Try This 5-Minute Mental Exercise When You’re Feeling Overwhelmed
Is your head spinning? Grab a pen.
It’s probably safe to say that, at some point this week, you felt overwhelmed.
One of the biggest issues with overwhelm is that it can be completely paralyzing. How can you figure out what to do or think with so many emotions, sensations, and thoughts competing for your attention?
As a therapist living and working in New York, I’ve been hearing this complaint from clients a lot — and I’ve been experiencing it myself, too. To that end, I’ve created a five-minute trick you can use to break down your mindset and make a clear path forward. This exercise is helpful whether you’re feeling too much, you’re confused about what you’re feeling, or you can’t even start to process what’s going on internally. Some indicators of this last one are a strong need to avoid others or to distract yourself, whether that’s with wine or reality TV. Other signs of overwhelm include brain fog, feeling on edge, and fatigue or numbness.
This trick can be done on a piece of paper or a touchscreen (or even in your head, if you’re in a pinch). First, draw a large circle. Next to it, make a list of everything you’re feeling, emotionally and physically. Maybe your chest is tight with anxiety about your job, you’re angry about…
