Feeling Overwhelmed? Here’s What’s Really Causing It

Have you ever had one of those days where your to-do list feels like it’s growing faster than you can keep up? You sit down, ready to tackle the first task, but your mind jumps to five others you should also be handling right now. Before you know it, you’re frozen, caught between wanting to be productive and feeling paralyzed by the sheer volume of things you need to do. Overwhelm creeps in, making even the simplest tasks feel impossible.

The truth is, overwhelm isn’t about how much you have to do—it’s about how you relate to the tasks in front of you.

The Myth of "Too Much to Do"

At its core, overwhelm isn’t about the number of things on your plate—it’s about how you perceive and approach them. Picture someone juggling ten balls at once. It looks impossible, doesn’t it? But what if they only had to focus on catching and throwing one ball at a time? The task becomes manageable.

When we try to hold everything in our minds simultaneously—emails to answer, errands to run, deadlines to meet—it creates the illusion that everything must happen at once. This illusion is the birthplace of overwhelm. The reality is that your brain works best when it can fully engage with one task at a time. Trying to manage it all simultaneously not only decreases productivity but also amplifies feelings of stress and failure.

Overwhelm is a symptom of fragmented focus, not an overloaded schedule.

The Multitasking Trap

Multitasking is often glamorized as the hallmark of productivity. Yet, science tells us that the human brain isn’t designed to effectively focus on more than one thing at a time. When we attempt to do so, we’re not multitasking; we’re task-switching. Each switch requires energy, attention, and time, which quickly depletes mental resources and leaves us feeling more scattered.

Imagine trying to write an important report while answering text messages and watching a video in the background. Not only is the quality of your work likely to suffer, but the mental strain of constantly shifting gears increases exponentially. You’re not just doing three things poorly—you’re also eroding your sense of confidence in getting anything done well.

The irony of multitasking is that it often leaves us with more unfinished tasks than if we had simply focused on one thing fully. Over time, this builds a narrative of failure and frustration, feeding the cycle of overwhelm.

The Role of Clarity and Skill

Overwhelm often stems from uncertainty. When you’re unclear about what needs to be done or lack the skills to do it effectively, even small tasks can feel monumental. Think of the last time you faced a task that required knowledge you didn’t have. Maybe it was learning a new system at work or figuring out how to repair something at home. The task itself wasn’t inherently overwhelming; it was the gap between where you were and what was needed that created tension.

This gap isn’t insurmountable—it’s a signal. It’s your mind and body telling you that there’s a missing piece, whether it’s clarity, direction, or capability. The first step to resolving this kind of overwhelm is recognizing it for what it is: not a personal failure, but an opportunity to pause and identify what’s missing.

Sometimes, overwhelm invites us to seek guidance, ask for help, or dedicate time to learning. These small acts of self-support transform what initially feels impossible into something manageable, even empowering.

Shifting from “Everything Now” to “One Thing Now”

One of the most challenging aspects of overwhelm is the urgency it creates. The thought of “I have to do everything now” drives the sense of being underwater with no way to surface. Yet, this urgency is often self-imposed—a reaction to internal pressure rather than external reality.

When you shift your mindset from “everything must be done now” to “what can I do now,” something remarkable happens. You begin to root yourself in the present, where action is actually possible. The rest—the tasks waiting in line—can be trusted to stay where they are until their time comes.

This perspective isn’t about avoiding responsibility or procrastinating; it’s about aligning your focus with what’s realistically achievable in the moment. When you engage with the present fully, the weight of future tasks diminishes. Suddenly, overwhelm transforms into momentum.

Reclaiming Your Sense of Control

Overcoming overwhelm isn’t about controlling the chaos around you; it’s about finding your own center within it. By simplifying your approach—prioritizing what truly matters, focusing on one task at a time, and allowing yourself the grace to learn or seek support when needed—you reclaim a sense of control.

When control shifts from external circumstances to internal alignment, overwhelm loses its grip. The key is realizing that you don’t have to do it all, know it all, or fix it all in one sweeping gesture. True productivity, and even peace, emerges when you allow yourself to be human—one moment, one task, one breath at a time.

A Final Thought

Feeling overwhelmed isn’t a flaw in you—it’s a natural signal from your body and mind asking for a new approach. If you’ve been searching for ways to address that signal and reconnect with a deeper sense of clarity and calm, the Inner Foundation Series offers guided tools to help you align with your inner strength. Explore how this resource can help you find focus and ease, no matter how full life feels.