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Feeling Maxed Out - My Tips for Coping with Overwhelm
Everyone feels overwhelmed at times. It’s a normal, human response to everyday stressors. In small doses, it can actually be helpful.
It fires up your system, encourages problem solving, and helps you be more productive. However, constantly feeling overwhelmed can take a huge toll on your mental and physical health.
If overwhelm has become a regular, ongoing feature of running your own business or juggling your career, something needs to change. Let’s explore the topic in more detail and run through my tips for coping when you’re feeling maxed out…
The Signs and Symptoms of Overwhelm
Overwhelm often manifests as combination of high-stress, exhaustion and cognitive fatigue, leading to symptoms like:
- Feeling paralysed and unable to function. Even small tasks can feel impossible.
- Struggling to think rationally. This can make challenges feel bigger than they are and your perceived ability to cope much smaller than it actually is.
- Memory lapses.
- Feeling tired and lacking motivation.
- Struggling to concentrate and having trouble making decisions.
- Feeling angry, irritable or anxious.
- Crying more easily and/or overreacting to minor stressors.
- Withdrawing from colleagues, friends and/or family.
- Struggling to enjoy business tasks or take pleasure in the things you do outside of work.
- Feeling overly pessimistic and hopeless about the situation.
- Physical symptoms such as trouble sleeping, headaches, dizziness, and fatigue.
To be honest, this list pretty much describes the week I've just had. I could probably put a tick against all of these bullet points! Luckily, I recognise the warning signs, and I know what to do when I feel overwhelm beginning to creep in.
The Causes of Overwhelm
Overwhelm has many different causes and forms. It can stem from events within your business or workplace. For example, tight deadlines, excessive workload, or a stressful work environment. Major life changes or traumatic experiences outside of work can also trigger overwhelm. Then there’s the global news cycle and the fact we’re more aware of environmental and political issues than ever before.
Some seasons of life are more overwhelming than others. For example, the first few years of parenthood, navigating perimenopause, or the season in which you find yourself caring for elderly relatives. There are also overwhelming seasons within a single year – school holidays, cold and flu season, Christmas… to name but a few.
Stepping out of your comfort zone, taking on new responsibilities, and needing to learn new skills can also be overwhelming. Whether unexpected or planned, transitions are tricky and navigating change in or outside of work can easily trigger the symptoms described above.
Feeling Maxed Out – My Tips for Coping with Overwhelm
1. Shift Your Perspective
Overwhelm can easily become a vicious emotional cycle of worrying and ruminating about everything you need to do, achieve, fix or figure out. When this happens, it’s important to pause and take a step back from your thought processes.
First, recognise how you’re feeling and the reality of the situation you’re in. Tell yourself it’s human to find these things hard. Then, do what you can to shift your perspective. You might want to take a break by going for a walk, changing your environment, or simply taking a few deep breaths.
2. Challenge Negative Assumptions
Overwhelm often causes irrational thoughts combined with a heavy dose of pessimism. ‘I’ll never get through this’. ‘Nobody will want to work with me ever again.’ ‘My business is definitely going to fail.’
To change your mindset, get into the habit of challenging your negative assumptions. I love the saying, ‘don’t forget to imagine the best-case scenario too’. For example, instead of ‘what if I fail?’ try ‘what if I thrive beyond anything I’ve ever dreamed?’
3. Problem Solve & Make a Plan
Some forms of overwhelm are easily figure-outable! The trouble is it doesn’t always feel this way in the moment. If you’re able to complete step one and two above, you’ll hopefully find yourself better equipped to work through step three.
Get curious about what’s causing you to feel overwhelmed. Could it be a sign something needs to change within your business or personal life? Maybe you need better boundaries with clients or your systems need updating. Maybe you need to avoid the news for a while. Maybe you just need a nap! There might not be one small solution to an entire problem, but it gives you a place to start.
4. Ask for Help (and Accept Help When It’s Offered)
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, tell someone. Reach out to your colleagues, friends, and family. They may be able to offer advice, practical support, or simply an alternative perspective. This is exactly what I did this week. I gained so much clarity from explaining what the overwhelm felt like and what was causing me to feel it.
5. Take Extra Good Care of Yourself
Remember, ‘doing your best’ means doing everything you can without sacrificing your own wellbeing. While you move through this period of overwhelm, it’s important to give yourself grace, prioritise rest, and be gentle with yourself.
Your internal monologue can make a real difference to how you feel. Notice when you’re being harsh on yourself and focus on changing the tone and content of your thoughts. For example, instead of berating yourself for forgetting a task, tell yourself it was an easy mistake to make given everything you’re dealing with. Now you’ve spotted your error, you’ll work hard to rectify the situation and prevent it happening again. Trust me, compassion is much more motivating than shame!
I Want You to Thrive
I’m passionate about helping people define the life they want, so they can follow their dreams and build a career that matches their vision. Together, we can banish overwhelm, identify your priorities, clarify your goals, and create a plan. Learn more about 1:1 Business Coaching here or get in touch to discuss your options. I’ll look forward to hearing from you.