Article
What do I do when everything is too much?
Sometimes overwhelm is not a mindset problem. The load is actually too heavy for one person.
The short answer
When everything feels like too much, the useful first step is triage rather than motivation: name what must happen this week, what can wait, and what someone else could carry. Then look at what is making the load heavier than it needs to be.
Triage first
- Write everything down so it stops circling.
- Mark only what genuinely has to happen in the next seven days.
- Choose one thing to let be late, on purpose.
- Name one thing to hand off, and ask specifically.
- Protect sleep and regular meals before productivity. Everything is harder without them.
Then ask what is adding weight
Often part of the load is optional in principle and impossible in practice, because saying no to it feels unbearable. Over-responsibility, perfectionism and people pleasing all add invisible pounds.
That is the part worth examining once the emergency has passed.
When to get support
If overwhelm has become constant, or has started affecting your sleep, eating, mood or ability to be present with people you love, counseling is a practical step rather than an admission of failure.
Common questions
Is this burnout or anxiety?
They overlap. Only a qualified professional can evaluate what is happening for you.
What if I cannot cut anything?
Then the conversation becomes what support you need to carry it, which is worth having out loud.
Can counseling actually reduce my load?
It can help you decide what to change, ask for help, and stop carrying what was never yours.
Learn more about counseling for women and female students with Lori, or browse all articles for women and female students.
Written by Lori Rasmussen, LISW, a Licensed Independent Social Worker licensed in the State of Iowa and a Certified Spiritual Director. Lori counsels women and female students in Waterloo, Iowa and online across Iowa. Articles here are meant to help you understand what you may be experiencing; they are not a diagnosis and they do not take the place of care from a professional who knows your story.
Reaching out can be the first step.
You don't need to know exactly what to say, or have anything figured out, before you contact Lori.
Or email rasmussencounselingandsd@gmail.com