Overcoming Overwhelm and Over-Availability Syndrome, Part V

Up until now, Morgan,¹ we’ve been talking about principles and mindset shifts. But I don’t want to give you just inspiration. I want to give you implementation.

So here are four practical things you can do right now to avoid overextending yourself, minimize overwhelm, and maximize your rest and renewal. Because only then can you lead from a place of peace, poise, and presence.

1. If it’s not on the calendar, it doesn’t exist; so actually schedule some time to rest and renew

One of the best ways to protect your time is to schedule it with the same seriousness you schedule a board meeting or client call. If this is hard for you, start small. Block off one hour a week just for you, and treat it as non-negotiable.

It could be a walk, a massage, prayer, or a nap. The activity doesn’t matter as much as the consistency. What matters is that you honor yourself with the same commitment you give to everyone else.

Research backs this up. A study in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that people who created specific “implementation intentions” (when, where, how they’d do something) were twice as likely to follow through as those with vague intentions. In other words: good intentions fade. Rituals stick.

So schedule your rest like your most important meeting, and then keep it.

2. Set expectations with the people around you; you know, the ones who are constantly clamoring for your energy and attention

One of the biggest reasons women feel guilty about rest is that they don’t communicate it. They sneak it. They apologize for it. They treat it like indulgence.

But leadership is communication.

When you tell your spouse, your team, or your clients, “I’m creating space to recharge so I can serve you better,” you shift the narrative. You’re not being selfish. You’re being strategic.

Gallup research on leadership shows employees are more engaged when their leaders model healthy work-life balance. Why? Because it signals to the whole team that sustainability matters more than burnout.

So don’t hide your rest. Declare it. Model it. Teach it. I would even start blocking time off during your regular business hours and post a letter to your clients (who I know adore you), saying something like, “I love y’all, but I have to schedule some time for myself, not just for my own well-being, but so I can work on my business, rather than work in it. When I’m healthy and my business grows, the result is better service for you!” Frame it that way.

The bottom line is this: Show others that this isn’t indulgence. It’s leadership. It’s not selfish, it’s strategic. It’s good for you and good for them!

3. When you choose to rest and renew, honor your wiring

Rest isn’t one-size-fits-all. The way you replenish should reflect the way you work.

• If your work is mental, rest physically. Move your body. Take a hike. Work with your hands.

• If your work is physical, rest mentally. Read a novel. Watch a film. Journal. Stimulate your mind.

• If your life is constant stimulation, seek silence. Turn off your phone. Sit in stillness. Meditate. Pray.

• If your life is monotony, seek adventure. Travel. Learn something new. Play.

Neuroscience supports this. Studies on “active rest” show that engaging in activities different from your primary work improves recovery and boosts creativity. In fact, the brain’s “default mode network”—the part that lights up when you’re daydreaming—plays a major role in problem-solving and innovation.

So don’t just rest. Rest wisely. Rest according to your wiring.

4. Remember that rest is not ultimately about results. It’s about being faithful

This is where it all comes together. Don’t measure your rest by what it produces. Don’t turn it into another ROI calculation. Rest is not a productivity hack—it’s obedience.

Remember the piano story? You play your note. You let the Lord compose the rest.

The prophet Isaiah said:
“In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and trust shall be your strength.”

That’s not a suggestion. That’s a promise.

So take your hands off the wheel. Lay down the guilt. Be faithful to rest, and trust that the multiplication will happen in ways you cannot see or control.

¹This is part V of a six-part series for Substack, based on a letter I wrote for Morgan, one of my clients, which (at her encouragement) I subsequently published as a booklet you can purchase on Amazon. You can find it here.