When “Doing It All” Costs You: How to Recognize and Avoid Overwhelm & Burnout
- Brittney Holmes Jackson
- May 12
- 3 min read
May is Mental Health Awareness Month — and while the conversations about anxiety, depression, and trauma are important (and necessary), I also want to shine a light on two sneaky, slow-burning mental health challenges: overwhelm and burnout.
Let’s be honest: You’re probably carrying more than anyone realizes. You’re managing home, work, relationships, healing, parenting, goals, and the weight of the world — while still trying to show up with a smile. And even if you love what you do, if you’re not careful, you can still burn out.
As a trauma-informed therapist and mental health coach, I’ve seen firsthand how unchecked overwhelm can snowball into exhaustion, resentment, anxiety, and even depression. I’ve also lived it — pushing past limits, ignoring the signs, until my body and mind forced me to slow down. So let’s talk about it.
What Is Overwhelm and Burnout?
Overwhelm happens when the demands on your time, energy, or emotions outweigh your capacity. It feels like there's always more to do and never enough of you to go around.
Burnout, on the other hand, is the result of chronic overwhelm — it's physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged stress. According to the World Health Organization, burnout includes feelings of energy depletion, increased mental distance from one’s work, and reduced professional efficacy.
But burnout isn’t just about your 9-5. Parents can burn out. Caregivers can burn out. Entrepreneurs, students, helpers, pastors, therapists — anyone who carries more than they’re meant to can find themselves running on empty.
Warning Signs You May Be Burning Out
You wake up tired, even after a full night’s rest
You feel irritable, numb, or disconnected
Small tasks feel overwhelming or pointless
You’re more anxious, forgetful, or emotionally reactive
Your body feels tense, tight, or in pain (shoulders, chest, gut)
You’re constantly saying, “I just need to push through…”
Sound familiar? Let’s talk about what you can do about it.
5 Tips to Avoid Overwhelm & Burnout
1. Pause and Name It
Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is name what you're feeling.
"I'm overwhelmed."
"I'm exhausted."
"This is too much for me right now."
Naming it doesn’t make you weak — it makes you self-aware. And that awareness is the first step toward change.
2. Redefine “Rest”
Rest isn’t just sleep — it’s anything that recharges your nervous system. That could mean:
Saying “no” to one more thing
Turning your phone off at night
Spending time in nature or stillness
Creating space to write, breathe, or cry
You don’t have to earn rest. You quite literally need it to function.
3. Simplify What You Can
Trauma and stress can make us feel like we have to do everything, perfectly, all the time. Give yourself permission to simplify.
Choose 3 priorities a day instead of 10
Delegate when possible
Use a meal plan, calendar, or timer to support structure
Let “good enough” be enough for now
Relief lives in your yes — but also in your no.
4. Protect Your Energy
Be mindful of what drains and what fills you. Protect your time, your peace, your emotional capacity. That might look like:
Setting clearer boundaries at work or home
Saying no without guilt
Spending less time on draining social media or news
Spending more time in life-giving community, prayer, or creative space
Your energy is sacred. Steward it well.
5. Get Support Sooner, Not Later
Burnout thrives in isolation. You don’t have to wait until you “crash” to ask for help. Whether it’s therapy, coaching, a support group, or simply confiding in someone you trust — it’s okay to need support. You’re not meant to carry it all by yourself.
This Mental Health Awareness Month, Choose You
You don’t have to “earn” care. You don’t have to do more to be worthy of rest. You don’t have to wait until your body gives out or your spirit breaks. You can choose yourself — now.
I’m here to support you with trauma-informed care and spaces to breathe again:
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, I see you.
If you’re on the edge of burnout, I honor your strength — and your need for rest.
Let’s walk this healing journey together.
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