Hi, I’m Nicola from The People Mentor. In today’s podcast, I want to discuss overwhelm. 

Most of us feel overwhelmed from time to time. Whether it’s the stress of dealing with issues in your team, having too much to do and not enough time, or trying to meet unreasonable deadlines, sometimes the pressure builds, and it’s just too much. 

The panic and brain fog descends, and then you either end up rushing around like a headless chicken or frozen in some paralysis, like you’re trying to make a chess move and can’t for the life of you work out what to do. 

Some people say they don’t suffer from being overwhelmed, and I would query that. Very few people have that zen-like ability to stay calm and retain their clarity of thought when things start going a little crazy at work. 

I remember my husband telling me that when he worked in the signal box, he’d have a situation where a train was coming, the bell would ring, and the phone would go all at once.

This is a good example of a high-pressure situation in which you need to ask yourself, “What do I do first? “What is my priority? ” 

But you have to be able to take that pause to think clearly and reduce feelings of overwhelm. That’s something that I became quite good at doing, although it didn’t always come easy. 

When working operationally, I used to get bad bouts of overwhelm, usually when we weren’t hitting targets. Because of the overwhelm, I used to get a serious case of brain fog while in the workplace, so I’d stop, get a coffee, and go for a walk. 

That was my first remedy: I removed myself from the situation in the hope that it would help me think more clearly. 

The second thing I used to do at work was involve my team if I was feeling overwhelmed – this is a must.

I’d gather everyone, and we’d do a problem-solving exercise, examining what was causing the issue and what we could do to solve it. The relief I got from knowing that everything was no longer just on my shoulders was priceless. 

When I got home, one of my favourite strategies for dealing with overwhelm was finding ways to give my brain a bit of peace and quiet. Sometimes, it was as simple as closing the blinds and lying down on the floor in a darkened room, just enjoying the silence. 

Getting out and enjoying being in peaceful surroundings can also help quieten the chatter in your mind. 

I remember one occasion when I was stressed. I came home, and my husband picked up on it straight away. He said, ‘Let’s go and drive to Skegness and have a walk along the beach.’  

The beach was over an hour away, but we went for a walk, and I felt so much better afterwards. 

But, like I said, I wasn’t always good at dealing with overwhelming feelings. I think we can often fall into the trap of using harmful or unhelpful coping mechanisms.

Sometimes, I’d sit at my desk and eat sweets and chocolate to keep me going and comfort myself. And when Friday evening came, I always felt the need to ‘signal’ the end of the week with a glass of wine. That made me feel worse the next day, and it wasn’t the right answer. 

What would have been better for me was changing my routine on a Friday night, going to the beach for a walk instead of retreating to the sofa with a bottle of wine. 

But admittedly, when you are in that cycle of panic and overwhelm, you often don’t think clearly about what you actually need. 

So, then, what are the ways out of overwhelm?

To all of you stressed-out business owners, these are the keys to overcoming overwhelm. 

Prioritising and planning are number one for me. When I work with overwhelmed business owners, I ask them to keep a log of their daily activities. 

Sometimes, we get into a mindset where we think we have to do everything and don’t have to. It’s about keeping a log, looking at it and asking yourself, what are my priorities? What could be left or given to someone else? 

This helps reduce overwhelm because you’ll feel like you have a plan of action. 

The second way to overcome overwhelm is to check in with your team regularly. I used to have daily meetings with my team, during which we would talk about what we had on, how we felt, whether we had any problems, and if anyone needed support. 

We built an atmosphere where people could open up if something bothered them. While it did get negative at times, I always think that sort of thing is better out than in. We could work out how to support each other by having those conversations. 

The next thing that helps reduce overwhelm might seem counterintuitive when you feel like you have no time: take breaks. 

Feeling overwhelmed can send you spiralling into a survival mode where you panic, don’t think clearly or creatively, and try to work through without taking a break. This is counterproductive. 

Working without a break only depletes your mental, physical, and emotional resources. You won’t be able to work as quickly or accurately. 

Grab a coffee or take a walk in the fresh air, and see what a difference it makes to your mood. 

But you need to take a break, relax, and look after yourself not only when you’re at work. What you do outside work can also impact your feelings of overwhelm. 

Many people let their exercise routines slip during times of stress. They might sleep less, eat more junk food, or drink more alcohol, and as a result, they feel worse. Looking after yourself properly can help you become more resilient to stress and overwhelm. 

It’s normal to feel overwhelmed sometimes, but by following some of these tips, you can hopefully reduce the stress you feel at work and at home. Wouldn’t that be nice?

Do you dream that one day, you’ll feel less overwhelmed?

That you’ll be able to delegate tasks from your to-do list to your team seamlessly?

Your current reality might seem far from that. 

But I promise you that things can be more manageable. 

The Manager’s Academy membership is designed especially for small employers like you who want to feel more confident and in control of managing employees and growing their business. 

Want to master the art of delegation?

Do you want to know how to get your team onside and work hard for you?

Do you want to spend your time on the things that matter?

The membership covers how you can do all of this and much more. 

To find out more and to sign up, go to

It might just be the best investment you’ll ever make. 

I hope you enjoyed this podcast. 

This is The People Mentor signing off.