Drowning in Work? Three Coaches Share How to Stay Productive with a High Workload

You agreed to “just a little extra work” when a colleague left, but months later, the backlog hasn’t eased, the replacement hasn’t arrived, and your to-do list keeps growing. Add an unstable job market and looming performance targets, and it’s no wonder you feel stretched thin.

Sound familiar? You’re not alone. The 2025 Work in America survey found that many professionals are juggling job uncertainty, crushing workloads, and environments that strain both their health and relationships.

Leaving isn’t always an option, but taking back control is. Here are eight coach-backed strategies to manage stress, lessen exhaustion, and keep your performance (and sanity) intact.

1. Recognize the Scope of the Problem

Start by writing down everything on your plate. “Instead of letting stress swirl in your head, jot down exactly what’s weighing on you,” says Debbie Chueh, Coach Program Manager. “Seeing it on paper lightens the mental load and helps you map a path forward.”

2. Prioritize Ruthlessly

Use the Eisenhower Matrix to prioritize what truly matters. Focus on urgent, important tasks first. Schedule important but not urgent tasks for later. Delegate urgent but low-value work to others. Drop everything else.

This means saying “no” more, but that’s what frees you to focus on high-impact items. For example, if your inbox is flooded with meeting requests while a critical project deadline is approaching, prioritize the project that drives results instead of sitting through yet another status update that doesn’t move the needle.

3. Do a Single Task Sprint

Sometimes, just knocking out one small task can make a huge difference in how productive and in control you feel. Pick a doable item, set a timer for 10 minutes, and give it your full attention.

As Chueh puts it, “That short burst of focus can break the cycle of overwhelm and give you back a sense of control.”

4. Set Boundaries with Elegance

Setting boundaries with colleagues and clients doesn’t just protect your time; it sharpens your performance.

Often, it’s less about saying “no” and more about how you say it. As Career Coach Ariane Hunter explains, a simple reframe can go a long way: “I’m currently tied up with a few high-priority items, so I won’t be able to take this on right now. Let me know if we can adjust the timeline or if someone else can assist.”

This language shows respect for the request while clarifying your priorities and keeps you from silently drowning under commitments.

5. Delegate and Collaborate Smartly

Delegation is power, not laziness. Give tasks to the people best equipped to handle them. That teammate who nails presentations? Give them ownership of the deck. Your colleague who excels at client follow-up? Have them take the lead on those conversations. You focus on where your impact is the greatest.

6. Implement Stress Management Strategies

When the workday feels overwhelming, stress management isn’t optional, it’s essential. One of the simplest, most effective ones? Focus on your breath.

“Pause and take deep breaths to activate the parasympathetic nervous system,” Executive Coach Christina Lobraico recommends. “This helps with clarity and reduces anxiety. You can also try placing a hand on your head to ground yourself.”

Beyond breathing, take microbreaks throughout the day instead of just powering through (no matter how urgent things may seem).

“A microbreak is an intentional break of 10 minutes or less, dedicated to a non-work activity,” explains L. Barbour, Arootah’s Director of Wellness. “It’s a personalized reset that calms, refocuses, and fuels a productive mind and a healthy body. Microbreaks have been proven to increase cognitive flexibility and emotional agility.”

The bottom line is that self-care isn’t a luxury; it’s a performance strategy. These small resets ease anxiety and build the resilience for long-term career success.

7. Keep Career Momentum in Mind

Prioritize time to focus on your wins. Those wins are what’re going to propel your career forward, after all. So, document them, communicate them, and continue growing, so you’ll be ready for the next step in your career when it comes.

One way to do this is to start a simple “wins journal” where you write down one accomplishment each week, no matter how small. When performance reviews come around or new opportunities arise, you’ll have concrete examples ready. This also helps you see your progress during tough periods when everything feels overwhelming.

8. Mindset Shifts: Overwhelm as Opportunity

Finally, instead of spiraling into “I have too much to do,” try flipping the script. Chueh suggests reframing it as: “I get to choose my next best step.”

That subtle shift puts you back in control, turning high-priority deadlines into opportunities to sharpen prioritization, influence stakeholders, and maybe even perfect your Slack messaging tone.

The Bottom Line

Small, consistent actions compound into real control. The workload may not shrink, but your ability to handle it will improve tremendously.

Looking for additional support? Schedule a complimentary call with a Career Coach for personalized strategies to reclaim focus and stay ahead, no matter how full your plate is!