10 Tips to Reduce Overwhelm
Overwhelm is real. That's why 10 tips to reduce overwhelm can make a difference. Overwhelm can hit the stay at home mother or the corporate executive. It has no age limit and can creep into our lives to have a long- or short-term seat. Extensive damage can be done in some cases, but thanks go to God who is able to guide us out of this space. He can not only restore us but provide us with the wisdom necessary to resist this habit.
How Do People Get to the Point of Feeling Overwhelmed?
People arrive at the point of overwhelm in various ways. For the new mom it may be just learning how to manage that little personality, get rest, and still meet necessary commitments. Individuals working may have increased workloads and deadlines along with home life. The entrepreneur may be a one-person team that is trying to manage all aspects of the business. Then there’s life and the things we don’t plan or even desire.
10 Tips to Reduce Overwhelm
There’s no perfect formula because each person is made differently. God’s unique crafting means that we’ve got to take a moment and first look to Him then proceed.
The following are a few tips. Some or all may help you to prevent overload.
Admit that it is too much.
Have a talk with God.
Do a deep analysis.
Purge
Stop saying "Yes"!
Recognize the season.
Leave space to rest.
Take care of your health.
Pause when life happens.
Don't believe the hype.
10 Tips to Reduce Overwhelm Explained
Admit That it is Too Much
It’s a very difficult thing to correct what is wrong when you can’t admit it. As believers we are admonished to confess, repent, and turn away from the action. If you can say that you’re in overload, you’ve acknowledged it and realize you need help to get out of this place.
Have a Talk with God
One of the responses to overload should be to seek how you got there in the first place. You may be able to quickly identify some things, but God knows you intimately. He can let you know if you’re taking on things in life that you weren’t built to handle or if you’re expending your energy in unnecessary spaces.
Do a Deep Analysis
Look at everything you utilize your time and get-up-and-go on. This also includes what consumes your mind. Our thought life alone can weigh us down.
Purge
Are you a pack rat in your life? This is not about things but about where you place your resources. The only resource that doesn’t return is time. Stop letting things take time away from you. Overload will rob you and produce little to no fruit.
Stop Saying "Yes"
This will show up over and over on my list. “Yes” gets us in so many places and some people have a hard time backing out of things they’ve erroneously committed to.
Recognize the Season
Know when a season is up. For example, you can’t be a wife, mother, go back to school, work full-time, and keep up with all the extras at the same time. If you’re embarking on something new, pause and see if you need to give up or rearrange something else.
Leave Space to Rest
Even though God gave us the example of resting from our work in Genesis 2, some still operate as if their abilities exceed God’s. Experts say adults age 18 to 60 should get seven hours or more of sleep each night. That increases after 60. Likewise, if you know what time you need to get up the next day, then you know what’s the latest you can be asleep. (Note: Not just in the bed.)
We are not robots!
Take Care of Your Health
The body needs to be fed properly and exercised. Both are energy boosters that aid in brain health and physical vigor.
It's OK When Life Happens
Life can throw some untimely curveballs. I’ve personally experienced extensive seasons of things coming at me that I couldn’t have planned for. God knows what we will face before we do. He will see us through. When you must pause, don’t see it as defeat. Stay connected to God. He’ll lead you back on course.
Don't Believe the Hype
I love those hashtags “like a boss” or seeing a woman that appears to be living her best life. Don’t believe the surface. Let those that influence you be those that let you behind the scenes to see how they deal with the moments that everything doesn’t go as planned. Pretty pictures are not always beautiful God lead lives.
Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, an I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28
Break the Cycle
When a circuit is overloaded, there is a safety called a “breaker” which trips to shut everything down so that overheating doesn’t occur and lead to a fire. We all have that breaker in our life that shuts us down when it is too much.
The Holy Spirit may whisper to us. Our physical bodies might let out a warning through brain fog or noticeably less energy. Don’t ignore the warnings. They are there to keep you from burnout. Prayer can keep us centered and more in tune.
Overwhelm can be a season, or it can be your life habit. You must decide whether you want to operate at your capacity or experience a lifetime of stress, fatigue, etc. The latter leads to so many other things like preventing us from enjoying life and our loved ones, missing out on purpose, and being at peace.
The good news is that you can break the cycle today. You can start with these 10 tips to reduce overwhelm or add your own.