Overwhelm = too much of

Overwhelm is sometimes associated with stress and a sense of inability to control one’s emotions. It is the feeling that everything is happening at once, and there is no time to breathe, take a break, or plan.

Few never experience overwhelm, but many neurodiverse employees feel its effects on their well-being and ability to manage their workload. There is no magic wand, and everyone is different. Extreme overwhelm leads to burnout when it becomes the rule, specifically in roles of responsibility.

The first step is to stop and acknowledge it. The next step is to speak it out and share it with others. Fast and brilliant minds often process at the edge of overwhelm, which can be inspiring and satisfying. So why would we stop? When do we cross the threshold of ‘too much’ to hold in our heads and too much to follow up, remember, track, and manage?

Our imagination is amazing; it is not limited. In the physical realm, we have concepts like time, order, sequence, and consequence. Nothing ever happens outside of time. We might feel time flying or dragging, but the earth rotates its axis the same.

Coaching is goal—and client-focused. Individuals will develop strategies for managing tasks, time, and themselves. Let’s evaluate what is working well and what is not. Sometimes, step one is to put out of our heads all the things that overwhelm us. Out of our heads, we have a new and flexible perspective and can walk away for a break.

Everyone is different in their needs to manage their tasks, time and calendar. You are the expert of being you and will, step by step, create the structures and routines that serve you best for some time.

If you expect solutions for eternity, this is not your place. Your needs will change. You might get bored with a way of doing things and want something different at different times. The unexpected is to be expected.

A coaching session ends with at least one step you choose to take to move in the direction you want to go. You are the only one who can do so, but coaching provides a framework, skills that have worked for others, a safe space to explore and talk things through, and encouragement to take that next step.