Maybe it’s piled-up housework, looming work deadlines, or negative news stories. Whatever the cause, feeling overwhelmed can seriously affect your mental state — and your physical health, too.
“Overwhelm isn’t just ‘in your head.’ It activates deep stress circuits in the brain, which can result in flooding the body with [stress hormones like] cortisol and adrenaline,” says Hayley Nelson, PhD, a neuroscientist and the founder of The Academy of Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, an online education platform, in Downingtown, Pennsylvania.
In the short term, this sharpens your focus and primes you for action. But when stress lingers, it can impair memory and learning, disrupt sleep, weaken immunity, and even reduce brain volume over time. “This is why it’s so important to recognize and address feelings of overwhelm early,” Dr. Nelson says.
Here are the strategies psychologists employ themselves to regain control in moments of overwhelm.
1. Make a Priority List
When you’ve got a lot on your plate, it can be tempting to try to check off multiple things at once — like sending emails during a meeting, or making a doctor’s appointment while you’re cooking dinner. Multitasking can backfire, though.
That’s because your brain doesn’t truly multitask, Nelson says. What you’re really doing is switching rapidly between tasks, which drains your mental energy. “This task-switching can intensify feelings of overwhelm,” she adds.
Instead, Nelson says when her to-do list is a mile long, she focuses on one thing at a time. Specifically, she commits 20 to 25 minutes of deep focus to one task, then takes a five-minute break. “This conserves cognitive energy and increases efficiency,” she says.
Research shows that this approach, called the Pomodoro technique, is more effective at enhancing productivity than a less structured approach.
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The study notes that having a clear break time in sight helped participants better maintain focus during work periods and avoid the burnout that can come with prolonged concentration. It also took away the stress of deciding if and when to take a break.
As for what task to tackle first? Write down all of the tasks you need to complete, and then circle the one or two items that need immediate attention, suggests Supatra Tovar, PsyD, a licensed clinical psychologist in Pasadena, California. “That simple act of prioritization can create a sense of relief and clarity.”
2. Reframe Negative Thoughts
Sometimes, when we’re overwhelmed, we may take that negative feeling and turn it into a negative thought. “Suddenly, feeling stressed turns into ‘I can’t do this’ or ‘This is too hard,’” says Sara Bennett, LCSW, a licensed clinical social worker and psychotherapist with OSF HealthCare in Alton, Illinois. These negative thoughts can decrease your confidence and ultimately increase your stress levels, she says.
But remember: Feelings are not facts. When you catch yourself thinking this way, try reframing these thoughts into a more positive outlook. For example, Bennett says when things feel insurmountable, she may tell herself, “This is challenging, but I can do hard things” or “This will take some time, but I am going to start with step one.” This type of positive thinking is linked to better psychology and physical well-being.
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3. Set Clear Boundaries
Setting boundaries on your time, attention, and effort is a key strategy to managing the state of overwhelm, says Colleen Neumann, PsyD, a Reston, Virginia-based licensed clinical psychologist.
A boundary is a line in the sand, so to speak, used to help you set realistic limits on your participation in a relationship or activity. Sticking to clear boundaries can help protect your mental well-being and reduce feelings of stress.
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When it comes to activities, Dr. Tovar says she identifies which tasks she realistically can and cannot take on, so she avoids committing to too much at once. That might mean saying no, or simply letting others know when she’s unavailable, she says.
In relationships, Dr. Neumann says she aims to limit the time she spends with people who drain her energy or provoke negative feelings.
Boundaries are also helpful when it comes to the time you spend reading the news or scrolling social media. “With patients, I talk about consciously consuming media and reducing exposure to content or topics that are upsetting,” Neumann says. That might mean setting limits on screen time or blocking certain social media accounts.
4. Delegate Whenever Possible
Boundary-setting and delegating go hand in hand. “Overwhelm often comes from saying yes to too much, or from trying to handle everything alone,” Tovar says. That’s why, she says, once she’s established what she can and cannot realistically do, she then asks others for the support she needs to get a task or project done.
The key to delegating effectively is to trust that the other person is capable, be clear in your communication, and avoid micromanaging. Instead of handing off a vague task, like “make the kids’ doctor appointments,” Tovar says she’ll specify the outcome she’s looking for and provide any key details (such as ideal dates and times for the appointments and the name and number for the doctor), then step back and let the person handle it.
Think of it this way: Delegating doesn’t mean giving up responsibility, but rather redistributing effort so your brain can stay focused on other things, Nelson says.
5. Celebrate Small ‘Wins’
When you’re faced with a monumental task or a seemingly endless to-do list, celebrating small achievements along the way can help buoy your motivation and reduce feelings of overwhelm.
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“A win might be ‘I drafted the first section’ or ‘I made the phone call I’ve been avoiding,’” Tovar says. She acknowledges these moments out loud or writes them down, so her brain reinforces the progress. “The positive reinforcement from the celebration can help fuel the motivation to continue to the next step,” Tovar says.
This can also boost dopamine (a “feel good” brain chemical), which in turn boosts mood and our ability to focus, Bennett says.
6. Pause to Relax
To manage overwhelming feelings quickly, Nelson finds it helpful to take just a few minutes to breathe or ground herself in the present moment. This can help calm the stress-induced fight-or-flight response and activate the “rest and digest” system, she says.
She recommends grounding techniques like the 5-4-3-2-1 exercise: Name five things you can see, four you can touch, three you can hear, two you can smell, and one you can taste. “It’s a simple way to pull the nervous system back into the present,” Nelson says. Before starting this exercise, take a few slow, deep breaths to instill a sense of calm.
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Nelson also practices box breathing: inhale for a count of four, hold for four, exhale for four, and hold for four, then repeat the whole process four times. “This can regulate the autonomic nervous system and send ‘safety’ signals to the brain,” she says.
You can do these relaxation exercises in the moment or practice them consistently for a few minutes each day. “Repeatedly practicing small stress-relief habits trains the brain to bounce back more quickly when stressors arise,” Nelson says.
7. Set Aside Time to Worry
Believe it or not, scheduling time to worry into your day may help you stop feeling so overwhelmed. “Research shows that scheduling daily ‘worry time’ can prevent rumination from dominating your day,” Nelson says.
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Rumination is a repetitive, negative thought process that often increases stress levels.
Here’s how Nelson worries smarter: She sets aside 15 minutes in the evening to write down her worries and explore possible solutions. When anxious thoughts arise earlier in the day, she reminds herself to save them for “worry time.” This creates mental boundaries and gives the brain space to focus during the day, she says.
When to Get Help for Stress
If you’ve tried the above tactics and still can’t manage feelings of overwhelm on your own or feel like they’re interfering with your daily life, consider reaching out to a mental health professional.
A psychologist or other mental health provider may recommend talk therapy, medication, or a combination of the two to help you effectively cope with these feelings and prevent them from recurring in the future.
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The Takeaway
- Feeling overwhelmed for prolonged periods of time can affect both mental and physical health.
- To manage these feelings, psychologists recommend setting clear boundaries, celebrating small wins, and taking a moment for a deep-breathing or grounding exercise.
- Seek help from a mental health provider if feelings of overwhelm are persistent or interfering with daily activities.
