It happens to almost everyone at some point in their lives. People get too busy and have a lot on their plates, and it doesn’t matter if it seems trivial to someone else. After all, everyone has a different-sized plate, made with different materials. Overwhelm is overwhelm, and people who feel that pressure might need support. Here are a few ideas for when to send someone who you know is feeling like life is just a little too full right now.
Comfort Food
Seriously, sometimes when you’re overwhelmed, you just need to sit down with some mac and cheese. Maybe it’s a plate of meatloaf and mashed potatoes. Virtually everyone has that favorite dish, or pair of dishes, that says, “It’s going to be alright.” It brings back memories of childhood, no worries, and constant comfort and safety, even if your childhood didn’t exactly look like that. Comfort foods are those that are rich, flavorful, and nutrient-dense.
To send someone comfort food, first figure out what their specific comfort foods are. When they’re telling you how overwhelmed they are, remind them that there was a time when they weren’t so stressed out. Then, ask what their favorite dish is that makes them feel comforted. Maybe it’s lasagna. It might be tacos. It could be chicken soup. You can either make the dish and bring it over or send it as part of a get-well care package. It will offer a moment of relief during busy times.
Snacks and Treats
Of course, it’s not only comfort food that brings relief. So many people de-stress by eating their emotions. And while you don’t want to encourage this in an ongoing fashion as an unhealthy habit, you can definitely support a little emotional eating as a quick pick-me-up during a particularly chaotic point in someone’s life. These treats may be chocolate chip cookies, a box of chocolates, or even a bag of sour gummy worms.
The key is to find out what your friend or family member’s favorite treat is and go from there. Have a conversation with them about how reaching for a snack when you’re stressed out sometimes helps take the pressure off. Then ask what they’re favorite treat is. You can build a care package or fill a decorative box with a few bags of treats and some homemade snacks. It offers both a sugar high and a reminder that you’re there for them.
Cozy Care Items
Sometimes, the reason someone is so stressed out and overwhelmed is because they won’t force themselves to slow down. It can be so easy to just keep rushing and racing through life, especially when you’ve got multiple irons in the fire. College kids might have side jobs or extracurriculars. Mothers may be working and caring for aging parents. Fathers may be trying to balance work and home. A care package with self-care items is a good reminder to slow down.
Obviously, you’ll want this gift to be specific to your friend or family member, but there are a few reliable items to include. Fill a basket with cozy socks, a warm blanket, and candles to light in the house. Then, you can add cozy items that support their specific interests. It might be a good book, a yoga mat, or a stuffed animal. These personalized gifts let your friend or family member know you care about their well-being and want the best for them.
Cleaning Services
Of course, in many cases, overwhelm is a result of being legitimately overwhelmed. Your friend or family member may just not have enough hours in the day to handle all of their tasks, and the best thing you can send is help. Often, when someone is stressed out with too much on their plate, cleaning is the task that falls by the wayside. Then, as the house, car, and kids become messier and messier, they feel even more overwhelmed.
You can relieve some of this stress by sending cleaning services to their home. Call a local maid service, get prices, and consider paying for a couple of weeks of deep cleaning. This gift can have multiple benefits, not the least of which is getting your loved one’s house cleaned. A clean space also supports strong mental health, which can bring someone out of a state of anxiety or depression.
Childcare Services
Finally, and yet perhaps most importantly, taking care of children can feel like a full-time job, if not more. So if you have a loved one who’s raising children and busy with other aspects of life, the overwhelm can set in fast. What makes this part of life even more challenging is that parents can often feel a tremendous amount of guilt over their busy schedules. This guilt then only adds to the stress and pressure even more.
If you’re an aunt, uncle, grandparent, or close friend of a parent who’s feeling overwhelmed, you can help out by picking up the kids from school. You might offer to take them for a sleepover. You might even just take them for an ice cream and a park date once a week. While this gift isn’t technically something you “send” to a loved one, it will almost certainly send them into a more peaceful and relaxed state of mind. And that counts.
In the end, you have many options for sending various care packages or forms of help to a friend or family member who is feeling overwhelmed. Whether it’s a cozy blanket, a home-cooked meal, or a babysitter, every little moment of relief can have a huge impact. Plus, perhaps the greatest gift you can give someone suffering from stress and overwhelm is compassion. Quite often, just feeling like they’re invisible labor isn’t going unrecognized can take a huge weight off their shoulders.
Published by HOLR Magazine.