About this episode
Join my Therapist Pen Pal list (free): https://balanced-thunder-281.myflodesk.com/drjenbOverbooked & Overwhelmed (again): How to Prune What You Can When Your Calendar Feels ImpossibleIn this episode, I’m revisiting a topic I first talked about last year: what to do when you look at your calendar and genuinely can’t see how you’re going to make it through the week.I’m naming the backdrop we’re all living inside of (what some people are calling a “polycrisis”) and why it matters that we stop pretending our overwhelm exists in a vacuum. Then I take you into a simple (not easy) starting point: notice what’s depleting you, and prune what you can—without needing a perfect plan or a five-step system.In this episode, we talk about:A quick 2020 story (my cancelled “Cinderella’s castle” 40th birthday moment) and why the 2020s have felt like a relentless eraThe concept of a “polycrisis” and why therapists have been bracing for yearsWhy you can’t live in nervous system dysregulation forever (your body has a limit)What brain injury recovery taught me about burnout recovery: it’s rarely “one fix”—it’s ongoing listening + experimentingThe burnout reckoning: “When can I function like I used to?” (and why that question can keep you stuck)The practical starting point:Notice depletionIdentify what’s non-negotiable vs. optionalPrune what you canThe “come to Jesus” questions:What is this pace doing to your body in 6 months?What is it doing to your patients, your partner, your kids, your life?How resentment shows up internally (and why it’s human)—and when you’re past “just do more consultation”Why “doing less” does not mean you care lessCognitive overload + sensory input (especially your phone), and how to titrate it down without going cold turkeyConcrete examples of pruning:fewer evening sessionsdropping one non-essential obligationsimplifying meals/snacks so you’re not running on fumesdelegating home tasks (yes, even feeding the dog)pausing trainings/certifications when you have no bandwidthA gentle prompt to try (from the episode)If you can (and not while driving): Look at your calendar and just sit with it for a minute. Then ask:What do I dread every week?What is the cost of continuing to do it like this?What’s truly non-negotiable… and what’s optional even if it doesn’t feel optional?What’s one small thing I can prune this week?Key line from this episodeDoing less does not mean you care less. It may be the exact thing that helps you care more—be
