When life feels overwhelming, it can also help to take inventory. Use a piece of paper, an email to yourself, or a recording device to list all the to-dos in your head. You can even use small objects to represent each to-do, and compile them on a table or in a jar. Take the abstract thoughts out of your brain (where they can easily link arms with worry and fear) and make them concrete; this can feel like unpacking a bursting suitcase or letting some fresh air into a tight space. Seeing, hearing, and/or touching your list may make the to-dos seem more manageable.
— Julie Davis in Back-to-School Kit