Pre-Apocalyptic Tasks: What to Do Before You Have a Meltdown
It’s been a terrible day. Maybe you were a few minutes late getting out the door and somehow managed to hit every single red light on your way to work. There was conflict with coworkers, customers, clients, or supervisors, and it seemed like everyone believed it to be your fault. You come home to a pile of dishes or laundry that needs to be done, kids or pets or partners that need attention, and a lingering sense that you’ve forgotten something important. You feel overwhelmed and ready to snap at someone— or fall into despair. A meltdown is coming.
Does any of this sound familiar?
Why We Get Overwhelmed?
Daily life can feel like a never-ending stream of responsibilities, stressors, and expectations. If we could take a step back to recognize just how much effort we put into each day, we might realize just how strong and resilient we actually are. But too often, we get caught up in the demands of the day that we hardly notice our bodies and minds becoming increasingly overburdened. Then the proverbial straw lands on our backs, and suddenly, everything feels like too much.
Depression, anxiety, trauma, and relationship distress can make it even harder.
When we are depressed, everything can seem hopeless. We might have thoughts like “What’s the point?” Anxiety can make a crisis out of every interaction and opportunity. Struggling with psychological distress may create additional barriers to engaging in self-care, socialization, and even enjoyable activities, so it becomes even more important to develop strategies that can bring us back from the edge of a potential meltdown.
Creating a Pre-Meltdown Checklist
A pre-meltdown checklist is exactly what it sounds like, with a little irreverence and levity mixed in. I like to think of it like this: here is a list of things I have to do before I am allowed to assume that everything is and will always be terrible, a pause button.
Here is an example of my checklist, with some added context and commentary:
1. Take a hot shower: This is always a big one for me and often my first step. When I’m not feeling my best, I often resist doing things that require effort, even if I know they’ll help. One way I get myself past this mental block is to try to make it an automatic behavior or do it without thinking. The warmth soothes tense muscles, and the sensory change helps me shift gears. It always makes me feel a little better.
2. Drink a large glass of water: Maybe I’m just dehydrated? It sounds simple, but dehydration can make fatigue, irritability, and headaches worse. A cold glass of water is refreshing and an easy way to care for my body in the moment.
3. Move my body for at least 10 minutes: I don’t need to go for a full workout— just some stretching or a walk around the neighborhood. Moving releases endorphins, which naturally help reduce stress and improve mood.
4. Go outside: Bonus: Identify a plant, a bird, a cloud shape, or a constellation. Fresh air and a change of scenery can be incredibly grounding. Plus, focusing on small details in nature helps redirect our attention away from negative thoughts.
5. Do a 5-minute mindfulness meditation: There are several meditation apps, or you can easily find YouTube videos with guided meditations. Mindfulness helps bring us back to the present moment instead of spiraling into worst-case scenarios.
6. Savor a treat: Personal favorites— honey crisp apples, honey vanilla chamomile tea, and chocolate peanut butter cups.
7. Play with my cat (or other pets!): Animals have an amazing way of offering comfort and distraction.
8. Call a family member or friend: Even a short conversation with someone who cares can make a difference. Sometimes, just hearing another voice reminds me that I’m not alone.
9. Listen to a song I like and sing out loud: Music is powerful. It can shift moods almost instantly. My go-to? What’s Up by 4 Non Blondes. Singing out loud helps release tension.
10. Watch Lord of the Rings: No explanation needed; if you know, you know.
11. Go to sleep and revisit in the morning: A good night’s sleep can provide a much-needed reset.
While the items on my list may or may not resonate with you, here are a few recommendations for creating a list of your own:
1. Include basic self-care items such as sleeping, eating, and resting
2. Incorporate movement
3. Change up your environment and get some fresh air
4. Use your senses to engage in the present moment
5. Personalize it and add things you love
6. Most importantly— make it fun and try to add some humor!
You may want to call your list something different, like a “pre-apocalypse list” or “things to do before assuming the worst.” The important thing is having a set of tools to use when life feels too heavy or overwhelming. There are many benefits to such a list. Each item provides an opportunity to meet a need, engage in an enjoyable activity, connect with something outside ourselves, or get out of rumination and back into the present moment. Additionally, in the time it takes to complete the list we have created distance between ourselves and our stressors, which provides an opportunity to look at them from a new perspective.
Don’t believe me? Watch 12 hours of Lord of the Rings and tell me you’re not convinced of the power of courage, friendship, determination, and the ability of one individual to change the world (or at least their mindset).
About the Author
Brittany McKenzie, LMSW, is a therapist at Low Country Behavioral Health specializing in anxiety and depression in young adults. She aspires to use her love of writing to further the mission of LCBHealth and the values of social work with sincerity and a touch of whimsy. In her free time, she enjoys reading, bird watching with her cat, and cheering on her favorite hockey team.