delivery service (Hello, FreshPrep, who I’m working with!), grocery delivery, hiring a cleaner (we haven’t done this yet, because my husband insists he does it, but I keep threatening!), leaving one day a week to odds and ends (for me, this is Monday!) and other ways that can alleviate pressure are so helpful to keeping my focus. The easiest way to feel like your doing nothing, is to try and do everything.

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Stop everything, and do something you love

Sounds silly, doesn’t it? I can hear you thinking “Erin, you’re saying I should just drop my huge to-do list that I don’t have enough time for already?” That’s exactly what I’m saying, because I promise you, you’ll come back and be so excited to get shit done. Literally, it gives your mind a break from the slog and stress you might be feeling. This strategy has worked wonders for my happiness and productivity, because I believe that happy people are the most productive. Here are some ideas: stroll around the block with that new song you love, or listen to a Podcast. Set up a scene and photograph it, or take your camera outside and enjoy the process, play with your dog, go for a swim, call your best friend, heck, do a little online shopping, meditate. See how simple these ideas are? Not difficult at all to incorporate!

Write it down

It’s crazy how breaking out things on to paper can settle your mind! When I was starting my healthy eating journey (more on that here!), the most effective thing for me was keeping a food journal. It gave me a tool to better understand where I could improve. The simple process of writing down your to do list, breaking it down by priority and day, feels so relieving. I know a lot of people keep lists digitally, but for me, freely writing and crossing off tasks feels so much better!

So, there you have it, my tips on dealing with being overwhelmed! Now, I need to hear from YOU! Tap onto my latest Instagram pic, and tell me which one really sticks out to you, or share your fave tip!

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