During such moments, adopting certain strategies can be helpful. If you’re currently experiencing overwhelming emotions, take a moment to listen and consider these three steps.

Step 1: Clear the Mental Clutter

To address overwhelm, begin by freeing your mind from excessive clutter. Often, we try to remember and hold onto everything, causing mental overload. To tackle this, perform a “Clear the Mental Clutter” exercise. Take some time to unload every task, concern, or responsibility that you need to deal with.

This could involve jotting down lists, using notebooks, or even digital tools. The key is to get everything out of your head and onto paper.

Step 2: Organise and Prioritise

Once you’ve emptied your mind, it’s time to organize the chaos. Engage in the “Organise and Prioritise” step, where you categorize the items you’ve listed, grouping them based on relevance, project, or category.

This will enable you to focus on specific tasks or projects when needed. Whether you prefer using a digital method, Excel sheets, or simply pen and paper, organizing will streamline your approach and make things more manageable.

Step 3: Embrace the Essential Few

In times of crisis, it’s essential to prioritise. Imagine being a mother with three babies caught in a flood, but you only have two arms. As difficult as it may be, you have to decide which two babies to save. Similarly, during overwhelming situations, recognize the power of “Embracing the Essential Few.”

Realistically, you can achieve only three to five tasks in a day. Concentrate on these key priorities and let go of the rest. Accept that you cannot do it all, and that’s okay for your own wellbeing.

In most cases, they won’t be as catastrophic as your mind may lead you to believe. Don’t let guilt and unnecessary responsibilities weigh you down; focus on the essential tasks and tackle them one at a time.

Avoid overwhelming yourself with an excessive number of tasks. If you complete your prioritised list, then move on to the next set. Utilise the brain dump technique and focus on specific projects to alleviate the overwhelming feeling.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on these strategies. Share your experiences with overwhelm and how you managed to overcome drowning feelings in the comments below.