Surfing the Waves of Entrepreneurial Overwhelm
Ever feel like you're constantly swimming against a tide of endless tasks and responsibilities?
As a coach working with socially responsible entrepreneurs, one of the most common challenges I encounter is overwhelm.
What exactly is overwhelm?
It's that feeling of drowning in responsibilities, constantly running to catch up, yet somehow falling further behind. A feeling many of us can relate to from time to time and is an understandable feeling in the busy lives we often live. It isn't a concern if it is an occasional feeling. But it can start to have a real negative impact when it becomes a more constant state of being.
In my experience, overwhelm often happens when we're spending too much of our finite resources of time and energy trying to control the future. We're constantly reaching forward, attempting to manage every possible outcome, while our present moment slips away unnoticed.
Don't get me wrong here, having a plan is important. I like a plan!
Clarity around direction of travel, strategic thinking and planning are really important tools in both life and business. But there is a point when planning can tip over from being an activity that serves us into something else. When planning moves from helping us live rich, purposeful lives and is a part of making progress and being effective... to becoming the source of stress and anxiety.
Think about it - how much of your day is spent worrying about what might happen rather than focusing on what's actually happening?
And if you noticed you answered that question with: 'more time than I'd like', or 'more than feels helpful'. Then you might want to start to take some small actions that will help with that.
From fighting to surfing: simple practices
I recently worked with a founder who was caught in this exact situation. She was spending hours each evening planning for every possible scenario that might arise the next day. She'd wake up in the night solving problems that didn't yet exist. While her intentions were good, this approach was leaving her exhausted and paradoxically less able to handle the actual challenges when they arose. Through our work together, she learned to redirect that energy into present-moment awareness and action. Here are four practices that helped her, and can help you too:
1. Pause to make progress
Take three deep breaths before responding to that "urgent" email. Notice where you're holding tension in your body. This tiny act of awareness can break the cycle of reactive behaviour, open up choices and help you respond more effectively.
2. Focus on what's within your control
List three things you can influence right now. Not next week or next month - right now. Keep your attention on these immediate actions rather than getting lost in future scenarios.
3. Create micro-boundaries
Start small. Perhaps it's not checking emails before 9am, or taking a proper lunch break where you get away from your desk. One small boundary maintained consistently is worth more than grand plans that never materialise.
4. Celebrate progress
Take time each day to acknowledge what you've achieved, no matter how small. This builds resilience and helps maintain perspective when things get challenging.
Learning to surf
As Jon Kabat-Zinn wisely said,
"You can't stop the waves, but you can learn to surf."
The key is recognising which waves you're currently fighting against. Are you battling against realistic expectations or impossible standards? Are you trying to control outcomes that aren't actually within your power to control?
The entrepreneurial journey will always have its challenges - that's part of what makes it exciting! But by learning to surf rather than fight the waves, we can transform overwhelming pressure into manageable momentum.
What waves are you fighting against today?
Perhaps it's time to grab your surfboard instead?
If you're feeling overwhelmed and would like support in finding a more sustainable way forward, let's talk. I work with socially responsible entrepreneurs to help them overcome feeling overwhelmed, so they can reconnect with their spark and have real impact.
📆📞💻 Book a free consultation call.
📸 by Guy Kawasaki on Pexels