Our minds are basically organized like human computers. If we wish to improve our daily productivity, we need to empty the cache of temporary “files” and reboot our brains to allow us to perform at our peak levels. Otherwise, we can easily experience brain overload. Have you ever been in a situation where nothing seems to go your way, and everything you try to do makes you only overwhelmed?
Everyone reacts differently to stressful situations. What is stressful for one person may not be stressful for another, and almost any event can potentially cause you to feel tense, anxious, and stressed. For some people, just thinking about a trigger or several smaller triggers can cause stress. There is no one specific reason why one person may feel less stressed than another when facing the same stressor. Burnout becomes an issue when you allow those stressors to affect you and your daily life activities instead of tackling them. Many people do not recognize the difference between stress and burnout and avoid talking about their feelings and how it affects them. It is essential to accept the feelings of anxiety and try to realize how to avoid the stressor triggering you the next time the situation comes along.
One thing that helped me find perspective and hope when nothing seems to go my way is setting aside at least up to ten minutes each day to empty and organize my brain. It was hard to begin, as it seemed I have no time for a short reflection, a couple of minutes to write down what I feel and what my day looks like. However, now that I made it a habit and have set aside a few minutes each day to myself and those thoughts that can quickly become too overwhelming, it has drastically improved my ability to focus and complete the tasks that seem challenging when there are infinite thoughts on my mind.
The next time you feel helpless and nothing makes sense to continue, grab your notebook or simply your digital notes on the phone and write. What should you write? That is the tricky part where I had to challenge myself and let my thoughts flow. If you had the worst day at the office or were completely ignored for the work, you put into the assignment that your professor gave to you, write that down. How did it make you feel? Do you have more tasks that are waiting to be completed until tomorrow? Try to schedule a to-do list and put that on your notes. Whenever you feel overly anxious, tense, or stressed, do not let that feeling affect your body and mind without trying to understand what it means. Try to write down everything that you can think of at that particular moment and continue doing that until such a short reflection becomes a habit in your daily life.
