8 Ways To Cope When You Feel Frazzled

Frazzled is a word I like to use a lot as it really helps to describe how I’m feeling at times. When you’re not necessarily stressed but things are starting to get a bit much. When you’re not necessarily feeling low but you know if you keep on how you’re going, you’re going to end up neglecting your well-being. When you’re busy – and not necessarily always in a good way. Frazzled is a good word.

Since things in the UK have started to resemble some sort of “normality” again (although who knows how long that’s going to last for), I’ve definitely been feeling frazzled a lot more. June was a particularly busy month for me. Work and blogging was SUPER hectic – I was loving creating content and working with brands. My income was the highest it’s ever been and I was really putting in the hours.

But my personal life was also getting busier too, as more and more places were starting to open and my boyfriend and I were making more and more plans. I had my boyfriend’s birthday, race events and Brands Hatch, dinners, cinema trips and much more. And although I do tend to strive when I’m busy, I could feel it getting a bit much. And as we headed into July… things didn’t change.

I could feel myself getting frazzled.

And when I get frazzled, it doesn’t take long for it to turn into full-blown stress, anxiety, depression and ultimately ending up in a really crappy place. So I needed to nip it in the bud. And quick.

Feeling frazzled (or your idea of frazzled) might look different to everyone. But to me, it indicates that:

• I have too much going on / too many plans
• I’m struggling to prioritize and complete tasks
• I’m finding it hard to concentrate on leisure activities
• I’m neglecting my personal well-being and self care

When any one of those 4 things start cropping up, I know I need to step back and re-evaluate. Before it gets too much.

I can’t imagine I’m the only person to have felt this way lately, since things have started to feel “back to normal” (will I ever not put the word normal in quotation marks ever again?) so if you can resonate with feeling a bit frazzled as of late, here are 8 tips which I use that really help me when I’m feeling that way!

Stop whatever you’re doing and take a deep breath

Honestly, I know this sounds so cliché BUT it really does help. In the moment, when you’re wondering how on Earth you’re going to get everything done, just stop and take a deep breath. Don’t rush it, feel it. Take a conscious breath and feel your diaphragm expand. Close your eyes if you can, too. Just stop and take one single moment – for you.

Related read: 5 Yoga Practices For Stress Relief

Stop multi-tasking and focus on one thing at a time

Now we can’t just stop and consciously breathe all day. I know we’re frazzled but we still have sh*t to do. So now it’s time to stop multi-tasking and start focusing on one thing at a time. Because I can bet that if you’re feeling frazzled, you’re NOT focusing on one thing at a time. Check what tabs you have open, what devices you’re using, how many things you’re currently doing. And stop it.

Reassess your priorities – start saying no to things more

If you’re going through a general period of time where you feel frazzled quite regularly then it’s obviously not one singular thing that’s causing it – it’s a combination. So you’re going to need to reassess your priorities and start saying no to things more. Just because everything is open again, doesn’t mean you have to do all the things, all the time!

Related read: When Is It Important To Say No?

Step away from whatever it is making you frazzled

And if it’s possible for you, step away from whatever it is that’s making you feel frazzled the most. Of course, if it’s work, then you can’t just get up and leave the office. But there’s always something you can do. If it is work, perhaps take a walk on your lunch break. Or just have a 5 minute breather in the loo to breathe, splash your face with water and re-group.

Break down your tasks to make them manageable 

This is handy for whatever your job or whatever it is that’s making you feel frazzled. I do this a lot with my blog, especially when I have a collaboration I need to work on. I’ll break it down into, 1. Write the post, 2. Take photos, 3. Edit photos, 4. Add photos to post etc. etc just to make it more manageable and trust me, it really works!

Get outside into nature or get in some exercise 

I know nature and exercise are on the list for everything. They seem to be a miracle cure for just about every emotion you might be feeling. But… am I wrong? There’s nothing more simple than a walk in nature. Something that’s the complete opposite of when you’re feeling frazzled. So try it – see how you feel afterwards! And exercise is just great to get that pend up energy out of your system.

Book yourself in for a complete day off / self care day

Again, if you’re going through an extended period of time when you’re feeling frazzled then this one is for YOU! Book it in to your diary. Pencil out an ENTIRE day, just for you. It doesn’t matter what you do; as long as it’s something that makes you happy, keeps you relaxed and definitely doesn’t amplify those frazzled feelings you’ve been having!

Related reads:

• How To Be More Mindful With Your Self Care
• Unusual Self Care Ideas If You’re Bored of Baths & Candles
• 30 Self Care Ideas in 10 Minutes Or Less

Journal it out – what’s making you feel frazzled?

And finally, something else that seems to fix everything but it really can help. Journal it out. You might not actually understand why you’re feeling frazzled. When you’re in the middle of that energy, it can be hard to string a coherent thought together. So when you have a quiet moment, take it to your journal. You might be surprised with what comes up for you!

Related read: 31 Self Discovery Journal Prompts

We all feel frazzled from time to time – it’s nothing to be ashamed about or try to hide. Sometimes, we just need a day off. We just need a couple of hours to decompress and do nothing. We just need to lay on the grass and look at the sky or take a 2 hour nap on a Tuesday afternoon. And it’s absolutely okay to accept that you might need some time for yourself.

Have you been feeling frazzled lately? What have you been doing to help yourself? Will you be taking any of these tips on board? Let me know in the comments!

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