Constantly feeling overwhelmed is something that everyone in their 20s feels. There’s so much to do and learn in such little time. Especially with the pressure of social media, it feels like you have to be an expert in everything. In today’s blog post, I’ll walk through 5 tangible ways you can start managing your life if you are feeling overwhelmed.
Keep a Notebook Handy
Feeling overwhelmed in your 20s is usually accompanied by a lot of thoughts about things to do, things to get done, or even just how you are feeling. A tangible way to get ahold of life is to keep a notebook with you. This is where you can write down thoughts, make a brain dump column, or even a daily important task list.
This notebook is just a holding spot for anything that comes into your mind and is easy to take around. You’ll start feeling less overwhelmed pretty quickly because you’ll have a place to store all your ideas.
Try out Notion if you prefer a digital notebook!
{Related Post: The Best Time Management Advice for Young Professionals in Their 20s}
Tackle One Area a Day
Often we get overwhelmed because we are trying to get too many things done in a day that are not connected. For instance, you are trying to eat healthier, create content, hang out with a friend, clean your apartment, and go to the gym.
These drastically different tasks take mind power to switch over and get ready for a new task. This leaves you feeling overwhelmed and you end up watching Netflix. Instead, focus on one main improvement or task each day. If it is working out, you can typically pair eating healthy with it as a good combo. If you are trying to do some content creation, maybe you film yourself cleaning your apartment.
Focusing on one area will help you feel less overwhelmed and more motivated to get things done.
Establish Routines
In college, almost every day was different from the time you woke up to when you went to sleep. As we transition into real “adulthood” it is important to establish routines to avoid feeling overwhelmed.
Because we know we need 8 hours of sleep and have 8 hours of work, we can easily set times around when we should be in bed and when to wake up. Establishing these routines helps you feel less overwhelmed because you’ll no longer feel like you are running behind schedule or constantly trying to play catch up.
Establishing proper morning and evening routines gives you a self-care act to look forward to while keeping you in check about what can realistically get done each day.
{Related Post: How to be Happy: 7 Tips to Creating a Growth Mindset}
Keep Building Your Network
The friendships we make in our 20s are crucial. Connecting with others and building a support network is one of the best ways to avoid feeling overwhelmed. These are people you can talk to about situations but also feel re-energized after a dinner.
A source of feeling overwhelmed often stems from loneliness because we are trying to do all of these things and build better habits. You’ll find that when you intentionally take the time to make plans or call a friend, you feel a lot less anxious and calm afterward.
Start These Few Easy Habits
Our 20s can be all about building good habits. While there are probably hundreds that we can benefit from, it is easiest to start with a few simple ones. These are easy, take little time, and make a world of difference:
Make Your Bed: Everyone says it, but it’s true. Making your bed cleans up your environment and makes it feel like you already accomplished a task. That little boost is the motivation you need to keep going.
Clean Up at Night: Take 5 minutes in the evenings to put things back in place and reset your space. Taking just a few minutes to do this means you’ll wake up to a clutter-free environment and mind.
Take a Walk: Sometimes it’s not feasible to go workout. But getting into the habit of staying active is important. So make it a habit to get outside and take a walk at minimum each day to keep your body moving. This also helps with mindfulness.
I’ll stop there but continuously learning, eating healthy, and prioritizing sleep are also incredibly important.
{Related Post: 5 Work-Life Balance Hacks for the Desi Girl in Your 20s}
Final Thoughts
I hope you found this blog post on tangible ways to manage life if you are feeling overwhelmed to be helpful! Comment below with any tips you also have!
With love,
Aditi <3
Aditi Rani – Figuring Out Life in Your Twenties
*Disclaimer: This is not professional advice. Some links are affiliate. By clicking and/or purchasing, I may receive a commission. It does not alter the price or change your buyer experience.
