How to manage overwhelm in your pet business

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Overwhelm is something we all experience from time to time.

It’s that feeling of drowning, like everything is too much, or like a treadmill that keeps going faster and faster and you can’t keep up.

Brené Brown describes overwhelm in her book Atlas of the Heart, as: “An extreme level of stress, and emotional and/or cognitive intensity to the point of being unable to function.”

Jon Kabat-Zinn, the developer and founder of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), explains it as: “That common feeling that our lives are somehow unfolding faster than the human nervous system and psyche are able to manage well.”

When you’re in a state of overwhelm, it’s not the time to be making big decisions or working on anything challenging.

The key is to find ways to manage the feeling, rather than trying to push through or ignore it.

This post is not about curing overwhelm but about exploring tools and coping strategies you can use to lighten the load and prevent it from building up again in the future.

Three exercises for when you feel overwhelmed

Below are three tried and tested exercises to follow for when you’re feeling like your head is about to explode.

They’re things I’ve used myself and have worked with my coaching clients on, and the aim is to help you take a moment to focus on you, so I really hope you find them helpful.

If you do, please let me know. I’m @rachelspenceruk on all social media platforms.

The rucksack of rocks

Imagine your to-do list is like a heavy rucksack filled with rocks.

Some are huge boulders, like moving house, dealing with finances, or a major work project.

Others are small pebbles, like posting on social media or answering emails.

But even though the big rocks are the ones weighing you down the most, they’re often the ones you avoid.

Instead, you keep yourself busy with the smaller rocks, thinking you’re being productive, while the big ones continue to drain your energy in the background.

What to do:

Write down everything in your rucksack – every task, commitment, and worry taking up space in your mind.
Ask: How heavy does this feel? Label them as big rocks, small rocks, or pebbles.
Prioritise – focus on removing or tackling the biggest rocks first.
Let go of the ones that aren’t serving you.

By lightening the load, you’ll free up space to focus on what matters.

Pick three things a month to focus on

Instead of trying to do everything, choose three key things to focus on each month.

These should:

Make you money
Move your business forward
Bring you joy

If something new comes along and it doesn’t fit one of these categories, ask yourself: ‘What am I saying no to by saying yes to this?‘

This helps you protect your time and energy, preventing burnout.

This approach is a key part of my Pet Business Content Planner and Companion.

It’s packed with helpful tools like habit trackers, space to put down your focus for each month, plus all the key dates and awareness days.

There’s a week-per-view diary too, and because it’s undated, you can start it any time.

Get your copy for just £30 plus P&P here: https://rachelspencer.co.uk/product/pet-business-content-planner/.

The Wheel of Life

When everything feels out of balance, the Wheel of Life can help you step back and see the bigger picture.

How it works:

Identify key areas of your life – These might include work, money, health, home, friendships, personal development, confidence, and fun.
Rate each area from 1-10 – 1 being very unhappy, 10 being completely satisfied.
Draw your Wheel of Life – Connect the points to create a snapshot of how balanced or bumpy things feel right now.

What to ask yourself:

Which area needs the most attention?
What change would make the biggest difference?
Where are the biggest gaps?
Where are you happiest?
What surprised you?

Here is a photo of a Wheel of Life I did in July 2024, when I felt totally all over the place. How it looks now is very different.

Nobody’s Wheel of Life is ever a perfect 10 in every area, and that’s okay.

The idea is to check in regularly and make small changes to improve balance over time.

This exercise is included in my Pet Business Content Planner and Companion to help you reflect and make intentional changes throughout the year.

Moving forward – feeling less overwhelmed

Overwhelm won’t disappear overnight, but by taking small, intentional steps, you can start to feel more in control.

Identify what’s weighing you down with the rucksack of rocks
Be intentional with your time by focusing on three key things each month
Step back and check your balance with the Wheel of Life

Over time, these strategies will help you create more space, manage your workload, and feel more in control of your business and life.

If you feel you’d like some support around overwhelm, and you’d like to chat about coaching, answer a few short questions here to see if it might be something that could help.

Pet business content planner guided journaling exercise — How the Words For When exercises look in the Pet Business Content Planner

How my planner can help manage overwhelm

My Pet Business Content Planner and Companion is designed to help you find balance in your life and feel less frazzled and overwhelmed and more in control.

As well as the Wheel of Life exercise, there are ‘Words for When’ tools to help with prioritisation, imposter syndrome, setting boundaries, celebrating your wins and other common scenarios you may face.

Get your copy for just £30 plus P&P here: https://rachelspencer.co.uk/product/pet-business-content-planner/.