Managing the Overwhelm Monster: Practical ways to reclaim calm

Managing the Overwhelm Monster: Practical ways to reclaim calm

If you’re a woman juggling work, family, relationships, hormones, a new life stage, or you’re simply wrestling with your own ambitions, you may be feeling the pressure of constant mental noise.

We spin so many plates…we often carry an invisible list in our minds.

We may feel enslaved by our natural conditioning to care for others before ourselves.

The emotional labour.

The planning, remembering, anticipating.

This mental load is one of the biggest contributors to stress and burnout in women - and I say that not just as a communications and wellbeing coach, but as someone who has burned out three times.

Overwhelm isn’t weakness. It usually occurs when capacity is stretched too thin, making it hard to establish windows to recover.

Here are some practical, realistic ways which have served me well when trying to maintain a sense of calm, and help myself rest before burnout takes hold.

1. Clear the mental clutter

Overwhelm grows in your head. Reduce it by writing everything down - all your tasks, worries, unfinished thoughts. Have a good brain dump, don’t edit or assess initially, just let it all pour out.

Then ask:

• What is urgent?

• What can wait?

• What can be delegated?

• What pressure am I putting on myself?

Clarity reduces anxiety.

2. Separate responsibility from emotional guilt

Women often inadvertently carry emotional responsibility for everyone else. When you stop to think about it, despite your superpowers, you are not responsible for managing other people’s moods or reactions. Realising that is something I have found to be very freeing indeed…reducing your emotional labour is one of the most powerful burnout prevention strategies you can gift to yourself.

3. Move from reactive to intentional living

In my communications and change leadership work, one the biggest shifts I enjoy supporting leaders to make is moving from reactive mode to strategic thinking. This can work for us no matter our personal or professional situation, or our age or stage in life. Try this:

Instead of asking, “What do I have to do?”

Ask, “How do I want to feel this week?”

Calm? Focused? Energised?

Then assess your to-do list for the week and let that guide your decisions.

4. Build micro-recovery moments

You don’t need a drastic life overhaul. You need consistent recovery, integrated into your days and weeks:

• Five minutes of quiet before jumping into emails, responding to text messages, or even prior to watching the news

• A short walk without distractions

• Turning your phone off for an hour

• Three deep breaths before responding…to anything!

Small resets protect long-term wellbeing.

5. Stop pretending everything is “Fine”

At Sekawomen retreats and supper clubs, one of the most powerful things we do is create space to surface open conversations for women on the things that matter most to them. Often this may mean they instinctively feel able to share whatever they may be going through, from being too busy at work, to dealing with bereavement, looking after aging parents, or adjusting to a new dynamic with growing teenagers. They feel less alone when they hear the experiences of others. Honest conversation reduces stress. Connection restores perspective.

If you’re feeling stretched, you’re not failing. You’re more than likely carrying too much without taking time out to pause.

If you’re craving space to reset properly, our upcoming summer women’s retreat at Burleigh Court offers practical tools for burnout recovery, clarity and calm - and in a supportive, nurturing environment.