Almost at the end of your tether? What to do

Dawn’s breaking and you’ve barely slept all night. Instead of waking up ready to face the day, you feel as if you’ll never catch up with all the urgent stuff that needs doing. Stressful thoughts circle in your head, and you feel exhausted and burned out. Sounds familiar? You’re not alone!

Our pace of life has accelerated at a rate that would seem unimaginable a hundred years ago, but our neurobiological responses haven’t changed. When our hunter-gatherer ancestors faced danger, the “fight, flight or freeze” response to a threat was triggered. Having too much on your plate, an information overload, or a looming deadline might not be a situation of life or death, but they often cause the same adrenaline rush.

Whether you’re feeling overwhelmed all the time or just occasionally, Bach Flower Mix 71 can help relieve stress and anxiety. Here are some more practical tips and techniques to help you cope with the stress and protect your mental and physical well-being.

1. Take a break from negative thoughts

Taking a break doesn’t have to mean escaping to faraway places where we’re no longer stressed and worried. Instead, take a break from the cycle of negative thoughts and self-criticism that run through your mind when you’re feeling overwhelmed. Replace them with a positive mindset and harness your mental energy to move forward rather than giving up.

2. Lean into your feelings

It’s OK to acknowledge that you’ve got too much on your plate and you’re not coping. When you were young, your parents would look after you when things all got too much, and you feel overwhelmed. Now you’re an adult, but there are still times when you need soothing. Be compassionate to yourself, take a breath and tell yourself that you’re doing the best you can. You can handle this: self-compassion will help you access the strength you need to cope.

3. Take control

There may be some aspects of your life that you can’t change, but there are plenty of things you can do to regain an element of control. They might be something big like changing your job or leaving a relationship, but these aren’t usually quick fixes. Small things like getting your nails done, meeting a friend for lunch or making time for a relaxing bubble bath create positive moments and help you feel calmer.

4. Change your perspective

Sometimes the language we use reinforces unhelpful, negative ways of thinking and increases our sense of a distorted reality. Our inner conversations consist of “shoulds” and “musts”, thus adding to the feeling of being overwhelmed. Try to reframe your internal voice in terms that help you to feel in control. Rather than saying, “I must finish this project by the end of the week”, tell yourself “, I want to get it done by Friday so that my weekend’s free to spend some quality time with my family.” Instead of increasing the pressure, you’re making a positive choice that brings a reward.

5. Look at problems as a challenge

Stress isn’t always bad: it’s our attitude towards it that makes it problematic. When you feel overwhelmed with yet another problem that feels like the last straw, you might start by thinking you’ll never get through everything. But if you tell yourself that your workload is an exciting challenge, you’ll welcome the adrenaline that comes with it. Stress can give you an energy rush that will get you through the busiest of days if you work with it.

6. Look after yourself

We often take our body for granted, but you can learn a lot about your state of mind by paying attention to how you feel physically. Physical symptoms such as headaches, backache and stomach upsets are often the result of a stress overload. So if you find yourself frequently feeling unwell, it’s time to start looking after your body.

When you’re stressed, avoid relying too heavily on alcohol, caffeine or cigarettes. Eat healthily and try to get a good night’s sleep. If you’re not getting at least seven hours a night, Bach Flower Mix 87 can help with sleep problems.

Exercise is well known as a great stress reliever. And even when you’re insanely busy, try to take a short walk outdoors at least once during the day. This will not only relieve stiffness and improve circulation, but also lift your mood and clear your mind.

7. Simplify your to-do list

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by your to-do list, it’s time to have a spring clean! Divide your tasks by priority into Must-do, Delegate, Do Later, and Drop: then get going! Simplifying your list will help you be more disciplined and stay focussed on the things that really matter to you.

A final thought

We often tend to think about the things in our life that aren’t working too well and fall into the trap of negativity. But sparing a few minutes every morning to appreciate all the things you're thankful for will help calm your mind and switch off the endless search for more and better.

Sources:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/understanding-stress/

https://www.harleytherapy.co.uk/counselling/feeling-overwhelmed-with-life.htm

Other articles

Do you allow others to influence your life (too much)? Find out!

Don’t let other people influence your life too much! Find out now, how much you care about the opinions of others and how they influence your life.

Why a life without stress and obstacles is unrewarding

Stress can be both good and bad; it’s up to you how you look at it. But too much stress can be dangerous. Read more about stress in this article!

Quarter-life or midlife crisis: everything you need to know

A midlife crisis is the basis of stereotypes and jokes: the life stage when you suddenly feel tempted to do impulsive, outrageous things such as leave your spouse, buy a flashy motorbike and walk away from your job.

Stop procrastinating right now and do something!

Read some tips to get the challenge you're thinking about out of the way. Now is the time to do something, you can start right now. Read on to know more!

10 Tips to get the best out of every day

When we’re stuck in a bit of a rut, the days and nights slip past so quickly that we barely notice them. But life is not a rehearsal!

How to know when to say no

It's often difficult to say no, but some people never do! So how do you know when to say no and when to say yes?

Tips to balance your negative aspects

Everyone is unique, even in their own bad habits or negative traits. Here are some tips to balance those negative traits in our new article!

How to break your bad habits

Bad habits waste your energy and time. They disrupt your life, risk your health and stop you from achieving your aims. So why do we do them? And what can we do to break our bad habits?

Mistakes as a Parent

Can we learn from our mistakes and develop a stronger, healthier emotional bondwith our kids? To help you identify your weak spots, we’ve rounded up some of the most common mistakes parents make.

Being Happy by Yourself

Do you ever feel lonely? Do you think it’s possible to be happy by yourself? Being happy by yourself is perfectly feasible. We’ve come up with a list of helpful tips for you to consider that turns being alone into a positive state of affairs. Read our advice here.