No matter how many gadgets we have at our fingertips or how much help is available, it’s very easy in life to feel overwhelmed. Especially if you’re going through a divorce. There’s so much to think about and process. Decisions that need to be made and emotions that make their way to the surface. Sometimes you’re angry, sometimes sad, and sometimes you might just feel scared. The whole divorce process is very hard to navigate and can dominate your mind for long periods of time.
No matter what you’re going through, everyone can benefit from learning what to do when feeling overwhelmed.
We’ve gathered a few tips to help you, but before you go through them, we ask you to do something first.
We ask you to –
- Accept the fact that you are overwhelmed.
- Don’t feel guilty about it.
- Don’t hide it and let it keep going.
- Stop what you’re doing and take some time out.
- Immediately try a few of the things listed below to change the way you feel:
1. Breath Deeply
Whenever you feel overwhelmed, stop whatever you’re doing and take a few deep breaths. Consciously inhale and exhale the air from your body.
- Inhale through your nose, taking the air deep into your lungs.
- Hold for 5 seconds.
- Slowly exhale through your mouth. Do this 7 times.
It might help to take some time out and do a few deep breathing exercises to relax your body.
2. Go stand outside, breathe in fresh air, and focus your eyes on nature
Go outside onto your front drive, your garden, or just any open space if you can.
Take a few breaths of the fresh air. Have a stretch. Focus your eyes on the nature around you – the calm blue or clouded sky, the trees, or any sign of greenery. If there is grass around you, sit or take your shoes and socks off and stand on it, feeling the contact between you and the earth below your feet.
If there isn’t any, then just focus on your surrounding environment. Being outside, away from the environment causing you to feel overwhelmed, can help bring peace to your mind.
3. Go for a walk
Fresh air and a change of environment will help you if you’re feeling overwhelmed. Walking will work many of the muscles in your body, increase the intake of oxygen rich air in your body, and improve your circulation making you feel better and perhaps clearer in your mind.
Stepping away for a bit can do wonders for your mental health.
4. Drink a cup of herbal tea
Drinking herbal teas are very relaxing, de-stressing and calming. Whilst they improve the body’s overall health due to their richness in antioxidants and nutrients, they’re also great for promoting calmness in the body when you need it most.
Read some of our suggestions on what herbal teas you should try out! ‘Healing with herbal teas’.
5. Go lay down or have a nap
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, go lay down on your sofa or bed, close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. Stretch your toes and, if you can, take a nap. It can be difficult sometimes to find time to do this, but even if you can just spare 5 minutes, take those 5 minutes to yourself to relax your body.
If you end up unable to fall asleep, that’s okay. Just the action of lying down can bring a sense of relaxation to the body, giving it a chance to take a break from what’s causing your stress.
6. Call or arrange to meet a friend, talk about being overwhelmed and get it out of your system
Share your feelings with a trusted friend or family member. Either call, video call or arrange to meet for a drink or lunch. Being able to let out your feelings can be very relieving to your mind and body, and the person you’re talking to might even be able to offer some suggestions to help ease your stress.
Never shut your feelings in. It can become an unhealthy habit that can hurt your mind and body.
Remember to check in with them too!
7. Switch off your phone or put it on silent and leave it to the side
Smartphones have become such a norm in our lives that most can’t imagine life without it. We have immediate access to our messages and emails. Access to any information we want. Anyone can reach you and you can reach them.
On the internet and social media, we can be subjected to thousands of images, videos, views and opinions that can be quite overwhelming.
Although this may not be the direct cause of your overwhelmed feelings, you should close your phone every so often and leave it to the side. Having the whole world at your fingertips can be daunting, so shutting out the noise is important to keep a calm mind. Allow yourself some time to breathe instead of picking up the phone every 5 minutes.
8. Avoid the news
Keeping up with world news can be quite negative and upsetting sometimes. When you’re already overwhelmed, watching the news can unconsciously add to your distress.
Similar to tip 9, switch off the news and watch or do something else that will calm the mind. The next tip will probably help with this!
9. Watch a funny movie or comedy show
This is a must if you’re feeling overwhelmed or stressed. Watching something funny will change your mood and distract you from your stress, anger, and negative emotions for a while. Laughing at a funny movie or show will:
- Increase the amount of health enhancing endorphins in your body. These are released by the brain and help relieve your stress response.
- Increases the intake of oxygen rich air into your lungs.
- Reduce the level of stress-inducing hormones such as cortisol in your body.
And when you return to deal with what was causing you stress, you will be in a better frame of mind to deal with it.
10. Watch a nature documentary
If you’re beginning to feel overwhelmed, put on a programme or documentary about animals or nature. Being close to nature can bring a calmness to the body due to its peaceful stimulation of the senses. The calming colours, sounds and visuals of nature can soothe your mind.
This promotion of positive emotions can change your mindset going forward, helping you get back to tackling your problems with a clear mind.
11. Watch a cooking or food programme
The action of cooking or food also has a calming effect on your senses. As well as being visually entertaining, watching these shows require very little effort, giving your mind and body a break. There are many YouTube videos about street food from all over the world which will completely take your mind away from your troubles.
12. Make a list of the things you need to do and prioritise them
Keeping everything in your mind can be overwhelming. Especially if it seems like you have an endless list of things to do. Instead, try writing a list of everything you need to do on a piece of paper.
Prioritise your list by putting whatever needs to be done immediately at the top and crossing things off as you do them. Putting them to paper will allow your mind to be clear, and physically seeing the tasks crossed off will reduce any anxiousness about having to complete the tasks.
Share some of the ways you treat your mind and body with love when you’re feeling overwhelmed on our forum and social media. You might just help a few others out through their divorce.
