It’s not your To-Do list.

We’re exactly 30 days away from the midpoint of 2025, and as time continues its relentless march, I must confess that I sometimes struggle to keep up with it. I’m actively working on improving this.

My last newsletter (or “therapy notes”, as I like to call them) was published about a month ago, after which I succumbed to an extended stretch of intense time crunch – a consequence of my own doing.

In April, I managed to consistently publish my newsletters, but overall, it wasn’t a productive month. Many other aspects of my work suffered as I procrastinated on certain deliverables, primarily due to a lack of motivation. My inaction ultimately came back to haunt me.

As I entered May, I resolved to make amends for the poor decisions I made the previous month. I am faring much better now; however, this progress came at a cost.

I was compelled to dedicate my limited time and energy to external commitments, often at the expense of my personal obligations. This period also coincided with peak season at my workplace, which made it even more challenging to manage everything.

I often felt overwhelmed by pending tasks and tight deadlines, and I struggled to find time for important personal matters; it felt like being stuck on a never-ending hamster wheel.

Why Do We Feel Overwhelmed?

Amid all the chaos, I stumbled upon a discovery: the overwhelming feeling I experienced wasn’t solely due to the long list of tasks in front of me. Instead, it primarily came from my struggle to balance personal projects with external commitments.

The feeling of overwhelm is an emotional response born from our inability to adequately manage life’s stressors. It is not so much about the amount of work to be done but rather about the mental capacity to handle the tasks effectively.

To put it into perspective, imagine an experienced surgeon with many years of practice and a new intern, both tasked with performing surgery on a patient. Chances are, the intern will feel overwhelmed by the responsibility, while the seasoned veteran will handle the situation with greater calmness. Why is this the case? The answer is simple: mental confidence. One surgeon believes in his ability to execute the procedure effectively, while the other doubts his own skills.

In my case, I felt overwhelmed because I was struggling to manage my limited resources of time and energy, and I could see the negative effects this had on my overall progress. I was constantly busy but not necessarily moving the needle.

You Might Just Be Distracted

I decided to troubleshoot the situation. Upon further investigation, it became clear that I struggled to manage my limited resources because I was distracted.

In this context, “distraction” does not refer to the inability to focus, such as being sidetracked by our phones and social media (though that can also add to feelings of being overwhelmed). Instead, distraction here means having misplaced priorities—focusing on less important matters rather than what should be our primary concern.

I found myself distracted by the numerous overdue tasks that had accumulated, leaving me little time to focus on what truly mattered. As a result, I felt overwhelmed. Fortunately, I am in a better place now and am working on being more intentional about managing my resources with clearly defined priorities.