Stop and Acknowledge the Overwhelm

First things first: take a deep breath. Right now. Inhale… exhale…

Overwhelm is your brain waving a big red flag saying, “Hey, I’ve hit my limit!” Instead of fighting it or judging yourself, pause and name the feeling. Sometimes, I’ll literally say out loud, “I’m overwhelmed, and that’s okay.” Does it fix everything? No. But it takes some of the power away from that overwhelming beast.

Brain Dump the Chaos

Grab a notebook (I know you’ve got at least three, don’t lie), your phone, or even the back of an old receipt—whatever’s closest—and start writing everything down. And I mean everything.

I’m talking:

• “Buy toothpaste.”
• “Call Mom back.”
• “Figure out why the dishwasher makes that weird noise.”
• “Finish work project.”

Get it all out of your head and onto paper. This isn’t about organizing it yet; it’s about clearing the mental clutter. Seeing it all written down often makes it feel way less scary.

Prioritize Ruthlessly

Now that you’ve unleashed the chaos onto paper, take a step back and ask yourself:

• What needs to get done today?
• What can wait until tomorrow (or next week)?
• What can I delegate—or just straight-up ignore?

Let’s be real: if your list has 20 things on it, only 3-5 of them are truly urgent. Circle those and focus your energy there. Trust me, learning to let go of the non-essentials is a game changer.

And here’s what’s helped me: break tasks down by importance. If “clean the house” is on your list, break it into smaller steps like “clear the coffee table” or “dust the shelves.” It keeps me from spiraling into “I’ll never finish!” territory.

Break Tasks Into Bite-Sized Pieces

Speaking of breaking things down, can we talk about how easy it is to see a task as one giant, insurmountable mountain? Hi, my name is Jennifer, and I’ve done this my entire life.

Instead of thinking, “I need to clean the whole house,” I’ll break it down like this, down to a room:

• Tidy the couch.
• Throw the couch covers in the wash.
• Clean the coffee table.
• Sweep the floor.

Smaller tasks feel way more achievable, and crossing them off the list gives me the momentum to keep going.

Use Timers and Take Breaks

Timers are your BFF when it comes to breaking out of the overwhelm spiral. I’m new to actually using them (shoutout to my ADHD brain), but when I do, they work wonders.

Set a timer for 10, 15, or 25 minutes (whatever feels right), and focus on one task during that time. Then take a short break. It’s like hitting the reset button for your brain.

P.S. If you’re curious, I talked about the Pomodoro Technique in last week’s blog—highly recommend!

Give Yourself Permission Not to Do It All

Here’s the truth bomb: you don’t have to do everything. Seriously, you don’t.

The world won’t end if the laundry sits another day, if an email goes unanswered, or if you say “no” to that thing you really don’t have the energy for. Learning to let go of that “I have to be productive 24/7” mindset is the most freeing thing you’ll ever do.

Celebrate the Small Wins

Did you cross one thing off your list? That’s progress, babe.

Overwhelm thrives on the lie that you’re not doing enough. So take the time to celebrate every little victory. Made your bed? Hell yes, that’s a win. Answered that one email? You’re crushing it.

Small wins add up, and they remind you that you’re moving forward—even if it feels slow.

You’ve Got This