Feeling Fed Up With Everything? 5 Tips for Coping with Frustration

It is not always that things go according to plans. Sometimes things will fall apart even after careful planning. Of course, no one is immune to frustration. Such situations can be downright frustrating even to the strongest of persons.

There are those times that you can view frustration as a normal reaction and bounce back right away. However, what can you do when frustration starts weighing you down? The truth is that one can only deal with too much frustration. When frustrating situations happen in a sequence, or when you let frustration sit in for a long time, it is easy to feel fed up with everything. You start contemplating giving up on everything and everyone.

However, it doesn’t have to get to this point. Here are 5 ways that you can cope with frustration in life.

1) Take a break

When you are handling a frustrating task, continuing on it can only breed more frustration. Instead of insisting on something that is not working, give yourself a break from the task. Just a few minutes away are enough to calm and rejuvenate your mind. You give yourself a chance to walk away from the negative feelings into a different environment. When you move to a new environment, the perspective of how you see things changes. You start thinking in a different way and seeing things in a different light. It becomes easy to spot the area you are doing wrong and find a solution to your problems. 

Sometimes feelings of frustration can be long-term and grow into a state of burnout. In this situation, it is best to take a well-deserved vacation. If you’d like to be somewhere subtropical, such as Southwest Florida, the sun will definitely leave you feeling rejuvenated and re-energized. If you’d like to be alone by yourself for a while, maybe renting out an apartment, such as a vacation rental, would be a great decision, as you get to benefit from the relaxed atmosphere, and not be in contact with too many people.

2) Think positively

If you can be truthful to yourself, the frustrating situation you are dealing with isn’t your first and definitely not your last. You have probably dealt with worse situations and you overcame them. When you start feeling frustrated, remind yourself of the times that you triumphed in the midst of difficulties. Doing this will help you realize that every problem has a solution. It will also remind you that bad times don’t last forever. Instead of dwelling on the negativity, you will find the motivation to start looking for solutions, rather than taking the easier route of giving up.

3) Exercise

Bottling up negative feelings inside is a time bomb waiting to explode. You will find yourself venting it out to people around you, which can actually make you feel worse. Instead of keeping up all the negative energy inside, release it through vigorous physical movements. Taking a run as you stop to punch in the air is, for instance, a good way to let out some of the negative energy. You can also try biking which is good at activating your feel-good hormones.

4) Change your lifestyle

If you continually get frustrated, it can be an indication of something you are doing wrong in your life. For instance, you could be saying yes to every request that is thrown at you. Consequently, you find yourself jammed up with tasks that you need to handle. This could mean that you have less time to think through the tasks and end up applying tactics that don’t work, ending in frustration. You need to take a good audit of your lifestyle. If you find something that needs to change, turn it around. In this case, teach yourself to say no to things that you cannot handle. You will cut down on commitments, which will get rid of some of the stresses.

5) Distract yourself

When feeling frustrated, thoughts can run wide and far. However, if you dwell on them, you end up creating a mountain out of a molehill. You need to move away from the negative thoughts for you to move on. The best way to do this is by distracting yourself with other tasks. For instance, you can cook, paint, or weave something.  Redecorating and making your home feel cozy can be especially therapeutic. 

Besides being a good distraction, it involves a lot of decision-making and cognitive thoughts that can teach you that it is possible to shift your thoughts if need be. It is also a healthy challenge that helps you see the frustration in a different light. Redecorating itself can be frustrating at times, but when you achieve that cozy house, you realize that good things come after perseverance.

If you have been planning to finally give your house the home addition you’ve been dreaming of, now is always the right time to do it.

Conclusion

Frustration is a normal reaction to failed plans and efforts. It is normal in life to experience such situations. The secret to dealing with frustration lies in not dwelling on the thoughts and feelings of frustration. Get up and do something about it. The above tips give a starting point.