Feeling of the Week – Overcommitted

When You’re Doing Too Much and Still Feel Like It’s Not Enough

There’s a unique kind of stress that doesn’t come from a crisis, but from a calendar.

You said yes.

And then yes again.

And now? You’re booked, busy, and barely breathing. This week’s feeling is one that hides behind productivity and high performance: Overcommitted. It’s the emotional weight of doing more than you can sustainably hold. And even though your to-do list might look impressive… inside, you may feel depleted, disconnected, or even quietly resentful.

What Does It Feel Like to Be Overcommitted?

Overcommitment doesn’t always feel chaotic, it often looks like control. But underneath the surface, it can feel like: Running through your day without ever landing, forgetting why you said yes to half the things you’re doing, feeling guilty for canceling, and equally resentful when you don’t, losing track of your own needs in the name of responsibility, wishing you could just pause...but not knowing how.

You’re not just busy. You’re maxed out. And yet, slowing down feels… impossible.

The Emotional Equation of Overcommitted

Overcommitted = (Chronic Yes) – (Recovery + Boundaries + Self-Permission)

This feeling is a signal: You’ve been over-extending yourself likely for too long and it’s starting to cost you. You may feel foggy, reactive, withdrawn, or overly perfectionistic. Not because you’re doing something wrong, but because your nervous system is trying to function without enough rest or room.

Who Often Feels This Way?

Anyone can become overcommitted. But it’s especially common in:

Helpers and caregivers

High achievers and people-pleasers

Those navigating guilt, grief, or uncertainty

Folks raised to believe that worth = productivity

People who’ve learned to keep moving to avoid deeper emotions (see this week’s article: Is Overcommitment a Form of Coping?)

Overcommitment is not just about poor planning.

It’s often tied to deeper emotional patterns, especially around safety, identity, and value.

Why It Matters

When you ignore the feeling of overcommitment, you end up in survival mode:

Burnout becomes baseline

Emotional reactivity increases

Relationships suffer

Joy evaporates

Your body starts to protest (headaches, tension, fatigue)

And worst of all? You lose sight of what you actually want and need.

How to Cope with Feeling Overcommitted

This week, we’re not asking you to quit everything or run away to a cabin in the woods (although… tempting).

We’re asking you to try these conscious coping steps:

1. Name It Honestly

Say it out loud:

“I’m overcommitted.”

That alone creates space for new choices.

2. Run a Strategic “No” Audit

Our Coping Skill of the Week gives you the step-by-step to identify what needs to go and what deserves to stay. Not all commitments are equal.

3. Choose One Pause

Give yourself five minutes of margin. Today.

No goal. No productivity. Just breathing room.

4. Reframe Your Value

Repeat after us:

“My worth is not determined by how much I do.”

You don’t have to earn your rest. You just have to recognize when you need it.

You’re Allowed to Uncommit

Feeling overcommitted doesn’t mean you’re weak.

It means you’re human.

And noticing this feeling? That’s your nervous system asking for support, not shame.

This week, let that be your permission slip:

To do less.

To pause more.

To treat your capacity with the care it deserves.