Feeling of the Week: Overtaxed

When Everything Feels Like It's Costing Too Much and You Have Nothing Left to Spend

This week’s feeling is one that creeps in quietly but affects everything:

Overtaxed.

Not just tired. Not just overwhelmed. Not just busy.

Overtaxed is the emotional experience of spending more energy than you have, day after day, until everything, even the good things, starts to feel like too much.

What Does It Mean to Feel Overtaxed?

To be overtaxed is to live in a state of constant emotional withdrawal.

You're functioning, but just barely. You're meeting the expectations, but at a cost. You’re putting on the face, getting things done, replying to the messages… but the toll is showing up elsewhere:

Your mood is shorter

Your motivation is thin

Your body feels tight or run down

Even small things feel heavy

You crave escape more than connection

Feeling overtaxed means your capacity is maxed and your recovery system isn’t getting the deposits it needs.

It’s not just about stress, it’s about depletion.

The Emotional Equation of Overtaxed

Overtaxed = (Chronic Output + Minimal Recovery) − (Support + Boundaries + Emotional Bandwidth)

This is different from a bad day or a rough week. Overtaxed is what happens when your nervous system is always "on", your body is running on fumes, and rest stops being something you do and becomes something you fantasize about.

This feeling often shows up in people who look like they’re doing fine:

High-achievers. Caregivers. Reliable coworkers. Parents. Leaders. The "strong" ones.

But under the surface? The cost is compounding.

Signs You Might Be Overtaxed

You feel emotionally flat or checked out

You're tired before the day even starts

You're dreading tasks that used to be manageable

You get irritable when someone asks for something small

You cancel plans not for rest, but for survival

You keep thinking: “I just need to get through this week” every week

Why It Matters

When we ignore the feeling of being overtaxed, it doesn’t go away, it just buries itself deeper.

Left unchecked, overtaxed turns into:

Burnout

Emotional numbing

Compassion fatigue

Chronic health issues

Disconnected relationships

And perhaps most quietly of all, it robs you of joy. You stop enjoying things and not because you don’t care, but because your system is too depleted to take it in.

How to Cope When You're Overtaxed

The answer isn’t to “push through.” It’s to shift the equation:

1. Acknowledge the Withdrawal

Name the feeling:

“I’m not lazy, I’m overtaxed.”

That alone can soften the shame and bring self-compassion into the picture.

2. Reclaim Micro-Recovery

You don’t need a spa day. You need 90 seconds of breath, 5 minutes of quiet, 2 sips of water, or a walk around the block without your phone.

3. Protect Your Remaining Bandwidth

Every “no” you say is a “yes” to recovery. Even small boundaries (declining one meeting, pausing one thread) help lower the cost you’re paying.

4. Check In With Your Support System

Ask: Who helps me refuel? What makes me feel seen? Even texting a friend “I’m fried” can remind you: you don’t have to carry this alone.

Final Thought: You Are Not Meant to Be an Unlimited Resource

Feeling overtaxed isn’t failure, it’s feedback. It’s your body, your brain, and your emotional ecosystem saying:

“You’re doing too much with too little support.”

This week, let yourself notice it. Let yourself name it. And let yourself nurture your way back into balance.