How to Not Stress Over an Overloaded Schedule: a Gentle Approach
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February 10, 2025
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That schedule of yours is starting to feel like a maze with no exit, isn’t it? 🗓️
Every time you think you’ve found a moment to breathe (or create!), another commitment pops up like an uninvited guest at your creative tea party.
Sweet friend, I see you trying to juggle it all – the day job, the artistic dreams, the endless to-do lists that seem to multiply faster and faster.
Let’s talk alllll about how to not stress over an overloaded schedule while keeping your artistic spark alive. With some gentle creative overwhelm solutions that actually work for artists.
What’s Your Current “Schedule Story?”
Let’s pause for a moment and look at the story you’re telling yourself about your schedule.
Yes, not your schedule itself, but the story.
I could give some creative scheduling tips like time-blocking (which I have done in past blogs!) but the answer to how to not stress over an overloaded schedule starts with your perception of that schedule.
Is it a tale of constant overwhelm? A narrative of “never enough time”? Or perhaps it’s a saga of comparing your journey to other artists who seem to have it all figured out?
I get it. As artists, we’re often pulled in a million different directions. We’re told to “hustle harder” while also being reminded to “stay authentic.” To “seize every opportunity” while “maintaining boundaries.” It’s enough to make anyone’s head spin. 💫
But what if we could rewrite this story together? What is how to not stress over an overloaded schedule started with the language we use to talk about our schedules?
Even if we’re in a job we hate, perhaps we can flow some gratitude into conversations, since that job gives us the money to pay for a comfy roof over our heads or food or fun adventures with friends while we love the journey to our next goal.
Perhaps that boring work-from-home job we have can actually be seen as a Cozy Girl Job, and one that’s actually teaching us more about the digital space so we can eventually market ourselves and our art in the future.
Even if it’s the smallest thing, like having a single coworker you love, having a relatively calm environment, or being in a really lovely part of the neighborhood, what’s one way you can reshape the story of your busy schedule to help you bring in a little bit of gratitude to the equation?
The Difference Between Full and Overwhelming
There’s a delicate balance between a life that’s richly full and one that’s overwhelmingly stuffed.
Think of it like this: a beautiful garden needs space between the flowers to thrive. Pack them too tightly, and none of them get enough light to bloom.
Traditional artist time management advice often misses the magical, intuitive nature of creative work. Let’s talk about that.
The Energy of Expansion vs. Contraction
Have you ever noticed how some activities make you feel lighter, more expansive, like you could conquer the world with your paintbrush (or microphone, or camera, or computer, or iPad, you get it, you get it).
While others make you want to curl up into a tiny ball and hibernate for a year?
This is your body’s wisdom speaking to you! When you feel expanded – that’s your inner compass pointing toward alignment.
When you feel contracted – that’s your artistic soul waving a red flag. 🚩
Embracing mindful productivity means honoring both your creative spirit and your practical needs.
So check in with your body right now. No, literally, right now. Notice your posture. Do you feel more expanded, or contracted? Place your hand on your heart. Does it feel a little more closed off and concave, or open and ready for receiving?
You can always do the leaning test, too. Stand in a neutral position, with your feet hip-width apart. Ask yourself a yes/no question, and try not to dictate any bodily movement. If your body leans forward, it’s a yes. If it leans backwards, it’s a no.
🫶 Meet me here next to talk more about joy: Heart-Led Quotes About Joy for Adults Creating Their Dream Life
Analysis Paralysis
Oh, the dreaded analysis paralysis! As creatives, we can sometimes get so caught up in perfectly planning our schedule that we forget to actually live it.
Being full is being able to follow one path and getting lost in the fun and joy of it. But getting overwhelmed is exactly this — analysis paralysis.
We spend hours color-coding our calendars (guilty! 🙋♀️) but forget to leave room for creative spontaneity. Or we get so overwhelmed by numbers, ideas, and concepts, that it actually freezes us. If you’re in this state — perhaps a creative summer gone wild! — it’s okay to step back and let each idea unfold one piece at a time.
You don’t have a timeline. There are no rules with this creative journey. Everything in the past has actually been perfect. And manifestation comes from not just action, but inspired action. So if you can’t figure out which decision to make yet, allow some time for you to do that.
I’ve been taking a few months hiatus from songwriting because I want to really find my sound. I was feeling too much analysis paralysis from all the directions songs could go. So, I stepped back. I’ve been listening more than creating to find a process for me.
So far, it’s given me a huge perspective into the type of music that makes me feel warm and cozy and how I can bring that into the music I create.
Rest is okay, friend. Part of creative expansion means that we’re giving ourselves permission to sit back and reflect on what we did or what we plan to do. Creativity is not measured by our output. It’s not about productivity. It’s more about the mindfulness we have about our craft when we’re in it. Making inspired decisions that honor the journey and story we want to create.
Energy Vampires
Speaking of energy drains, let’s talk about energy vampires! (And I’m not just saying this because I’ve been binge-watching What We Do in the Shadows lately even though yes I am 😉). These are the tasks, commitments, or even people that suck the creative life force right out of you.
When you feel energetically and artistically full, you’re around creatives who give you energy. They fill your cup. Going out to lunch with them or having a virtual coffee date makes you feel inspired after your call.
Then, there’s the energy and emotional vampires, which are quite the opposite.
Maybe it’s that client meeting that always runs over. Or the social media scroll that turns from “quick inspiration check” into a two-hour comparison spiral. Identifying these vampires is the first step to protecting your creative energy! And yes, energy vampires can be apps, too, like social media, not just people.
Sometimes we can’t control this as much as we’d think, like if we have a coworker we work directly with who sucks the life and creativity out of us. In that case, it’s a great idea to start having some exit strategies from that job or position and look into a Cozy Girl Job.
👩💻 Wanna talk more about cozy girl jobs? I’ve got you: The Artist Advantage: How to Get a Cozy Girl Job
Signs Your Schedule Needs Some Love! & Using Your Creative Intuition to Reshape the Story
Now that we’ve covered how you look at your schedule and what might be draining your energy, let’s talk about the actual signs (and solutions) for how to not stress over an overloaded schedule.
Your Body is Sending Signals (Answer: Move Move Move!)
Marie Kondo calls it “sparking joy.” I call it “feeling the flutter.” Whichever floats your bubble best, it’s all about being able to feel things in your body. If you haven’t felt that magical spark and excitement when you’re in your creative flow or getting new ideas, it’s your body telling you something, girl.
When was the last time you felt truly excited about your creative work, rather than seeing it as another task to check off?
In order to combat this, move move move. Incorporate more ways to move in your life — working out, going to yoga classes, going for walks in your neighborhood, dancing in your room, anything.
When you’re moving, you’ll want to make sure you’re activating the total torso, because this is where emotional experiences come from. Your total torso is everything below your neck area and everything above your torso. I learned in movement class at The William Esper Studio that this is where we experience emotions and memories.
AKA, we don’t store memories in our elbows or ankles!
You’re Feeling Uninspired But Don’t Know Why (Answer: Give Yourself a Creative Winter)
Sometimes the well feels dry not because you’re not creative enough, but because you haven’t given yourself space to refill it.
So, your body might be begging for a creative winter. AKA a time to reflect and rest so you’re good and ready for spring and summer. BTW, your creative seasons don’t need to align with the actual seasons, and they could be as long or short as they need.
Again — there are no rules.
Wanna talk more about your creative seasons? You got it, friend: Why Your Creative Energy Fluctuates (And How to Work With It)
You Feel Like You’re Walking Through Life (Answer: Romanticize the Little Things)
We’re artists – we should be dancing through life. (Yes, that’s a Wicked reference, and no, I’m not sorry 😉). If you’re merely trudging through your days instead of twirling through them with creative enthusiasm, it’s time for a schedule shake-up. 🙂↔️
So, find the little things to make your life closer to your dream life. AKA, romanticize your life. AKA AKA, live as if you already have what you’re shooting for!
I’d love to own a home. But as if this writing, I don’t. But I treat my rental exactly as I would a home. I have my SoulSpace incense to make it smell amazing. I’ve painted colors that flutter my heart.
(PS use code LOVEVIOLETGAZE to get 10% off your entire order!)
I do things that I would want to do in my dream lifestyle. I get massages, go to the gym just to hang in the sauna, and dress in the clothes that I’d want to wear when I’m on tour or on set.
What little things can you do to romanticize your life, manifesting your dreams? What can you wear, feel, eat, talk about, do that brings you closer to this?
Because pretty soon, your subconscious will bridge the gap between your goals and your reality and bring you exactly what you’ve been looking for.
Some Quick Time Management Tips for How to Not Stress Over an Overloaded Schedule
Give Everything a Start and End Time
If you are working on your own business or working from home, a huge artist schedule organization tip I love is to give tasks a clear beginning and end!
By doing this, they stop bleeding into every corner of your life and there’s no pressure to get it all done during the day (aka, doing work from 8am-5pm and still feeling like you haven’t completed what you want to).
When you’re given a clear end time, you’re going to focus more. It’s just the human condition!
Building Buffer Time for Creative Flow
Tim Ferriss has this brilliant idea of only planning two major tasks per day. Everything else is a bonus! This creates space for creative breathing room – those precious moments when inspiration can catch up with you.
Peaceful productivity comes from aligning your schedule with your creative rhythms. So don’t schedule things back to back and don’t schedule a million things in one day. Expect 2 tasks to fill up your day, and if they don’t, consider it an amazing surprise! 🥳
Then, you get to choose if you want to do more, or check off those two tasks and feel accomplished as heck.
🧘♀️ You might also love: Overwhelmed Anxiety Quotes to Calm Your Creative Mind
Create a “To Done” List
What if how to not stress over an overloaded schedule was simply about celebrating what you’ve done?
Instead of focusing on everything you haven’t done yet, try keeping a “to done” list!
Include everything – yes, even brushing your teeth – that you’ve already done up until right now. You’ll be amazed at how much you actually accomplish in a day. You’re doing so much more than you realize, sweet friend!
Create Morning & Evening Anchors
Think of these as energetic bookends for your day. Maybe it’s a specific song that signals “creative time” or a spot in your home that’s just for dreaming.
These anchors help your mind and body know when to shift gears.
Add Fun to Your Tasks
Language is powerful!
Instead of “client consultations,” I now have “disco calls” (because why not?). Use emojis in your calendar. Color-code with abandon. Make it feel like play rather than work, because it can be. Work is supposed to be amazing and enjoyable as much as possible.
Consider Getting a Cozy Girl Job
Sometimes the best way to protect your creative energy is to find work that supports it rather than drains it! I already talked about the magic of a Cozy Girl Job earlier. It’s remote, flexible, and low-stress work which can provide the stability you need without sacrificing your artistic dreams. Finding your unique artist work-life balance is essential for sustainable creativity, and this can help you do just that.
Use the Power of Intentional No’s
Every “no” to something that doesn’t serve you is a “yes” to your creativity. You don’t have to accept every invitation, join every project, or say yes to every request.
Your time is precious, and I promise, the doorway will open somewhere else if you’re able to say “no,” when your gut is telling you it’s not the right time.
How to Not Stress Over an Overloaded Schedule & Thrive (Not Just Survive!) in Your Creative Journey
Learning how to not stress over an overloaded schedule is about creating space for what truly matters. Sweet friend, reimagining your schedule isn’t about squeezing more in – it’s about crafting days that support your artistic soul rather than suppress it.
Start small, be gentle with yourself, and watch how your creative spirit starts to dance when given room to breathe in this beautiful artistic journey of yours.
