What would you say to a friend who feels completely overwhelmed right now?

A natural way to answer

I'd remind my friend that they don't have to fix everything today. I'd suggest writing down the most urgent things and ignoring the rest for now. Sometimes just talking it through helps you get things into perspective.

Key phrases to use

• Take it one step at a time — to deal with something slowly and gradually instead of all at once“Don't panic, just take it one step at a time.”
• cut yourself some slack — to stop being so hard on yourself and accept that you can't do everything perfectly“You're doing your best, so cut yourself some slack.”
• get things into perspective — to start seeing problems in a more realistic, balanced way“Talking to her helped me get things into perspective.”
• keep all the plates spinning — to manage many tasks or responsibilities at the same time“As a working parent, you're always trying to keep all the plates spinning.”
• go easy on yourself — to be kind to yourself and not expect too much“Go easy on yourself; you've had a lot to deal with.”