If you have a super-packed schedule, some stress relief advice can fall short. You might ask yourself: “When am I going to find time for exercise or meditation?” You might be juggling work (or working multiple jobs), parenting, and caregiving responsibilities — and lacking free time.
1. Identify What Stress Looks Like for You
It’s important to know what stress looks like for you, says Farnoosh Nouri, PhD, a clinical assistant professor at Southern Methodist University and a practicing psychotherapist in Dallas. “Ask yourself, ‘How does stress show up for me mentally and physically?’” Dr. Nouri says.
What stresses one person out may not stress someone else out. And how stress shows up for one person may not be how stress shows up for you. Identifying your personal stress triggers and symptoms allows you to intervene early to prevent stress from becoming overwhelming.
2. Try a (Quick) Breathing Exercise
You don’t need a 30-minute meditation routine to destress. Doing a few three- to five-minute deep breathing exercises throughout the day is a great start, Nouri says.
“Begin with awareness of your breath,” she suggests. “Notice how deeply or shallowly you breathe at a given moment.” From there, inhale to the count of four, hold your breath for four seconds, and exhale to the count of six, she says.
3. Tense and Release
You can also help calm your body through a technique called progressive muscle relaxation, Dr. Wallach says. To do this, contract a particular muscle group, hold it, then release it. Then, do the same with another group of muscles. For example, you might start by tensing and relaxing your toes and gradually work your way up to your face and head, one muscle group at a time.
Research suggests this technique can be helpful for reducing stress, anxiety, and depression.
Pairing this exercise with breath work or imagining a calming landscape can enhance relaxation, Nouri says.
If you only have time to do it once, Wallach recommends tensing and releasing tension in the shoulders. However, the greatest benefits typically come from repeatedly tensing and releasing different muscles to help your body exit a fight-or-flight state.
4. Do Short Bursts of Exercise
You might not have time for a daily hour-long session at the gym, but even quick bursts of exercise may help you feel more balanced, says Dale Larson, PhD, a licensed clinical psychologist and marriage and family therapist who researches stress management at Santa Clara University in California. For example, he suggests doing a few push-ups at your desk or walking a lap around the block.
5. Connect With a Friend
Seeking social support can be another effective way to reduce stress without taking much time from your day. One study, for example, showed that spending unstructured time with friends helped people recover from stress. So you don’t necessarily need to make specific plans — just being together can have positive effects.
Talking with a friend who understands your specific situation may be especially helpful. “One of the best ways to counteract burnout is to contact friends, especially those in a similar field or job, because they have deep empathy for your struggles,” Larson says.
6. Prioritize
Getting organized can make an overloaded schedule feel more manageable. “Ask yourself, ‘What do you need to get done today?’” Wallach says. She suggests homing in on just two or three priorities.
If your day doesn’t go to plan and you keep getting interrupted by urgent tasks, do a nightly check-in, Nouri says. “Every night, spend 10 to 15 minutes reviewing what you got done from your to-do list today and what needs to transfer to tomorrow,” she says. This way, you can go to bed with peace of mind, knowing you have a plan for the coming day. Also, reviewing your list upon waking can provide an immediate sense of direction and control.
7. Shift Your Thinking
Try to recognize when negative thinking is getting in the way of your goals, Nouri says. Negative thoughts could include, “I’m not doing enough” or “Everything is going wrong.”
To think more positively, try to reframe challenges and responsibilities as opportunities to help you meet your goal, whether that’s working on a degree or advancing your career, Nouri says.
A lack of recognition and support at work is a common cause of stress, Larson says. One way to shift your thinking and thus protect yourself in this situation is to acknowledge that you’re doing the best you can with the resources available to you. For example, if you’re overburdened with a big project that your supervisor won’t let you push back: “Remind yourself, ‘It’s not my fault if this doesn’t work out the way I want to because I’m in a system that doesn’t support me,’” Larson says.
8. Ask for Help
People often feel ashamed to admit things aren’t working, Wallach says. “Be curious about that feeling,” she suggests. Ask yourself questions like: ‘Where did not wanting to ask for help come from? Is it hurting me? Does it serve me? How do I feel about it?’”
Remember that everyone struggles with their workload at times, and you’re not alone.
If you truly don’t have someone to assist with a specific responsibility, Wallach suggests breaking it into smaller, more manageable tasks.
To ask for help at work, the Society for Human Resource Management suggests being explicit about your request and asking individuals, not groups. For instance, if you’re stressed about meeting a deadline for a big project, you might ask your manager for an extension. Or, you could ask a specific team member if they have the bandwidth to lend a hand. It’s also best to ask in person, not via email, and be clear about the impact their support will have.
The Takeaway
- To manage stress with an overburdened schedule, start by identifying how stress affects you mentally and physically.
- Implement short self-care strategies throughout your day, such as breath work, short bursts of exercise, or reaching out to a friend.
- Focus on what you can control by prioritizing tasks and shifting your thinking toward greater self-compassion.
- Ask for help when you can, and consider speaking to a mental health expert for support if you still feel overwhelmed.
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