The feeling of being overwhelmed can be all-consuming, and it can be difficult to know what steps to take next.
I am smack dab in the middle of being an overwhelmed mess, my friends. I usually wouldn’t write about a situation until after I’ve made my way through it, but I felt led to write this post in this moment.
As many of you know, my grandpa passed away a few weeks ago and it has just been a really tough time. I have a lot of people who depend on me for different things throughout the week and I do my best to keep up. However, it hit a tipping point over this past weekend and I realized I couldn’t keep going like this for much longer.
Lack of sleep, feeling stressed and overwhelmed, trying to keep track of what needed to get done for others, and then realizing most of my stuff was not actually getting touched.
I wanted to share with you the steps I’m taking to get through this difficult season. I hope it will be helpful to you if you’re traveling on a similar journey.
Keep It Simple
My primary focus was to start simplifying things from the beginning. When you’re overwhelmed, almost everything feels complicated – even the little things. So it’s important to note what really has to get done, either for yourself or for others that may depend on you. Then, get rid of things that aren’t as important and can be let go for a little while.
This is a good time to get back to basics. Make taking care of yourself a priority.
Martha from Joyful State of Mind always reminds us that self-care isn’t about the bubble baths or retail therapy and she’s right! It’s about prioritizing your core self, being mindful of your thoughts, getting intentional with what you do, eating better, recognizing when your body needs rest, creating healthy boundaries, and other things in that realm.
Don’t Overcommit
The last thing that you want to do when you’re already overwhelmed is to take on more things. As a people-pleaser, I can wholeheartedly understand feeling like you need to say ‘yes’ when someone asks you to do something for them. However, you need to take time for yourself right now. Be open and honest with others when you decline.
Obviously, you don’t have to say anything that you feel is too personal to share. In my experience, I felt better just sharing the fact that I was drained, felt overwhelmed and simply couldn’t take anything else on during this season in my life. There’s no shame in being transparent about that.
This was a tough admission for me and I struggled (and do struggle) with what others think. For me, I just had to remember that God knows my heart and exactly what I’m thinking and feeling – and that’s what is most important.
Plan It Out
You can do this part in any way that you like and find the most enjoyable! Planning your week can help alleviate anxiety. Start by doing a brain dump. By putting those swirling thoughts on paper, you’re able to release them from your mind and think more rationally about how to move forward.
Once you have everything on paper, you can start putting a weekly schedule together. This will help you to see where you have to be and when, all in one place, as well as what you need to get done.
Remember, keep things as simple as possible, and try not to add anything extra into the mix that may cause you unnecessary stress.
I hope this post has been helpful to you, especially if you’re feeling overwhelmed too. Also, that it encourages you not to take on too much, and to remember that your wants and needs matter just as much as others do!
I am sorry about your grandpa. I think this advice is excellent. I think sometimes we are the going going type and we forget to just stop and reflect in a positive way to help deal with stress of any kind. Thank you for sharing this lovely post.
https://www.bauchlefashion.com/2022/08/first-taste-of-fall-cashmere-in-question.html
https://www.instagram.com/heathernoire89
Thank you so much, Heather! I appreciate you and your kind words. So glad you enjoyed this post!
Aww, thank you so much Heather for your kind words – I truly appreciate it! So happy you found this advice helpful, as well. I am trying to remind myself each day to pause and to reflect, it really helps with stress.
Oh I am sorry you are going through this, I lost my mom in 2020, had no job at the time, had to find a new job then had to clear out and sell the house (with help from my sister) and then find a place to live which is challenging in NY where you have to make 40 times the rent, find a home for my two cats as the apartment I did find did not allow pets. So I get it life can get super overwhelming
This great advice! I hope you feel better soon.
Allie of
http://www.allienyc.com
Thank you so much, Allie. You are so kind and I know that you have truly been through so much – you are most definitely an inspiration to me! I can only imagine how difficult that was to go through.
I am still working through things, but very much better than when I originally wrote this post!
These are such great tips!
Jennifer
Curated by Jennifer
Thank you so much, Jennifer! I appreciate that! 🙂
These are good tips and I’m so sorry you are feeling overwhelmed right now – i imagine there is so much to deal with, and I’m sorry things aren’t as good as they can be. it is always a shock to lose someone we are close to, no matter how much warning we have. I hope that you are able to relax, take a breath, and put some of these tips into practice and help things feel less overwhelming. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you so much, Mica! I agree, even when we know the end is near, it still feels heartbreaking when it happens. I have been working through this and while it’s still very much a work in progress, things are much better than when I wrote this post.
Wishing you a wonderful week ahead! 🙂
This post is extremely helpful because I am very overwhelmed emotionally today. A brain dump is in order for sure! Praying for you as you process the loss of your grandpa.
https://www.kathrineeldridge.com
Sending you so many hugs, Kathrine! Those days are the hardest to get through, and it can feel like you don’t know where to turn next. I hope that the brain dump helped, as well. And as always, I appreciate your prayers!!
I know it has been hard for you since you have lost your grandpa. And, you really do have a lot of people that depend on you and it is SO kind of you to help them! You def. need to carve out some time for yourself so you can serve them better. I know my mom takes the kids once a week and I feel like I can get so many more things done and I always save an hour or two to just relax. I feel like I am a better mom after that! It is def. more than bubble baths for sure. I am glad you’re getting more on track. I think after the loss of someone, it takes awhile to get back to a new normal.
Carrie
curlycraftymom.com
Thank you, my dear friend! I appreciate you so much, you’ve been there for me TONS throughout all of this! It truly does take a bit to get back to a new normal. I’m still working through that, but it’s better than it was even a month ago, so I hope to be trending in the right direction.
P.S. You are such an amazing mom!
Great advice here and I think a lot of people don’t know how to deal with feeling this way. So it helps to get great advice on this subject. Hope you are having a great weekend.
https://www.bauchlefashion.com/2022/08/glamour-accessories-that-will-up-your.html
Thank you so much, Heather! I’m sure you are right – it is something that everyone experiences off and on and it can be so difficult to navigate.
I hope the very same for you! 🙂
I’m so sorry to hear about your grandfather, Ashley. My grandparents passed away two years ago and I understand what a struggle it is to grieve. Sending lots of love to you and your family <3
Thank you so much, Jill! I am so sorry that you lost both of your grandparents Jill, that is so sad. It seems like when one passes away, the other is not far behind. 🙁 Sending you tons of love and prayers right back!
I’m so sorry about your grandfather’s passing. I have been feeling overwhelmed for months and love that you shared these tips. Carving out time for ourselves is something I need to be better about! I love the idea of doing a brain dump to start the week on the right foot! Sending you a big hug!
Jill – Doused in Pink
Thank you so much, Jill! I am so sorry you’ve been overwhelmed for so long, I truly hope that these tips are helpful to you. Praying that things get better for you, my friend!! Sending you big hugs right back!
These are such great tips! I frequently overload my to-do list (fatal flaw, haha) and definitely have to pare it back when I get overwhelmed!
-Ashley
Thanks so much, Ashley! 🙂 I totally understand that, haha. We want to do it all!
Ashley, I’m sorry to hear how overwhelmed you’ve been feeling on top of losing your grandpa:( I think it’s great that you took these steps to simplify things and take care of yourself. It’s hard as a people-pleaser to say no and set boundaries but it’s important to do it for your own well-being and you’re right God knows your heart and those people that truly care about you do too! Thanks for the shout-out too, my friend. Take care and hope things start getting better soon.
Martha
You are always welcome for the shoutout, my friend! Love what you share and it is always so helpful to me, and I know it’s every bit as helpful to others too! 🙂 Thank you so much for your kind words, I truly appreciate it! Simplifying things has been so helpful, and it’s all very much still a work in progress, but it’s beginning to come together better, I think.
this is such a good reminder for all of us
i hope you will feel better soon
sending love and hugs
Thank you so much, friend! I appreciate it! 🙂
I’m so sorry to hear about your grandpa! I love your three suggestions on what to do when feeling overwhelmed. Wishing you and your family lots of love and happiness!
Demi | https://demibang.com/
Thank you so much, Demi! So happy you loved this post, and I can’t tell you how much I appreciate all the well wishes!
I really love the idea of keeping things simple. I have found that this is the best way to live. Many times situations in our life can seem so big and complex but once we calm down and take things one simple step at a time, we see that those situations weren’t that big after all!
Wishing you the best week!
-Kaitlyn
https://www.simplystylish.blog
Such wise words you’ve written, Kaitlyn! The more I try to really bring more peace into my life, especially after the series of overwhelming months, the more I’m realizing that keeping things simple is the best way to get that peace. I don’t need or want much, I just want to live simply.
Amazing tips 😀
Thanks so much, Kinga! 🙂
I love this post because I think it’s a great reminder to all of us that feeling overwhelmed is common. I do love the point of not over committing because I think a lot of us are guilty of doing that!
Thank you so much, Mariann! So happy you loved this post, and you are so right – it is very common. I think a lot of people don’t talk about it as much or maybe just handle things differently. Overcommitting was one of my biggest mistakes, and I’m getting better at not doing it – but my mind still wants to take it all on, haha.
This is so useful because we all go through times when everything becomes a bit too much. So sorry for your loss!
http://www.fashionradi.com
Thank you so much, Radi! I appreciate it very much. <3
I’m sorry for your recent loss. Very informative and helpful post 🙂
https://www.chicnpink.com
Thank you so much, Maria! 🙂
I really need to read this post in this moment of my life. I feel like so many things running in same time and I can’t keep with them and I need new formula to handle everything. Thank you one more time for this post.
Aww, I am so thankful that this post came at the right time for you, friend! I truly hope it will be helpful and I will pray that you are able to get some relief from having so much going on all at once. I understand how difficult that can be.
Sometimes we are carried away by what’s going on, learning to know how to handle things is very important.
New post:
https://www.melodyjacob.com/2022/10/woman-king-date-night-and-black-dress.html
You are so right, Melody, that’s a very important thing to learn and to do our very best with.