Putting First Things First - Handling Stress When You are Feeling Overwhelmed

Stress and overwhelm are feelings that all of us experience at one point or another in life. These feelings are part of us, they are our lifelong companions. And a little bit of stress every once in a while can be a good thing and help you get your butt into gear. When stress and overwhelm start dominating your emotions on a daily basis, though, that’s when something has to change. I’ve realized over the years that when you feel like you’re juggling too many tasks and responsibilities, the best way to calm yourself down is to put all of the things you have to do in order of priority.

Let’s say that you are in college and you are feeling so stressed out and so overwhelmed because you have so much going on. School, projects, homework, an internship, work and trying to still have a social life… Everything that you can think of seems to be going on in your life at one time and you’re feeling like you can’t do it all.

The truth is, you can pause, take at least two deep breaths, stop, and think of the must do’s and the not so important things to do. Really put all of it in order of priority for you. Or like I call it, “first things first.” What is the most important task on your list right now? Ask Yourself: how important is it? You’re going to realize that some things are not that important or urgent. You can cut down on some things. Maybe you’ve got two jobs - let go of one. Do you really need the money? No. Do you need the time? Yes. Or vice versa. If you need the money, cut down on some social obligations to up your hours at work. Reflect on the awareness of where you are headed and what’s really going to get you there.

At the end of the day, always remember, taking care of you, your physical well-being, and your mental and emotional well-being are the most important priorities. And take action and do those things. And if you’re stressed out, you’re not taking care of you. Trust that everything else will work out just the way it’s supposed to.