The Things I Do to Reduce Overwhelm When Life and the World Are … A Lot (As a Licensed Naturopathic Doctor)

Over the past year, I’ve seen many patients who want help feeling less overwhelmed. The feeling of overwhelm is something I believe is much more widely experienced and underdiscussed than most people think! Words commonly used to describe the feeling of being overwhelmed include frazzled, slightly on edge, and feeling like nothing will ever be completed. My experience is that some of these folks are actually struggling with burnout, while others are simply responding appropriately to the onslaught of information that living in the digital age can bring.

Just like there are many reasons that lead to anxiety or depression, there are just as many reasons that lead to feeling overwhelmed. In this post, I’ll be discussing a few of the most common reasons I’ve seen and some strategies I use when I’m feeling overwhelmed (because we doctors aren’t exempt from being human, either).

In his book The Anxious Generation, Jonathan Haidt states that kids scrolling on social media can take in a thousand data points in one hour. And while kids raised with devices likely scroll faster than we adults, that kind of input was simply unfathomable a decade ago, and, from my perspective, it’s one of the key things that leads to a feeling of overwhelm. 

Likewise, beyond social media consumption, we can add in the easy accessibility of music and podcasts through streaming services, the ability to see real-time horrific and traumatic images and stories through the news, and simply living in a time of political instability, abuse of power, and the dismantling of shared norms in the United States, and I think the feeling of overwhelm is completely reasonable. 

I could keep talking about the things that lead to feeling overwhelmed, but that might make you feel... well, more overwhelmed. The good news about overwhelm, compared with many other physical and mental health concerns, is that it can be addressed through a series of small, meaningful, and often free or inexpensive actions that add up over time. 

Here are five that I consistently use and have significantly reduced my own feelings of overwhelm: 

Pick a Quit Time Every Day

In busy seasons, I have a tendency to work late into the night. This quietly teaches my brain that it has to work until… well, forever. As a result, it has stopped believing that rest will come, which can lead to a sense of overwhelm.

Choosing a specific stop time each night and sticking to it helps my nervous system remember that energy is finite and that rest is coming. But, the key part in ‘quit times’ is the “sticking to it” part because if you pick a quit time and then blow past it, you have not rebuilt trust, only reinforced that you believe the brain and body are a machine that should be productive forever. 

Respected quit times create a predictable rhythm, and repeated rhythms create safety in the brain and body. (And it's a great step in the larger realm of building a rhythming practice!)

Schedule One Fun Thing

In overwhelming times, one of my favorite strategies is simply scheduling an activity with a friend in the future. Having something to look forward to a week from now, when I’m having a hard Tuesday, is such a delight. In busy seasons, I lower my expectation of the scale of the activity… it doesn’t have to be so elaborate. A 45-minute coffee date, a walk and talk in the park, or even simply doing tasks you don’t want to do like running errands together, can be so lovely. I find that connection and community are powerful antidotes in hard times.

Simplify and Decrease Decision Fatigue Around Food

I’m admittedly not a great cook, and unless I have unlimited time to put something together, cooking isn’t something that feels rejuvenating or sparks joy. I keep a short list of meals for busy seasons that are easy, quick, nutrient-dense, and, most importantly, low-decision, and I simply put them on repeat. This, in turn, simplifies the grocery list and reduces the decisions to make in a hectic grocery store. 

To make food even less stressful, I do grocery delivery, usually through Whole Foods. Fresh, healthy produce on my doorstep saves me time, energy, and often money because I’m not impulse-buying anything. Fewer choices when I’m hungry, and fewer grocery decisions equal a lower mental load and less friction in one area of my life.

Support the Shift from “Work Mode” to “Rest Mode”

Switching from “work mode” to “rest mode” can feel harder during overwhelming times, and I’ve found it’s even harder for folks who work from home because there's no physical separation. I find that having an activity at the end of the workday is incredibly helpful for shifting my brain.

Recently, I’ve been alternating between calling a friend, going for a walk, fishing, or sitting in the hot tub reading a non-medical book. These activities signal to my brain that the workday is complete and we’re shifting gears.

Reduce Screentime Without Willpower

This is obviously the hardest one. We all know that scrolling and looking at screens less often will decrease our sense of overwhelm and general anxiety; however, our devices are designed to keep us coming back for more, and so it’s become harder than ever. So, instead of relying on willpower, I opt to change my environment to put my phone down. I find that going to places with naturally less cell service, like on a hike or to the lake, or even simply leaving my phone in the other room, makes it easier to disconnect.

The goal of these tools and strategies is to reduce external inputs and create more spaciousness in our days and lives, which not only has the benefit of reducing feelings of overwhelm but also can increase the amount of creativity we experience. When we live with greater intentionality and set boundaries around our time and what we consume, we are free to enjoy the moment. While all of this takes time and the building of systems, the small steps and tasks do add up and have made me feel less overwhelmed, even in the face of less-than-calm external circumstances. 

If you’d like help reducing the overwhelm in your life, let’s work together! Schedule a free consult here!

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RELATED: 

The 7 Books I Read in My Burnout Recovery 

The Burnout Recovery Blueprint: 5 Steps to Energy, Balance, and Joy

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Please note that this post is for informational purposes only, is not medical advice, and does not constitute a doctor-patient relationship. Please speak to your physician before implementing any changes related to your health.