This is the word I am hearing most often from my webinar participants, coaching clients and collegial coffee catch ups.
If you stop to look at a definition of overwhelmed:
To be buried or drowned beneath a huge mass of something
you get the picture. Its quite visual and really reflects exactly what a lot of people right now are feeling.
A recent article from Forbes magazine highlights 4 common causes:
- Fear of bad outcomes
- Uncertainty
- Not having the answers to tough problems
- Mind racing with thoughts
Even though the article was written last year, I think Covid-19 ticks all of these boxes and exacerbates the feeling of overwhelm that many people are already experiencing with working hours, project deadlines and juggling work and family responsibilities.
If you find yourself worrying excessively over any of these 4, here are a few tips to help:
- Be present – so much of the above 4 causes of overwhelm involve us thinking about either what has happened in the past or (more likely) what will happen in the future. Focusing on “what is my reality right now” can help to ground us to the present.
- Switch “to“, not “off” – ever notice how hard it is to stop thinking about something? Try instead switching to something more pleasurable, relaxing or something you have more control over (think exercise, hobby, walking the dog, interacting with family, etc.).
- Breathe – we’ve been doing it since we were born and most of us think we’re pretty good at it, so take it for granted. Get this right and it will give you the biggest ‘bang for you buck’ when it comes to relaxation and the best thing is you can do it anywhere, anytime. Try inhaling through your nose for 4 counts, and then exhale for 4 counts. Once you get these basics down, try 6–8 counts per breath.
These tactics are all about moving from a reactive (default) state to a more deliberate one, where you get to choose your response, rather than your situation or stress dictating how you feel.
About the Author:
Greg Dean is a Wellbeing and Leadership thought leader with more than 25 years of experience throughout Australia and the Middle East. Trained and registered as an Organisational Psychologist, he is driven to create exceptional experiences for people, helping them transform their wellbeing through adopting a more deliberate approach to the way they interact with the world.