On Getting Overwhelmed

Some days I feel like a conductor at a rehearsal gone wrong. Code crashing on one side, missed deadlines on the other, a half-finished melody echoing in my mind, and unread messages stacking up like a crescendo with no resolution.

In those moments, I don’t feel productive, creative, or strategic. I feel overwhelmed.

When Everything Happens at Once

As someone who wears multiple hats; engineer, composer, writer, photographer, project lead; I’m used to context switching. I even enjoy it. But every now and then, all the threads I’m pulling on start to tangle. The system slows. The mental RAM overflows. The bug isn't in the code; it's in the operating system: me.

Overwhelm isn’t just about having too much to do. It’s about losing clarity. It’s when decisions feel heavier, feedback loops break down, and tasks that normally bring joy start to feel like obligations.

What Overwhelm Looks Like (For Me)

• I open a tab, forget why, open another.
• I write a sentence, then delete it, then repeat that five more times.
• My music feels flat, my ideas feel derivative, and even simple bugs feel personal.
• I get irritable; not at others, but at myself; for not being able to "handle it."

That’s when I know it’s time to pause, not push through.

How I Reset

1. Zoom Out

I remind myself: I’m not failing. I’m full. Like a saturated sponge, I need to release before I can absorb again.

But here's the thing: zooming out can backfire. When I step away to do something recreational, I often feel guilty. The pressure doesn't ease; it grows. My mind starts whispering, "You should be working." And then, as if on cue, someone tells me, "Maybe you just need a break." I know they mean well. But in that moment, it feels like being told to breathe by someone who doesn't realize you've been gasping underwater for hours.

That kind of advice, especially when unsolicited, can feel like another task I’m failing at. Rest isn't a new concept. I'm aware it exists. What I need isn’t a reminder to relax; it’s permission to be human without performance metrics.

2. Reconnect with Purpose

I revisit my notes, my goals, my values. Why did I start this project? What excited me about it? Overwhelm clouds motivation; clarity restores it.

I ask myself what matters most today; not this quarter, not this year. Just today. That helps me rebuild momentum from something real and present.

3. Delegate, Delete, Delay

I go through my mental to-do list with a ruthless filter:

• Can someone else do this better or faster? Delegate.
• Does this even need to be done? Delete.
• Can this wait? Delay.

This triage system helps me reduce noise and focus on what truly needs my attention.

4. Aim for Low-Hanging Fruit

When I'm mentally overloaded, I don't need a heroic task; I need a small win. Something I can do in five minutes. Something that doesn't require orchestration or emotional negotiation. So I pick the lowest-hanging fruit I can find: respond to a simple email, rename a file, commit a single line of code, clean up my desktop.

These small completions act like reset points. They remind me that progress is still possible, even when momentum feels lost. Overwhelm thrives in ambiguity, but clarity begins with just one thing getting done.

A Final Note

Overwhelm isn’t weakness. It’s data. It tells me when I’ve stretched too far, when I need help, when I need rest, or when I’ve lost sight of what matters.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed right now, know this: it doesn’t mean you’re broken. It means you care. Maybe even too much. And maybe it’s time to pause; not to quit, but to recalibrate.

Like tuning an instrument before a performance, sometimes we need to step back before we can step up.

Here’s to finding that breath, that moment of quiet clarity; before the next crescendo.