Feeling Like You’re Drowning? It Might Not Be Time You’re Lacking
Written by Lisa Infante - Founder of Courage to Change Collective
Feeling Like You’re Drowning? It Might Not Be Time You’re Lacking.
You’re getting things done. You’re showing up. You’re doing what’s required of you. And yet… it still feels like you’re barely keeping your head above water.
If you’ve ever thought, “Why does this feel so hard when I’m doing everything right?” - keep reading.
This isn’t a time problem. It’s a capacity problem.
I was chatting with a client recently (sharp, capable, high-performing in a demanding role) when she said something that stopped me in my tracks:
“I feel like I’m drowning in the day-to-day. I give everything to my job, and there’s nothing left for anything else.”
If that sentence landed hard, you’re not alone.
Because here’s the truth most high-achieving women don’t want to hear:
You don’t need better time management
You need more capacity (or a different way of using the capacity you have)
Why you’re burnt out (even though you’re getting things done).
We all get the same 24 hours. Time isn’t playing favourites.
So why does it look like some women are running businesses, raising families, keeping friendships alive and squeezing in pilates - while you’re exhausted just trying to keep up with the basics?
It’s not because they’re doing more. It’s because they’re doing less of what doesn’t matter.
Burnout doesn’t usually come from being lazy, disorganised, or incapable. It comes from:
Carrying too much mental load
Saying yes out of habit, guilt, or expectation
Holding onto roles you’ve outgrown
Running systems that used to work, but don’t anymore
Your way of operating has hit its limit. And that’s not a personal failure, it’s feedback.
Audit where your energy is actually going.
Before you change anything, you need to see the truth of what’s happening.
Not the story you tell yourself.
Not what should be draining you.
What actually is.
Start here:
Look at your calendar - work and personal
Notice what gets the best of your energy
Be honest about what leaves you flat, resentful, or depleted
Energy leaks aren’t always dramatic. They’re often:
Meetings that go nowhere
Responsibilities you silently carry
Emotional labour no one sees
Tasks you keep because “I’ve always done it”
If it drains you and doesn’t move your life forward, it’s costing you more than time.
Let go of what no longer fits (even if you’re good at it).
This is the part most women resist…
Because you can do it.
Because you’re good at it.
Because people rely on you.
But capacity isn’t about what you’re capable of - it’s about what’s sustainable. Ask yourself:
What roles am I still holding that don’t match who I am now?
What expectations am I meeting out of obligation, not alignment?
What would I stop doing if I trusted myself more?
You don’t need permission to evolve. And holding on out of habit is one of the fastest ways to burn out.
Do less, but make it count.
When women hit this point, they usually try to push harder. That’s the worst move.
What actually works:
Delegate what you can - just because you can do it doesn’t mean you should
Simplify everything - simple systems are sustainable systems
Choose needle-movers only - busy isn’t the same as effective
Capacity expands when you stop wasting it.
You’re not failing. You’re full.
Feeling overwhelmed isn’t a character flaw. It’s your nervous system sending you a very clear message.
Let’s stop glorifying exhaustion. Let’s stop treating overwhelm as normal. And let’s start building lives that don’t require constant recovery.
You don’t need to do it all. You need to do what matters most (and protect your energy like the asset it is).
Much love and be unapologetically you!
xx Lisa
FAQs
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If you’re ticking things off your to-do list but still feel exhausted, resentful, or numb, you’re likely at capacity. Organisation helps, but it won’t fix overload.
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Then simplify. Remove before you add. Not everything on your list is urgent or essential, even if it feels that way.
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No. It’s responsible. When you’re constantly depleted, everyone gets the worst version of you. Protecting your energy is how you show up better - not less.
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Burnout will take you out completely. Strategic reduction creates clarity, focus, and better results - not failure.
