Feeling Overwhelmed All the Time? 8 Simple Ways to Relieve Anxiety and Stress

“A woman who lives with the stress of an overwhelmed schedule will often ache with the sadness of an underwhelmed soul.” ~ Lysa Terkeurst

Let’s look in and see what many women deal with, especially during the holidays …

As she starts her day, she wonders, “When am I going to find the time to get everything done? I have three work deadlines and I’m behind schedule. And now the holidays are here… so everything has to be perfect! The house must be cleaned from top to bottom. I have to decorate at least as well as my sister does or Mom is going to say something. With everyone’s food allergies how am I going to cook for all of them? On top of that I have to smile through Uncle Ted’s jokes again…Eeeeek! I feel like I’m going to explode!”

Life in general causes many women to feel stressed and overwhelmed. Then the holiday season brings with it its own set of stressful circumstances. If you’re already feeling overwhelmed all the time, it can almost drive you over the edge. It’s no wonder so many women are suffering from adrenal fatigue. They’re burning the candle at both ends.

 

So how can you relieve your feeling of overwhelm, so life is more enjoyable?

 

1. Create routines so you make fewer decisions.

If you’re not clear on what you want, making decisions creates stress. So the more things you can do routinely, the less stress you’ll have.  This is one of the easiest ways to give yourself a break. Try simple changes like getting up at the same time or following a meal plan.

2. Move your body every day.

I’ve found that The Feldenkrais Method® really helps me to sense into myself.

Endorphins combat stress, and exercise stimulates endorphins. It doesn’t take a lot, just doing something extra every day.

3. Eat mindfully.

Too many people eat on the run. Make sure you carve out time to sit and mindfully eat a balanced breakfast and lunch. Don’t check your emails. Don’t try to work and eat. Put away your electronic devices and reading material. Breathe deeply and feel yourself slow down before you take your first bite.

4. Don’t immediately commit to something.

Because we hate to let anyone down we often reflexively say “yes” to every request.  Instead, practice saying, “let me get back to you on that.” It buys you time to consider whether you want to do it or not.

5. Try simple meditation.

Close your eyes. Breathe in for a count of four. Breathe out for a count of four. Repeat another three times. And you’re done.

6. Visualize each task as completed.

Sit quietly for 30 seconds and think about what it means to finish what you start. Commit and trust yourself to follow through. How will that feel? What will it mean to your life? Think about it and let it move you forward.

“We don’t realize that, somewhere within us all, there does exist a supreme self who is eternally at peace.” ~ Elizabeth Gilbert

7. What you should do doesn’t always matter.

We have a limited number of hours in the day, and while you may have many interests, you can only realistically do a few major projects a year. You don’t have to do everything. So ask yourself, “Do I really want to do this or can I let it slide?” Focus on the things you really want to do.

8. Don’t wait for motivation. So many times you won’t feel like doing a project, but if you just get started with one step of it, you’ll find it leads to the next. Waiting for inspiration to strike is a quick way to randomly pursue something, then give up, only to yo-yo back a couple weeks later. If you have life systems then you won’t have to depend on willpower or inspiration.

Instead of depending on fleeting motivation, build a system. This means you work through the steps of finding a new job, add it to your calendar every week, and make sure you have the time and mental energy (which are much easier once you know what to do).

 

Are you ready to live a more intentional life? Please feel free to contact me and schedule an “Unlocking Your Potential” 30-minute complimentary consultation (in-person, by phone or via Skype), and let’s get started.