A key factor for reducing the need for critical mental health intervention is to be able to identify when you are experiencing overwhelm and then take steps to reduce or prevent it from escalating. There is much talk currently around overwhelm, especially since our work-life balance has changed again as the world recovers from the pandemic. New priorities and anxieties like how to keep our immunity strong are mingling with our already long list of important daily tasks, like picking up kids and being able to focus and be sharp for our job. If our days felt full before the pandemic, for many of us it can feel like our list of duties will never get completed now. Our stress around this increases, blood pressure rises, anxiety engages, and overwhelm sets in.
Here are some of the top tips we have found for reducing overwhelm in the moment, and how to identify ways you can create a care plan for yourself, reduce overwhelm, and increase your wellness.
- Stop FOMO: FOMO, or “Fear of Missing Out” on things happening in our life around us creates a situation where we commit to obligations that are often not necessary, or even worthwhile. Learning to say “NO” when new, potential obligations arise is a skill that needs practicing. No time to meet that friend for coffee on a lunch break? For now, say no, or at least, not right now. Spend your lunch break nourishing yourself and closing your eyes for a few minutes. Asked to be on yet another committee? Say no, for now, and give yourself that space to rest and recharge instead.
- Give yourself a little slack: Perfectionism creates overwhelm, and is often a sign of keeping the reins tight so control is not lost. If you are feeling you cannot let small things go, consider asking for help from someone you trust or your Atrium HR counselling team. Often talking to a trusted professional can help you make a plan that gives you space to leave the small things alone while allowing your life to run with more ease.
- Walk Away: Sometimes, overwhelm in the moment just needs perspective. Taking a beat, taking a breath, and walking away for a few minutes from a situation is often all it takes to get some perspective and allow for space in the brain for a creative solution to appear.
- Create your “Wellness Team”: Having a team of wellness professionals that help you care for your body and brain is an effective way to keep wellness at bay. Regular appointments with a trusted wellness professional like a massage therapist, chiropractor, counsellor, or an acupuncturist, for example, can help reduce your general sense of overwhelm by keeping your nervous system balanced and happy. YOUR job is to create space in your diary for those appointments to happen. Think of it like paying yourself first- adding an investment of wellness time to your life upfront keeps the overwhelm on a lower simmer in the long run.
If you are feeling like you are stuck in an overwhelm cycle and need support, remember to reach out to Atrium’s confidential, professional counselling service for an appointment.
