Steps To Calm Your Mind When Overwhelmed

When life is more than you can handle, your mind becomes trapped in a cycle of worry and tension that makes everything more difficult than it must be. The good news is that being overwhelmed is only a temporary condition, and you can employ proven techniques to regain control and put things into perspective.

These are best done if you choose the ones that come most naturally to you and practice them prior to a crisis. Below is a list of steps to calm your mind when overwhelmed, with tips to make stressful circumstances less stressful.

Take five slow, deep breaths, focusing only on the exhale

Slow breathing engages your body’s relaxation response and provides your mind with something concrete to concentrate on rather than spinning thoughts. Breathe normally in, and then slowly out through your mouth, prolonging the exhale beyond the inhale.

Count each breath to maintain your mind’s attention on this simple soothing activity.

List everything that’s on your mind without censoring

Clear all of your worries, tasks, and thinking out of your head and onto paper where you can view them objectively. Don’t worry about organization or priority—just put all that’s racing through your head out onto a piece of paper.

This brain dump typically reveals that you have a more troubled mind, which got you believing you did.

Focus on what you can control today

Find something small you can do at this moment to address some of what is piling up on you, and do that one thing before looking at anything else. This might be answering one email, wiping down one small area, or dialing one phone number

. Completing any positive motion breaks the freeze that keeps you stuck.

Get outside for some fresh air and sunlight

Alter your physical context by stepping outside, even for a mere five minutes at your front door, or even gazing out a window. Natural light and fresh air reset your nervous system while giving your mind a respite from the interior setting in which tension tends to accumulate.

Take a rapid body scan to release tension in your body

Notice where you are holding tension in your body—tense shoulders, tight jaw, or tense abdomen—then deliberately release those areas. Work your way down from your head to your toes, intentionally relaxing any muscles that feel strained or sore.

Physical relaxation often leads to mental relaxation.

Call or text someone who makes you feel loved

Call a friend, family member, or someone you trust to provide perspective or simply listen without judgment. Sometimes, even sharing your emotions with someone who cares is enough to immediately dissipate the potency of drowning emotions and illuminate you to solutions you’re not able to see on your own.

Clean up your immediate surroundings

Spend ten minutes cleaning your desk, making your bed, or clearing a small space of mess that is nearby.

Physical cleanliness in your environment has a way of developing mental tidiness and gives you the feeling of accomplishment that has momentum to move on to more difficult issues.

Take a hot shower or splash cold water on your face

Use temperature changes to interrupt stress patterns and give yourself a sensory reset. Warm water relaxes tense muscles and provides comfort, while cold water can shock your system out of anxiety spirals and increase alertness.

Both approaches effectively change your physical state.

Listen to calming music or nature sounds

Play soothing music or listen to ocean waves, rain, or forest sound recordings that mask distracting sounds and quiet down the space. Sound can quickly alter one’s state of mind and serve as a backdrop to other relaxation activities, such as breathing or slow movement.

Utilize the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique

Name five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste. This exercise in the senses centers your thinking away from anxious thoughts and anchors you in the present moment with concrete physical sensations.

Slowly stretch your body for at least five minutes

Take a walk, stretch, or do anything else that’s light physical movement to get your circulation going and shake off tension. Exercise naturally metabolizes stress hormones while giving your mind a respite from whatever is causing your stress.

Set your timer and permit yourself to worry for precisely 15 minutes

Let yourself feel overwhelmed for a specific, limited time frame rather than demanding to maintain a positive mind. Set time limits on worrying, and then deliberately shift into problem-solving or relaxation exercises when the timer is up.

This prevents endless brooding.

Read something that provokes and demands attention

Choose a book, article, or other written material that you find so intriguing you can devote your full attention to for at least 20 minutes. Reading provides your mind with a constructive outlet and a momentary break from stressful situations and thoughts.

Practice saying no to new demands or commitments

Shield your mental space by saying no to new commitments until you’ve worked through the overwhelm you have already. Rehearse sentences such as ‘I can’t take that on now’ or ‘Let me get back to you in a week’ to give yourself some space and avoid adding more stress.

Divide big jobs into teeny, tiny steps

Break down daunting projects into tiny, tangible tasks that are felt as manageable and attainable. Instead of ‘clean the house,’ put down ‘load dishwasher’ or ‘vacuum living room.’

Achieving small things creates confidence and momentum, which in turn helps make headway on bigger objectives.

Savor a full glass of water slowly and deliberately

Dehydration will exacerbate feelings of stress and anxiety, but mindful drinking gives you a simple, gentle thing to focus on. Pay attention to the temperature, taste, and sensation of water as you drink, using this simple self-care as an immediate moment of calm attention.

Limit intake of information from media and news

Avoid exposure to stressful news that causes mental load without offering actionable solutions. Schedule specific times for watching news or social media rather than constantly consuming information that can increase anxiety about things beyond your control.

Feelings are temporary and will fade

Understand that overwhelming feelings are spontaneous responses to stress and will fade with the passage of time without doing anything to override them. Having such an attitude wipes out additional anxiety caused by fighting difficult emotions instead of allowing them to flow through you.

Creating space for peace during turbulent times

These measures are effective in that they grant relief from overload of the body and mind, as well as long term relief in the short term and, ultimately. The more you practice these abilities regularly, the more stable and confident you become at handling future periods of stress.

It is not so much that you are attempting to do something, trying to rid your life of stress, but to form healthy, solid tools so that you can keep yourself connected to a rational point of view and handle constructively even when situations are complicated or murky.

More from Home As We Make It

Like Home As We Make It‘s content? Follow us on MSN.