When you feel overwhelmed, life feels impossible, and even the smallest tasks become unmanageable. As hiding in bed under your duvet isn’t always the right response, here are some other ways forwards:
Stop
It feels like the last thing you should do, but taking a step back and having 10-15 minutes to pray, nap, read, drink tea, take a walk or whatever you like to calm your mind can make you more efficient than struggling on.
Pray
Yes, I mentioned it above, but prayer is important, so I’ll mention it again!
Remember God
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest
Matthew 11:28
We do not need to feel overwhelmed by everything, because our mighty God has us safely in His hands
Take One Step at a Time
In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make me dwell in safety.
Psalm 4:8
Prioritise jobs and then prioritise chunks of that job. ‘Tidy my child’s bedroom’ may feel impossible, but ‘clear toys off the floor’ may not (or ‘clear enough toys off the floor to make a path from the bed to the door’ may be a more manageable task in some cases!)
Write Lists
I love writing lists, and I love ticking things off. It encourages you to break down tasks into smaller, manageable jobs and provides a sense of satisfaction as you go.
Change your Perspective
Think of the success you’ll feel when you’ve finished, put some Christian music on (like these), force a smile on your face and go for it. Or…
Rest
Don’t go for it! Sometimes you just need to stop and declare a self-care hour/day. God did not create us to be robots. Even God Himself rested after creating the world. Rest does not mean failure. Rest means embracing who God created you to be and trusting Him with the unfinished work.
Ask for Help
Get other people involved, ask for support organising your time or call someone for a rant. Sometimes I ask my husband for a brief ‘you can do it’ pep talk.
Look for Patterns
If you feel constantly overwhelmed, it may be time to see your doctor, who may diagnose an underlying issue or change your existing treatment plan. Being persistently overwhelmed could be a symptom of burnout or mental illness.
Do you get overwhelmed the night before work or when the washing pile is overflowing? Knowing your triggers is an important step to planning a way around them.
Show yourself Grace
Surprise! You are not a superhero, and you are DEFINITELY not Jesus. So stop thinking you can do everything. Think about what will happen if I don’t do this, then decide if you (and others) can cope with the consequences.
Ponder
Do you believe that Christians should be joyful?
What would it look like, if you were more joyful?
Pray
Lord God, thank you that we can be in your presence because of Jesus. Thank you that you have given us your Holy Spirit. Please help us to recognise your presence and to rejoice in You.
Amen