“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes… including you.” 
— Anne Lamott

Whether it’s the winter doldrums, the news of the day, the hectic pace of work or yet another signal problem on your subway line, there are many reasons you may be feeling overwhelmed.

And while it may sound counterintuitive, slowing down and taking the time to nurture yourself — in the ways you most need — can help you overcome those feelings of overwhelm and be more present for yourself, your colleagues, friends and family.

The antidote to stress

Start by identifying your needs. Reflect on what you need emotionally, physically and mentally. When you think about the ways you’d like your life to feel, what stands out most: a need for calm, rest and sleep; more experiences where you are learning new things and feeling challenged; or clearing out space and decluttering your home or work environment? Only you can determine what will fulfill you most meaningfully.

There are, of course, some truisms for everyone: We can all benefit from getting enough sleep each night. If that means pushing your bedtime back 15 minutes earlier each night until you get to your ideal time, go for it! The same goes for a healthy diet, with enough colorful fruits and veggies, water for hydration and healthy protein to sustain your energy. We also all need some form of exercise each day, whether that comes from going to the gym, participating in sports, shoveling snow, learning tai-chi or yoga, dancing, walking or your favorite form of movement.

And we can all benefit from showing ourselves the same compassion we reserve for friends and loved ones. This means really looking at your inner dialogue, and replacing negative comments with the more positive ones you would offer a friend or loved one who had a difficult day or experience. In place of “I’m no good at this,” try “I can do this with practice.” Small changes in attitude can make a big difference.

Do meaningful things for yourself. Try cooking something new if you enjoy the culinary arts, buy yourself flowers, or book yourself a massage or a sauna. Make time for a daily meditation, even if it’s just 10 minutes. Try journaling at the beginning or end of each day and see how that affects your mood. 

Set intentions and boundaries to protect your time and quality of life. Once you have determined what is most important for you in each day, learn how to say no to people and things that don’t serve your goals. That means saying no to relationships that bring more stress than happiness, turning off your phone to give yourself a true break and saying no to invitations for events you don’t truly want to participate in.

Connect to nature each day. Whatever the weather, get out in it! As the Scandinavians say, there’s no bad weather, only bad clothing.  Enjoy the healing benefits of a walk outdoors, where you can watch birds and squirrels engaging in their daily routines and ground yourself in the reality that we are a part of nature, too. Time outdoors has been shown to reduce anxiety and stress, and who doesn’t need that?

Make time for joyful activities. Whether that’s an evening out with friends, reading a book, going out to hear music, painting or crafting, or even the small pleasure of sipping coffee and letting your mind wander. Build in moments of joy throughout your day.