4 Signs You’re Overwhelmed, Not Lazy

Let's talk about that feeling. You know when your to do list is miles long, but all you can manage is staring at your phone or binge watching TV. You think to yourself, man, am I just lazy? But here's the truth. What you think is laziness might actually just be a sign that you're burning out, or you're not organized or you haven't prioritized.

Overwhelm doesn't look like chaos. Sometimes it looks like complete shut down. So how do you know if you're overwhelmed or you're just stuck in neutral? Today, I want to show you four clear signs that you're not actually lazy, you're simply overwhelmed. And more importantly, how to start digging yourself out of that hole. By the end, you'll know exactly how to recognize what's going on.

Let's start with the obvious. You are not lazy. But when you're stuck in a cycle of overwhelm, it's easy to convince yourself that you are. That little voice in your head. The one calling you lazy. That only makes it harder to get anything done. But the truth is, this isn't about laziness. It's about your brain being stuck in survival mode.

It's trying to protect you from burnout in the only way it knows how. By shutting down. Let's break this cycle together. Start with identifying what's really going on. Overwhelm isn't just a feeling. It's a full body experience. And here are four signs to help you figure it out.

Sign number One. You're paralyzed by your to do list. Ever sit down to tackle your day only to find yourself scrolling Instagram or cleaning the kitchen or doing anything else instead? That's overwhelm. Your brain sees the sheer volume of tasks and goes, no, we're not doing this today. It's not laziness. It's self-preservation.

Sign Two. You feel exhausted all the time. Overwhelmed doesn't just zap your motivation. It drains your energy. Remember, it's a full body experience. You're not tired because you're lazy. You're tired because your brain and body are running on empty, trying to manage too much at once.

Sign Three. You're avoiding the hard stuff. I'll tell you, you're not procrastinating because you're lazy. You're avoiding tasks that feel too big, too stressful, or too emotional. It's your brain's way of protecting you from discomfort, but it only makes the problem worse.

Sign number Four. You're emotionally checked out. If you find yourself zoning out feeling numb or snapping at people for no reason, that's a big red flag.

Overwhelm makes it hard to process emotions, leaving you stuck in a cycle of frustration and guilt. Sound familiar? Good, because recognizing these signs is the first step to breaking free from the overwhelm trap. Now that we know what's really going on, let's talk solutions. Let’s walk through four steps to help you move from overwhelm to getting things done and back in control.

Step One. Prioritize ruthlessly. Not everything on your to do list is urgent. Take a hard, close look at your tasks and ask yourself what actually matters today. Start with just one thing. Yes, ONE. And focus on completing that one thing. Give yourself permission to let the rest wait. The world won't end if you don't answer that email immediately.

Something that's worked really well for me over the past year because I've been working on this too, is to create a weekly schedule. I have a daily schedule, a time to work, time to exercise, time to be with family. Every evening I go over the day and I write down the three most important things that I must accomplish the next day.

And of course, like you, I have a massive list of everything else. Everything else I want to get done. All my dreams, all my hopes, all my projects. But that's okay. I only end my day when the three most important things that I've set out to accomplish for that day are done. And if I get to more, then that's great.

Number Two. Create boundaries. Overwhelm often comes from saying yes to too much. Start saying no. To extra responsibilities, to draining people and to tasks that don't align with your priorities. Your time and energy are valuable, and it's okay to protect them. I have a schedule. I know when I can meet with people or help people out or hang out with my family.

Sure, depending on circumstances, I'm flexible and I can shift, but it must be for a reason that aligns with my focus, my values, my plan, my goals, and where I'm headed. And you know, I've been working on this for the past year, and it's not perfect, but I'm getting there and it's really making a big difference.

Number Three. Take tiny steps. When everything feels too big, you gotta' break it down. Instead of thinking, you know, I have to get this entire project done or I have to, I have to sign all the documents. Just start with the first document. Just open the project file and begin. And then break the project down into smaller steps. Break all the documents down into smaller steps. You'll get to one today. Maybe two, maybe three. Break it down into smaller steps.

Well, first of all, you get one thing done and you feel good about yourself. And then you go to number two, and then you go to number three. And it builds momentum. And it's not looking at everything all at once. Tiny steps build momentum, and momentum makes everything feel more manageable.

I procrastinate when I don't understand how I'm going to start the job or the thing that I want to do. These jobs I tackle on Saturdays. And this really works for me because I can have a productive week. And then on Saturday, I can dedicate the day to something new and challenging, something that I don't really want to do, something that I don't really want to understand.

So think about your schedule. Think about your week. Think about your days and think about what will work best for you.

Number Four. Schedule rest and exercise. Here's the thing. You cannot pour from an empty cup. Rest isn't lazy. Exercise isn't a waste of time and taking away from your family or your work. They are necessary. Block out time in your day to recharge.

Taking a walk. Reading a book or just sitting in silence. Meditating. Practicing gratitude. Rest and physical movement gives your brain the space it needs to reset and create energy to move it to the next priority. Sleep is a priority for me now. You know, over the past couple years, I've been diving into sleep and how important it is.

We live in a world where everybody's hustling and grinding and doing, and there's Facebook and Instagram and Twitter and TikTok and everybody's, wow, they're all doing so much stuff. And  I'll sleep when I'm dead.

Sleep is a priority for me now. I black out my room. I take magnesium and some other supplements. I have a day light that I use to balance my serotonin and melatonin, and I go to bed at pretty much the same time each night, and I aim for eight hours of sleep with a minimum of seven. And if I get nine, wow, what a great night! One day I will wear earplugs because I know that'll help. But as a mom with some kids still in the house, I'm not there yet. I still want to be able to wake up if I hear something that needs my attention.

So, this is the thing. You are not lazy. You're overwhelmed. And the good news is you can change this.

Start by recognizing the signs. Then tackle them with intentional action. One at a time. Prioritize. Set boundaries. Take action. Exercise and get a good night's sleep every single day.

Here's the challenge. Look at your to do list right now. And pick one thing, just one. What is the most important thing that you need to do today and focus on that. And then just let the rest go for today.

You are going to be amazed at how much lighter you feel and how much more momentum you will build.  Then how much more productive you're going to be, and then how much happier you're going to be because you're going to build this confidence and you say, oh boy, I can do it. And then I can do that, and then I can do that.

It works. It works for me. It works for my clients, and I hope it helps you too.

I'm rooting for you.