Overwhelmed Before Coffee? How Working Moms Can Break the Cycle Without Burning It All Down
Do you ever wake up already overwhelmed—before your first sip of coffee?
The kids need something, your inbox is full, and your brain has 37 tabs open before you even log on. You push through, perform, smile, get it all done… but by the end of the day, you’re empty.
Mama, if you’ve whispered, “Something has to change,” you’re not alone. Here’s the truth: overwhelm isn’t just about time management. It’s about the stories we tell ourselves about what we must carry—and it’s stealing your clarity and confidence.
In this post, I’ll break down the cycle of overwhelm, how it shows up in different leadership styles, and give you simple, actionable tools to start breaking free—without burning it all down.
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🚨 The Overwhelm Loop
Here’s what I call the Overwhelm Loop:
✔️Overcommit → saying yes to everything.
✔️Overperform → doing it all at 110%.
✔️Overextend → running yourself into the ground.
✔️Over collapse → crashing, feeling guilty… then repeating it.
Sound familiar? The loop feels productive in the moment, but over time it robs you of clarity, energy, and joy.
👩💼 Overwhelm Looks Different for Every Leadership Style
Picture a roundtable with four women, each one leading in her own style—and each one carrying overwhelm differently.
The Boss Lady in Action: She fixes everything, does it all, but quietly feels the weight of perfection.
👉 Shift: Try doing 3 things this week at 70% instead of 100%. See what actually happens when you let go of “perfect.”
The Charismatic Queen: She says yes to everything because she equates visibility with value
👉 Shift: Cancel one commitment this week and replace it with rest. Shine by alignment, not applause.
The Heart-Centered Guide: She carries everyone’s emotions, feels guilty for saying no, and runs on fumes.
👉 Shift: Set “emotional office hours.” Boundaries don’t make you less loving—they make your love sustainable.
The Visionary Brainiac: She overthinks, researches, and analyzes but struggles to move forward.
👉 Shift: Take one imperfect action this week. Clarity comes after motion, not before.
Where do you see yourself?
📝 Reflection Prompts to Break the Cycle
Grab your journal or notes app and work through these:
❓Which woman sounded most like me today?
❓What story am I telling myself about why I must stay overwhelmed?
❓What is that story costing me? (energy, health, joy, presence with my kids?)
❓What is one small shift I can make this week to loosen the grip of overwhelm?
👉 Awareness without action becomes another layer of overwhelm. So choose one and commit.
🪧 Permission Slips for Working Moms
Sometimes, we just need to hear it out loud. Here are 3 permission slips for you:
1️⃣You don’t have to be available to everyone.
3️⃣You don’t have to do it perfectly.
3️⃣You don’t have to carry it all yourself.
Pick the one you need most today. Write it on a sticky note. Put it where you’ll see it. Let it interrupt your overwhelm loop this week.
🌟 One Brave Shift
You don’t need to burn it all down. You don’t need to walk away from your career or your family to feel peace again. You just need one brave shift—one aligned choice—to create breathing room.
🔑 Action Step
This week, choose:
✔️Complete the journaling prompts above.
✔️Pick one “good enough” win (70%, not perfect).
✔️Write your permission slip and post it where you’ll see it daily.
💌 Mama, You’ve Got This
Breaking free from overwhelm isn’t about quitting—it’s about shifting. One decision, one boundary, one step at a time.
💼 Ready to Lead with Confidence & Clarity?
🚀 Take my FREE Leadership Style Quiz to identify your strengths and career growth path
📲 Join the Career Growth for Working Moms Facebook Group for exclusive career tips and support
💌 Become an Insider and receive weekly career tips, time saving tools & strengths based leadership tips
🎧 And if this post hit home, share it with a mama friend and leave a quick review on the pod. You never know who’s waiting to feel seen.
