When you’re overwhelmed, you don’t get into gear. You stop, flounder, and break down. Here are my tips for what to do when you’re feeling stressed out and overwhelmed:  

1. Stop and stand back (or at least slow down). Most of you are trying to rush through life, putting emphasis on things that probably ought not matter. Plus, you often miss things when you rush.Take some time to look at your life and see where you have been rushing.

2. Lower your expectations of yourself and others. You may set ridiculous expectations because it makes you feel better about yourself. However, you’re only setting yourself up for stress and disappointment.

3. Pick one tiny thing and accomplish it. Sometimes when I’m feeling overwhelmed about everything I have to do, I’ll take a moment and just unload the dishwasher. It may be a small thing, but when it’s done, I can stand back and say that I have accomplished something.

4. Reward yourself. Nobody is motivated when you’re mean to them, so don’t be mean to yourself. Give yourself a pat on the back every once in a while instead of always driving yourself into the ground.

5. Ask for help. Whether it’s a family member, therapist, or friend, people care about you and actually want to help you. Just say, “I’m frazzled and need to talk,” or, “Can you come over and help me with this?”