Life can be tough. The stress of work-life, home life, and everything in between can feel like a lot to handle. One way to better manage our overwhelm is through self-care. Recognizing signs that you are overwhelmed early on and implementing self-care strategies can help prevent burnout.
What is self-care?
Self-care is “the practice of taking action to preserve or improve one’s own health.” It is regularly taking the time to do something you enjoy that nourishes you mentally, emotionally and physically. As crucial as self-care is, it is often not made a priority as we make it through our hectic lives.
Why? Well, being selfish is how it’s perceived.
When you nourish your well-being, the better equipped you’ll be at helping to nurture those around you. After all, you can’t pour water from an empty cup!
Today, with the hopes of encouraging you to make your well-being a priority, here are some signs you are overwhelmed and some self-care strategies to help with each.
Disclaimer: The information provided on this blog is written from personal and lived experience. You should not rely on this information as a substitute for, nor does it replace professional mental health services, medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any concerns or questions about your health or mental health, you should always consult with a health-care professional.
If you are depressed, or your overwhelm is severely interfering with your life, please seek out support from a therapist, physician, or other health-care professional.
# 1 – You Have Difficulty Sleeping, or You’re Sleeping Too Much
One of the signs that you are overwhelmed is a change in sleeping patterns. You may notice you are restless throughout the night, and unable to get a good night’s sleep, despite how tired you may feel. On the other hand, you may be sleeping too much. You may find yourself sleeping in too long, or yearning to spend any downtime asleep. A healthy sleep schedule is essential to maintaining one’s mental health.
Try These Self-Care Strategies
Establish a nighttime routine and stick with it. Try being in bed and waking up at a specific time each day. This process may take some trial and error before you’ve found what works best for you
Limit alcohol. Alcohol can disrupt your sleeping patterns and reduce the quality of your sleep, which may lead to oversleeping
Practice relaxation exercises before bed to help calm the mind, such as meditation, yoga, progressive muscle relaxation, etc.
Consume a soothing drink before bed, such as a chamomile tea
Fall asleep to a scent that helps foster relaxation and sleep, such as lavender
Speak with your doctor about any concerns with your sleeping patterns.
# 2 – You Are Always Tired, No Matter How Much Sleep You Get
When overwhelmed, your mind is on overdrive causing you to feel exhausted all the time. This fatigue may persist even after you have gotten some sleep.
Try These Self-Care Strategies
Eat healthy foods that give you energy
Exercise, not only provides mental health benefits but may also tire you out enough physically to help you sleep and get a better night’s rest.
# 3 – You Are High-Strung & Anxious
You may be feeling high-strung or anxious most of the time, with the inability to calm down or relax.
Try These Self-Care Strategies
Take little breaks throughout your day to help ease your nerves. For instance, going for a walk or grabbing a healthy snack, throughout your day
Limit or avoid caffeine and alcohol
Find time to be active. Exercise helps relieve stress and improve mental health.
# 4 – You Are Stressed Out
When you are overwhelmed, you may notice your stress levels increasing. And things that may have once seemed minor may be leading to stress.
Try These Self-Care Strategies
At work, speak with your manager to ask for additional time to work on/complete tasks that have been stressing you out.
Take a Mental Health Day off work
Break large tasks down into small ones, and focus on completing the small ones (one at a time) instead
Establish more balance in your life, i.e. a healthier balance between work and play.
# 5 – You Have a Loss of Appetite or You Are Overeating
You may notice a change in your appetite, either under-eating or over-eating when you are overwhelmed.
Try These Self-Care Strategies
Try establishing an eating routine, by eating at regular times each day, and sticking to that. Your brain will learn to follow this.
With a loss of appetite, try eating smaller snacks throughout the day, and eating a bigger meal when you’re feeling most hungry
Eat healthy foods that give you the most nutrition and energy. These will have you feeling full longer (i.e. healthy fats and protein)
Limit caffeine intake as this will also add to a loss of appetite
Exercise, and reducing your stress and anxiety (with the tips mentioned above), can also help you establish and maintain healthy eating habits
# 6 – You Have Difficulty Focusing
Because you’re high-strung and restless, this may lead to difficulty focusing.
Try These Self-Care Strategies
Break down large tasks into smaller ones
Establish a plan of action and write your plan down. When things are written down, they can become easier to follow
Make lists and check off completed items as you go
Take little breaks throughout your day to refuel, and refocus the brain
# 7 – You Are Moody & Emotional
You may feel more emotional than usual and moodier. You’ll be on edge emotionally, less patient, and lash out at individuals easily.
Try These Self-Care Strategies
Speak with your doctor if you are feeling depressed, or are concerned about your overall emotional state
Call 911, or a crisis line near you, if you are feeling suicidal
Confide in a good friend. It helps to feel heard
Try counselling. Free counselling services are available at your local community health centre if money were a concern.
The Takeaway
Recognizing the signs that you are overwhelmed early on will help you prevent burnout. Implementing much-needed self-care strategies will help re-energize you, reduce the effects of you feeling overwhelmed, and get you back to being your healthy and balanced self.
Here’s to living a life of balance and overall wellness!
With Love | Nikki xo