From Chaos to Calm: Strategies for Managing Overwhelm

Feeling overwhelmed has become a common experience in our fast-paced world. In this post, we'll explore practical strategies to help you navigate from chaos to calm, helping you to regain control and find balance.

by Anne Albright

1/20/20252 min read

Stressed man sitting in front of a laptop and holding his head in his hands
Stressed man sitting in front of a laptop and holding his head in his hands

Do you get tense just thinking about all of the responsibilities you have? Whether it's juggling work, family, and personal commitments or dealing with the constant influx of information, it's easy to feel overwhelmed. If so, you probably deal with feelings of fear, frustration, anxiety, and maybe even anger. Once in a while, you may deal with these feelings, but when it is each day for weeks or months, it is time to learn how to deal with them.

6 Suggestions for Dealing with the Constant Feeling of Overwhelm

Don't let yourself get caught up in the struggles that come with an overloaded schedule. Instead, take these steps to help you deal with those constant feelings of overwhelm:

1. Try to Find the Primary Cause

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 such as research, planning, and execution to make it seem less daunting and more achievable.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. Ask for Help

Sometimes, fighting overwhelm requires 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. Their support can provide reassurance and help put things back into perspective.

5. Keep a Journal

Journaling has many benefits. One is to help you clear your mind so you can process thoughts. Expressing yourself freely on paper will bring you a sense of relief and calm.

6. Put Perfectionism in Its Place

Perfectionism can often lead to feelings of overwhelm. We use it as an excuse to make some projects appear bigger than they are. It also encourages procrastination, which means things pile up and you are overwhelmed by 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. Understand that not everything needs to be perfect; sometimes good enough is just that—good enough.

Final Thought

Fight back against overwhelm. Take a step back and assess the situation clearly. Take a deep breath and let it out slowly to calm your mind. It's okay to ask for help.