existential crisis: ways to manage feeling overwhelmed
written by Kate King | originally published for Two Ginger Spades
Every now and then that existential dread will set in. Whether you have forgotten a deadline, a bill was due or you generally feel overwhelmed with life. This is something that almost everyone experiences at different moments in their life. But there’s no need to stress and get panicked, there are a few things you can do to manage feeling overwhelmed and bring yourself back to a calm state.
first things first, do not panic
Panicking is a very real and honest reaction when you get that pit on your stomach. Your fight or flight kicks in, your breathing increases and your heart rate elevates. It is easier said than done to not panic, but taking a deep breath to calm yourself will help you get your mind together.
B R E A T H E I N F O R T H R E E , H O L D F O R T W O A N D B R E A T H E O U T F O R F I V E.
This is a great breathing exercise to do, it slows your heart rate and increases oxygen flow. If you do this about ten times in a row, you should be able to bring yourself back to a calmer state to then figure out what to do next.
next, is time management
If you’ve forgotten that deadline or it's coming up a lot sooner than expected, there is always a way to still get done what you need to.
Sit down, grab a blank piece of paper and a pen.
Pull out your calendar or other organization tool.
Write down everything you need to get done that day, the next few days or that week to meet that deadline.
This will help you visually organize your thoughts and create a place that you can tick off each task once it’s done.
don’t overload
Now that you have everything ready to go and you’re halfway through tackling your tasks, don’t let all those tasks create a second wave of panic. You can get caught up in completing one task after another which can snowball into being overwhelmed all over again.
Take a ten minute break every hour or so. Stepping away and letting your brain think about something other than your work is a great thing. Put into your schedule when you have your little breaks if it helps you feel more in control.
That pit in your stomach and that overwhelming feeling will happen over and over again in your life, so it won’t be the first time you have to tackle it. If you can implement little action plans like this one when you feel overwhelmed it can help in future to manage feeling overwhelmed.
Are there any other ways that you tackle feeling overwhelmed? Let us know on our Instagram @twogingerspades!
Sustainable Bliss Collective endorses products & brands we genuinely love and support. If you end up making a purchase through one of our affiliate links, it will not cost you anything but we may earn a commission. Learn more here.
share this on pinterest!
about the author
Hey there! I'm Kate King, a freelance journalist and chief editor. I'm a passionate writer about the arts, entertainment and lifestyle particularly fashion and music. I ran my own independent online magazine for two years, Maidenhair Press, in which I was able to capture the essence of many talented Australian Creatives. I write for Two Ginger Spades about travel, lifestyle and well being as well as a plethora of other topics.
