Feeling like you’ve said yes to too many things and now you’re wondering how in the world you’ll get it all done?

Or maybe you committed to something coming up, but then life threw you a curveball—and now you’re feeling stretched too thin.

Or you’re just plain exhausted and know you need a break… but can’t figure out where to find the time.

We all have an optimal capacity for how much we can reasonably handle.

And when you consistently exceed it or ignore your needs, everything feels harder to navigate.

You end up more overwhelmed and drained. And less focused and productive.

And it doesn’t just affect the current day—it can follow you for days after, unless you take time to reset and recharge.

The simplest (yet often overlooked) place to start?

Take something off your plate!

That’s not always easy, especially when your calendar is already full and everything feels important. And the guilt is there—you don’t want to let anyone down.

But something has to give.

There’s always something you can say no to or press pause on.

And sometimes, it’s even letting go of something good—because you just don’t have the capacity you expected to.

Or maybe you do have the time, but you don’t have the mental capacity.

Think of it not as managing your time, but as managing your energy.

This might mean bigger changes to your boundaries and priorities.

Often though, it’s in the smaller, everyday choices—what you say yes or no to in the moment.

And being okay to adjust as you need.

This has been one of my biggest lessons as I learned to stop overcommitting and make myself a priority too.

I show up for what really matters consistently—and can also drop something in a heartbeat when I need more space or feel overwhelmed.

Take last week, you might have noticed I didn’t send out my usual weekly email.

I had just returned from our Spring Break vacation and our household was battling a lingering sickness.

And while I was well enough to function, I could feel my bandwidth wasn’t there. So, I took a few things off my to-do list.

Even though the “shoulda, woulda, couldas” still popped up.

(You all would also be just fine without an email 😉).

The bigger decision I made? Saying no to attending a conference in Saskatoon I had bought a ticket for.

I had planned to attend, but the day before, I still felt sick and knew it would take more than I had to give.

The guilt was there, but I reminded myself what I was saying yes to instead.

I had a couple of speaking engagements coming up that I wanted to be in my best energy for.

I was taking care of my health.

And while I was feeling too rundown to drive to Saskatoon and spend a full day networking, I did have energy to work on a priority project at home.

I spent the day in my sweatpants, making excellent progress on a website project and enjoying the focused, no-meeting time.

That’s the key when something has to give: knowing what to drop, and what to keep.

Also recognizing that sometimes, what you need to focus on might be… doing nothing.

This takes intention. It takes clarity. And when you’re already overloaded, it can feel like just one more thing to think through.

But making those decisions upfront—knowing what can give—helps you protect your energy and feel more in control of your day.

It’s making some of those harder choices that can make your days easier.

Even if you’re unsure what could give, just check in…

What would make your day or week feel lighter? There is always something.

Maybe you can’t say no to a big project or critical task—but you can say no to something else.

And then give yourself permission to let that go.

To make a bold cut.

To choose your mental health and well-being—and a more reasonable pace.

Because it’s not about doing less just to do less. It’s about creating space for your true priorities and needs. This includes YOU.

The counterintuitive part? You’ll often perform better when you do—because you recalibrate yourself.

It’s a different approach to your days.

You’re playing an entirely different game with balance.

Not the packed calendar. Not the “always on” mode. Not meeting everyone else’s needs before your own.

But the space to think clearly and be present. The time to focus on what truly matters. The boldness to live without the hectic, overwhelming pace.

Like one of my coaching clients, Anita, said yesterday (with the perfect analogy):
“We used to drink from the firehose every day. Now there’s not even a fire.”

As you wrap up your week, take a few moments to reflect on:

• What game do YOU want to play? And what is one thing you can do differently to play that game?
• What is something that can give to free up your time and energy?
• Not sure where to start? Look at your calendar today or this upcoming week and ask: What’s one thing I can cancel, delegate, or delay that would make my week feel lighter? Even a small shift can give you more breathing room.

All my best,