Emotional overwhelm can leave you drained. It can threaten your happiness and cause problems in relationships. If you let it go on for too long, you may find that you are consumed with your emotions.
No one can function well for any period of time without addressing what is causing the emotional overwhelm. You can take charge of your emotions and set your life back on even footing when you learn how to deal with emotional overwhelm.
10 Suggestions to Handle Emotional Overwhelm
Emotions can get in the way of living your life in a way that brings you happiness. Often, work, financial struggles, and family turmoil can leave you emotionally spent and ready to throw in the towel. However, you can put a stop to emotional overwhelm with these ten suggestions:
1. Analyze What Is Going On: Think about what is going on in your life or career. Ask yourself what is causing you to feel stressed and overwhelmed? Do you have an enormous project weighing you down? Is there something that can be delegated? If you can hand off the task, do so. If it is a large project, break it down into manageable steps.
2. Establish Boundaries: You need to expect that you will disappoint people, but you will want to learn to tell people ‘no’ for your well-being. Do what you need to ensure your feelings of overwhelm do not overtake you. You may determine that you will not answer any email between the 9 and 10 AM hours so that you can focus on project work.
3. Accept Yourself: It is okay to consider what emotions are working within you at the moment. Avoid invalidating them. Acknowledge them; accept them, and move on in a healthy way.
4. Put Perfectionism in Its Place: We use perfectionism as an excuse to make some projects appear bigger than they are. It also encourages procrastination which means things pile up, and then you are overwhelmed at the mess. Instead, use your boundaries to determine if you really need to take on a particular project or if someone else can do it.
5. Ask for Help: Sometimes, fighting overwhelm needs more than better calendar management. The listening ear of a friend or understanding HR personnel may be what you need to get through the day. They can help put things back into perspective.
6. Breathe Deeply: Feelings of overwhelm will leave you tense, and you may be breathing in shallow bursts. Slowing down to breathe from your diaphragm will help you lower your stress response. It will help you reassess what needs to be done.
7. Keep a Journal: Journaling has many benefits. One of which is to help you clear your mind so you can process thoughts. Expressing yourself freely on paper will bring you much relief.
8. Find a Healthy Outlet: You may need to regroup and refocus your emotional energy in a different direction, such as through exercise or a hobby.
9. Reduce or Eliminate Stress: Look for those things that trigger your stress and consider what you can do to reduce or eliminate it.
10. Make Sleep a Priority: A lack of adequate sleep will make your emotions run rampant and increase your stress levels. Focus on making sleep a high priority in your life. You might need to cut out caffeine, cut out naps, and make your bedroom conducive to a good night’s rest, but it will be worth it.
Don’t let emotional overwhelm rob you of your happiness and attaining your dreams. Learn to handle your emotions and enjoy the rewards.