Feeling Overwhelmed? 3 Simple Steps to Get Back on Track
Monday morning, I woke up already feeling behind. Ever been there?
We had a full, fun weekend (which I’m so grateful for), but that meant I walked into Monday with:
✅ Piles of laundry waiting for me
✅ No food in the house (hello, grocery run!)
✅ Every room in chaos
✅ A workout I wanted to fit in
✅ A strong urge to make bread because, why not?
Oh, and my work schedule? Tight. A co-planning call at 10, groceries at 11, another Zoom at 12:30… leaving little time to catch up.
And to top it off? The kids were having the same argument about getting dressed before school (why is this a daily battle?!), and I felt myself snapping at them. Not because they were doing anything new, but because I was already at my limit. I could feel the tears welling up—right on the brink of a full-on Monday meltdown.
I hate starting my week this way. But I also knew I had two choices: spiral into the stress or do something to take control.
3 Simple Steps to Take Control of Overwhelm
I didn’t have time for a full reset, but I did three simple things that helped shift my mindset and move forward:
1. Write It All Down
When my brain feels like a jumbled mess of to-dos, the first thing I do is put it all on paper. No filtering, no organizing—just a brain dump of everything weighing me down.
Once it’s out of my head and in front of me, I can actually see what needs to happen. And usually? It’s not as bad as it felt in my head.
Try this: Grab a notebook or planner and write down everything that’s making you feel overwhelmed—tasks, deadlines, even the emotional weight of things.
2. Prioritize & Let Go
After I wrote everything down, I asked myself:
- What has to happen today?
- What can wait?
- What is just unnecessary pressure I’m putting on myself?
Laundry? Could wait.
Workout? Would be nice, but not urgent.
Groceries? Non-negotiable.
I let go of the things that weren’t actually urgent, and suddenly, my to-do list felt doable.
Try this: Go through your list and highlight the top 3 things that truly need your attention today. Cross out or move everything else to later in the week.
3. Take One Step at a Time
Instead of trying to tackle everything at once, I focused on just one task at a time.
Groceries first. Then my calls. Then, if time allowed, a quick clean-up.
By shifting from panic mode to intentional action, I stopped feeling like I was drowning—and actually started making progress.
Try this: Pick one task and start. Just one. Often, that momentum is enough to keep you moving forward.
You Don’t Have to Stay Stuck in Overwhelm
By noon, I felt lighter. Not because my to-do list disappeared, but because I had a plan. I wasn’t spinning in stress—I was moving through my day with intention.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed today, take a deep breath and try these three steps:
1️⃣ Write it all down.
2️⃣ Prioritize & let go of what isn’t urgent.
3️⃣ Take it one step at a time.
And if you need a tool to help you manage it all with less stress, that’s exactly why I created the Capture the Chaos Planner—so you can take control of your time without the mental overload.
👉 Ready to get organized? Grab your planner here!
What’s one thing you’re letting go of today? Drop it in the comments—I’d love to cheer you on!
