Overwhelmed, Much? Here’s What It Actually Looks Like (And What to Do About It)
Let’s talk about the O-word that plagues even the most brilliant business brains.
No, not “onboarding” (though, fair). We’re talking about overwhelm—that slippery slope from “I’ve got this” to “I’ve forgotten three birthdays, haven’t replied to my clients, and I’m looking on job sites for jobs I don’t actually want."
At The Virtual Colleagues, overwhelm is practically part of the onboarding questionnaire. Not because we want it to be, but because 99% of the time, people come to us when the wheels have just about fallen off.
And here’s the truth bomb: most people leave it too late to ask for help.
So, let’s break it down. What does overwhelm really look like? And how can we stop business owners from falling headfirst into the mess?
What Overwhelm Looks Like (It's Not Always Obvious)
It’s not all “I’m sobbing into my diary” vibes. Overwhelm shows up wearing many disguises:
The Ghost
Clients who go quiet. Emails? Unread. WhatsApps? Blue-ticked and ignored. Jess put it best: “They disappear off the face of the earth. Can’t deal, can’t cope.”
The Micromanager
On the flip side, some clients overcompensate by controlling every little thing. Laura noticed, "They get obsessed with silly things that never bothered them before."
The Big Ideas Machine
Nicola sees it too: "They come up with loads of new ideas but nothing actually gets finished." It feels productive, but it's really avoidance in disguise.
Fight, Flight, or Freeze
Hadassah nailed it: overwhelm is a nervous system response. Some fight (micromanage), some flee (ghost), some freeze (paralysis by overthinking).
Behaviours to Watch Out For
Overwhelm and stress still seem a little taboo and are not talked about often enough. We all need to work harder to recognise the signs and behaviours that could indicate someone is feeling overwhelmed, so that we are able to reach out, check if they are ok, offer support to them or just be a listening ear. So what can we all look out for?
One of the earliest indicators? The 'nice-to-haves' start to slip. We're talking:
• Fewer networking calls
• No new social media posts
• The blog gets dusty
• Website updates go MIA
The early signs are much harder to identify, however if left unchecked, the overwhelm gets worse and creeps into the 'must-haves' like invoicing and client calls. What behaviours can we look out for when overwhelm is a little worse?
• Missed or double-booked meetings
• Forgotten invoices
• No-shows for client calls
• Radio silence in inboxes
• Searching job boards even though they know they’re unemployable (yep, it came up…)
• Comments from clients or colleagues like: "You’ve been quiet lately…"
• And our personal favourite: "Earth to Simon, are you with us today?!"
As Jess put it, “It’s the brain blanks. The ‘what am I doing?’ feeling. The decision fatigue.”
If this sounds familiar, it’s time to put the brakes on.
What People Say When They're Overwhelmed
Overwhelm has a script. If you hear a business owner say any of the following, it might be time to step in:
“I just can’t keep up.”
“I’m drowning in emails.”
“Let’s come back to that in a few weeks.”
“I’ve just got too much on right now.”
“Can we skip our meeting?”
“I’m crazy busy, but it’s fine…” (It’s never fine.)
Bonus red flag? They’re suddenly obsessed with downloadable checklists, webinars, and ‘how to grow your business’ freebies… instead of doing the actual growing.
Feelings You Might Recognise (Because Actions Aren't the Only Clues)
Other people can only see your actions as an indicator that you are overwhelmed. But you can help yourself by recognising how overwhelm might feel.
Ask yourself:
• Do I feel out of control?
• Do I get brain blanks even on simple tasks?
• Am I suddenly feeling like a fraud in my own business?
• Is my confidence low?
• Do I feel a bit lost, like I’m working hard but not moving forward?
• Am I finding it hard to switch off?
• Do I feel disconnected or like I’m going through the motions?
• Am I procrastinating, even on things I used to enjoy?
Overwhelm can feel different for everyone, but these are the internal whispers we hear time and time again.
Prevention: Let’s Talk Strategies
Stopping overwhelm before it takes hold is absolutely possible. The team shared their best tactics:
Take regular breaks.
Yes, actually take your lunch. Walk the dog. Make a coffee. Put the phone down. Movement and pause are underrated. Its super cliché but is SO important.
Book time off – and mean it.
Holidays, days off, long weekends. They’re not just perks. They’re maintenance. A chance to decompress, and a breather to remind yourself you’re not your business. Life exists outside of it.
Have a day with NO meetings.
We recommend 1 day every week without meetings. A day where you don’t have to perform. No face. No fake smiles. Just space to focus, regroup, and have some time without external distractions and opinions.
Review your priorities often.
Be ruthless. Don’t waste time on outdated tasks. Check in with your list weekly—what’s still urgent? What can wait? What’s totally unnecessary?
Brain dump regularly.
Offload those spiralling thoughts onto paper. Lists, mind maps, scribbles—doesn’t matter how it looks. Get it out of your head.
Automate what you can.
Invoicing, scheduling, reminders. If tech can do it, let it. Free your brain for the human stuff.
Delegate before it feels comfortable.
Jess says it best: "Delegating when it still feels too early is the key. That’s when it makes the biggest impact."
Talk about it.
Overwhelm thrives in silence. As Hadassah said, "Say it out loud. I'm overwhelmed. Hiding it only makes it worse."
Final Word: You Are Not Alone
We all get overwhelmed. Every single one of us. It doesn’t mean you’re failing. It’s a signal. And we’re here to help you recognise it—without judgement, without “you should have…”, and definitely without telling you to meditate your way out of it.
So if you’re reading this and thinking, “Oof. That’s me.” Just know: it’s not too late.
The people who stay afloat are the ones who acknowledge it early, and ask for help.
So whether it’s us, your partner, your dog, or your support group —say something. Catch it early. Don’t wait until you’re Googling “jobs with no emails to deal with.”
We see you. We’ve been there. And we’re here to help.
