The state of feeling overwhelmed by things you have to do usually falls into one of two categories:

A) Other people are overloading your plate and you’re agreeing to it

or

B) You’re overloading your own plate.

Either way it’s a boundary violation. Even if you’re doing it to yourself! Yes, yes, I hear you saying, “It’s not that I WANT to do all this by myself. I HAVE to do all this just to survive!” In order to find a way out of feeling overwhelmed, it’s important to consider that statement carefully.

Is your sense of self-worth tied to how well you can fill other people’s requests? Are you afraid of admitting that you can’t do everything? Are you afraid of asking for support? What is it, exactly, that keeps you from seeking help and support? What keeps you from expecting support?

Are you invalidating the internal sensor that tells you when you are trying to do too much? Everyone has natural boundaries, and when those boundaries are violated, we feel negative emotion. When you attempt to do too much,you always get internal signals that your boundaries have been violated.

Unfortunately, most of us disregard our own boundaries because we don’t trust their wisdom. We attempt to find safety and security in our accomplishments, and we often feel bad about ourselves when we can’t achieve our goals. But it’s only by following our own instincts and listening to our own deep wisdom that we find balance, and a sense of being productive without feeling overwhelmed.