70 Overwhelmed Quotes For When You Just Need a Break

By Danielle Dahl | Updated August 31, 2022

These overwhelmed quotes describe what it feels like to be overwhelmed and provide some advice for students and entrepreneurs, two groups who usually find themselves feeling this way.

Have you been in a situation where you were so emotionally stimulated that you had trouble thinking clearly?

This state of being overcome by intense emotions is known as feeling overwhelmed.

It might happen during a single traumatic experience or could be the result of chronic stress or relationship issues.

Regardless of the cause, being overwhelmed is not fun!

What are some signs that you might be overwhelmed?

Anytime that you feel the intensity of your emotions doesn’t match the actual problem, you might be overwhelmed.

For instance, if you find yourself having a complete meltdown over misplacing something or getting angry over things that you know don’t really matter, then you might be experiencing emotional overwhelm.

You might also be experiencing trouble focusing or sleeping.

Keep reading through these overwhelmed quotes for tips on dealing with overwhelm from the bible and other inspirational sources.

If you are looking for a few concrete things you can do to lessen overwhelm, then be sure to scroll all the way down!

Don’t forget to also check out these comforting quotes for helping yourself and others when it is needed most.

Feeling overwhelmed quotes about life

1. “Promise me you will not spend so much time treading water and trying to keep your head above the waves that you forget, truly forget, how much you have always loved to swim.” — Tyler Knott Gregson

2. “You can’t calm the storm, so stop trying. What you can do is calm yourself. The storm will pass.” — Timber Hawkeye

3. “Life can be magnificent and overwhelming—that is the whole tragedy. Without beauty, love, or danger it would almost be easy to live.” — Albert Camus

4. “Some people believe holding on and hanging in there are signs of great strength. However, there are times when it takes much more strength to know when to let go and then do it.” — Ann Landers

5. “I often think I can’t do this anymore but then I realize what choice do I have?” — Justin Blaney

6. “Sometimes when you’re overwhelmed by a situation—when you’re in the darkest of darkness—that’s when your priorities are reordered.” — Phoebe Snow

7. “Many of us feel stress and get overwhelmed not because we’re taking on too much, but because we’re taking on too little of what really strengthens us.” — Marcus Buckingham

8. “With a fixed mindset, you believe you are who you are and you cannot change. This creates problems when you’re challenged because anything that appears to be more than you can handle is bound to make you feel hopeless and overwhelmed.” — Travis Bradberry

9. “When you can’t cope with change, you feel overwhelmed, and you look for a simple solution.” — Klaus Schwab

10. “Life has many ways of testing a person’s will, either by having nothing happen at all or by having everything happen all at once.” — Paulo Coelho

Overwhelmed quotes for students and entrepreneurs filled with advice

11. “A woman who lives with the stress of an overwhelmed schedule will often ache with the sadness of an underwhelmed soul.” — Lysa Terkeurst

12. “Sometimes you just need to be selfish and take care of you. If they love you, they’ll understand.” — Robert Tew

13. “The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret to getting started is breaking your overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks and then starting on the first one.” — Mark Twain

14. “Some days you will feel like the ocean. Some days you will feel like you are drowning in it.” — Lora Mathis

15. “Dream small dreams. If you make them too big, you get overwhelmed and you don’t do anything. If you make small goals and accomplish them, it gives you the confidence to go on to higher goals.” — John H. Johnson

16. “Tenacity is not about avoiding being overwhelmed but being indomitable in the face of the overwhelming odds of your venture’s failure.” — Andy Dunn

17. “Sound character provides the power with which a person may ride the emergencies of life instead of being overwhelmed by them. Failure is… the highway to success.” — Og Mandino

18. “When I feel like I’m getting overwhelmed, I take a break from my phone and social media to regroup.” — Skai Jackson

19. “Learning to ignore things is one of the great paths to inner peace.” — Robert J. Sawyer

20. “As I have gotten older and wiser, I discovered there are six things that I really loved about my job. Payday, lunchtime, quitting time, vacation time, holidays and of course, retirement.”— Tom Goins

Overwhelmed quotes from the bible and religious figures

21. “When my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” — Psalm 61:2

22. “I think faith is incredibly important because you will become overwhelmed with what’s happening and you will have waves of grief, but when you turn to your faith, I believe God will give you waves of grace to get through it.” — Joel Osteen

23. “I know that each of us has much to do. Sometimes we feel overwhelmed by the tasks we face. But if we keep our priorities in order, we can accomplish all that we should. We can endure to the end regardless of temptations, problems, and challenges.” — Joseph B. Wirthlin

24. “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” — Matthew 6: 34

25. “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” — Philippians 4: 8

26. “You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word.” — Psalm 119: 114

27. “They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.” — Psalm 112: 7

28. “For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.” — Isaiah 41: 13

29. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” — Matthew 11: 28-30

30. “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” — 2 Corinthians 10: 5

Sad and funny overwhelmed quotes because the feeling can makes cry or laugh

31. “I feel so much that it is hard for me at times to feel anything at all.” — Mary Kate Teske

32. “When it hurts—observe. Life is trying to teach you something.” — Anita Krizan

33. “One must not let oneself be overwhelmed by sadness.” — Jackie Kennedy

34. “At times, I feel overwhelmed and my depression leads me into darkness.” — Dorothy Hamill

35. “There cannot be a stressful crisis next week. My schedule is already full.” — Henry Kissinger

36. “I stress about stress before there’s even stress to stress about.” — Unknown

37. “What the world really needs is more love and less paperwork.” — Pearl Bailey

38. “This too shall pass. It might pass like a kidney stone, but it will pass.” — Unknown

39. “I was a little excited but mostly blorft. ‘Blorft’ is an adjective I just made up that means ‘Completely overwhelmed but proceeding as if everything is fine and reacting to the stress with the torpor of a possum.’ I have been blorft every day for the past seven years.” ― Tina Fey

40. “I try to take one day at a time, but sometimes several days attack me at once.” — Jennifer Yane

Overwhelmed quotes that are perfect for Instagram

41. “Stress does not go with my outfit.” — Unknown

42. “I’ve tried yoga, but I find stress less boring.” — Unknown

43. “Every relationship I’ve been in, I’ve overwhelmed the girl. They just can’t handle all the love.” — Justin Timberlake

44. “If I feel strongly about anything, I get overwhelmed with emotion.” — Emma Stone

45. “If each day is a gift, I’d like to know where I can return Mondays.” — John Wagner

46. “Stressed is dessert spelled backwards.” — Loretta Laroche

47. “Here’s to another day of outward smiles and inward screams.” — Unknown

48. “Sleep is such a luxury, which I can’t afford.” ― Robin Sikarwar

49. “Sometimes we can focus so much on nothing that we make it a big something of nothing” ― Ricky Maye

50. “Don’t worry, better days are coming. They are called Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.” — Unknown

Overwhelmed quotes that are so true and relatable

51. “The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself.” ― Rudyard Kipling

52. I tried to drown my sorrows, but the bastards learned how to swim, and now I am overwhelmed by this decent and good feeling.” — Frida Kahlo

53. “Man has a limited biological capacity for change. When this capacity is overwhelmed, the capacity is in future shock.” — Alvin Toffler

54. “Most people get overwhelmed by the insignificant decisions of their lives. I’m urging people to minimize the time spent on these when they’re not critical to their most important goals.” — Robert Pozen

55. “I appreciate all of the attention I get in my career. I am a loner and live a rather secluded life so sometimes I do get overwhelmed, but I am always very appreciative of everything, and honored.” — Kim Elizabeth

56. “I think women today are so overwhelmed and overtaxed.” — Sandra Lee

57. “I get overwhelmed when I approach things intellectually.” — Keegan-Michael Key

58. “The challenge in my life really is keeping the balance between feeling creatively energized and fulfilled without feeling overwhelmed and like I’m in the middle of a battlefield.” — Amanda Palmer

59. “In a busy and overwhelming world – Let’s do simplicity.” — Wendy Tomlinson

60. “I’m speechless. I’m so overwhelmed with joy that I get this opportunity.” — Nic Taunton

Overwhelmed Quotes To Help You Control The Feeling

61. “Keep it simple and focus on what matters. Don’t let yourself be overwhelmed.” ― Confucius

62. “If you don’t do anything, you simply end up overwhelmed by something happening.” ― Matsuri Hino

63. “The individual always has to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe.” “You’re off to great places, today is your day. Your mountain is waiting, so get on your way.” ― Dr. Seuss

64. “The biggest mistakes I’ve ever made are when I’ve been rushed. If I’m overwhelmed, I slow down. It’s more effective.” ― Kirsten Gillibrand

65. “He who does not contemplate the future is destined to be overwhelmed by it.” ― H. G. Wells

66. “How can we appreciate anything fully when overwhelmed with too much?” ― Ally Condie

67. “If you’re overwhelmed by the size of a problem, break it down into smaller pieces.” ― Chuck Close

68. “True love is not a feeling by which we are overwhelmed. It is a committed, thoughtful decision.” ― M. Scott Peck

69. “Don’t be overwhelmed . . . take it one day and one prayer at a time.” ― Stormie Omartian

70. “At some stages of your life you will deal with things and at others you are overwhelmed with misery and anxiety.” ― Nigella Lawson

What did you learn from these quotes about being overwhelmed?

When someone is overwhelmed, it can feel like they are drowning in a sea of unmanageable emotions.

How do you find a way to get your head back above water?

Well, recognizing that you are struggling with ‘overwhelm’ in the first place is a great start, and after that, it is just one step at a time.

Here are a few things you can try to implement that will help lessen your load, and get your emotions back in check.

First, there are some physiological steps you can take; like taking a nap!

You might also just need to take a quick walk or get some exercise.

I know it seems kind of counterintuitive to add another thing to your list of things, when looking at your list is likely contributing to your feelings of overwhelm, but it really will help!

Working it in between the morning and afternoon will help break up your day, and keep you feeling energized.

Emotionally, you can also keep a journal and talk to a trusted friend.

If it feels like you need a little more guidance, then a mental health counselor might be just the route.

They are trained to help you develop new tools to handling situations and might be able to help you learn to tell people no, which is a harder skill than some people realize.

You should also check out this article: How to Stay Informed with Current Events Without Going Crazy.