As part of the continued relaunch of Woman on a Mission, I’m refreshing some of my most-loved wellbeing posts; updated, re-edited and more relevant than ever. With the festive season now in full swing, it’s easy for your stress bucket to fill faster than you realise. So this feels like the perfect moment to pause, check in with yourself and gently reset. How full is your self-love bucket today?
Over on Instagram recently, I’ve been talking about the power of removing things from your plate before adding new commitments, whether that’s a festive to-do, a work project or the emotional load that comes with this time of year. Before we rush towards the magical Christmas Day and New Year, let’s pause. Let’s gently rebalance, reset and make space for ourselves.
Why Stress Buckets Overflow
Right now, many of us are navigating work, home life, caring responsibilities and the uncertainty that real life so often brings. This constant juggling slowly fills our stress buckets. Not just for us, but for our children and families too.
One analogy I love (and always come back to) is this:
“Being in front of screens all day is like attending back-to-back meetings with 30 people each. You’re expected to absorb everything, act on it, remember it, and then head straight to the next meeting.”
No wonder we feel overwhelmed.
The good news? We can empty the stress bucket and refill our self-love bucket through tiny, consistent lifestyle choices and intentional pauses throughout the day.
Nutrition & Lifestyle: The Foundations of a Calmer Mind
What you eat, drink, and do daily has a huge impact on your mood, focus and resilience. Comfort foods, sugar and wine may feel like a quick fix (especially in December! but they often leave you feeling foggy, sluggish and more stressed.
Here are my simple, friendly wellbeing tools:
Think Before You Sip Caffeine feels like energy… until the crash. Coffee, teas, and energy drinks can spike stress levels and disrupt sleep.
Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate Your brain loves water. Herbal teas count too. Staying hydrated boots concentration, supports digestion and help your mind stay clear.
Eat Like Your Brain Depends on It Because it does. Quick snacks and takeaways are tempting during busy weeks, but nourishing meals give you sustained energy, balanced blood sugar and clearer focus. (You’ll find lots of easy, delicious recipes here on the blog.)
Treat Sleep as Non-Negotiable Yes, “just one more episode” is tempting, especially with festive films on overnight but your brain and body need 7–8 hours of true rest. Better sleep means better mood, focus and resilience.
Move Your Body Daily A brisk walk, a stretch, 20 minutes of fresh air; all of it counts. Movement reduces tension, lifts your mood, and helps you think more clearly.
Track Your Habits I’ve created a Consistency Tracker to help you spot the tiny lifestyle shifts that make a big difference. Sleep, hydration, movement, mental load. Track them for four weeks and notice the ripple effect.
And above all: Be kind to yourself. You’re doing better than you think.
“I’m presently experiencing life at a rate of several WTF’s per hour!”
Unknown
I saw this quote and it made me laugh out loud.. Don’t underestimate the power of a good laugh, even in stressful times.
Tracking Your Stress
Small lifestyle changes often go unnoticed until you track them. Maybe you’re going to bed a little later, drinking more coffee instead of water or waking up in the middle of the night thinking about your to-do list.
These tiny shifts accumulate, quietly filling your stress bucket.
Here are some tiny, doable actions that instantly lighten the load:
Declutter one drawer, shelf or corner.
Clear digital clutter: delete old emails, organise your desktop, unfollow accounts that drain you.
Pause for 5–10 minutes midday. Breathe. Stretch. Reset.
Each small action empties your stress bucket and refills your self-love bucket.
Breathe, Reset and Reconnect
Sometimes the simplest way to reset is to pause and breathe. Even five minutes each day to check in with yourself : a short walk, a few deep breaths or a quiet cup of tea, can help you reset before diving back into the festive chaos.
Lately, I’ve been loving the Winter Reset breathwork series with Stuart Sandeman. If you’ve followed me for a while, you’ll know I first discovered Stuart’s work during the pandemic and have been a fan ever since.
Stuart is a globally recognised breathing expert and performance coach, Sunday Times best-selling author of Breathe In Breathe Out, host of BBC Radio 1’s Decompression Session and founder of Breathpod, where he helps people reach their full potential through the power of breathwork and music.
The Winter Reset sessions are free, live at 6:30am GMT every weekday and open to everyone. They’re a wonderful way to slow the pace, clear out mental clutter, and avoid getting swept up in the end-of-year madness. Don’t worry if 6:30am isn’t possible, you’ll receive the download to listen anytime.
If you’d like more tips on reducing stress, simplifying your home and creating space to breathe, you can subscribe to Woman on a Missionor join me on Instagram for weekly inspiration and encouragement.
Feeling inspired to take charge of your stress levels and refill that self-love bucket?
Try the tips in this blog, download the Consistency Tracker, and let me know in the comments how you’re getting on.
Here’s to calmer days, clearer minds, and a beautifully balanced December.
“If someone throws you the ball, you don’t have to catch it”
Such wise words from Richard Carlson, a concept that has stayed with me for years.
In today’s blog, I’m revisiting this idea through a 2025 lens, because if there’s one thing modern life has taught us, it’s this: we are surrounded by flying balls every single day. Expectations. Notifications. Opinions. Urgent messages. Other people’s emotions, dramas, dilemmas and deadlines. And somehow, without meaning to, we end up believing that we must catch every one.
We don’t.
And life feels so much lighter when we stop trying.
Why Do We Keep Trying To Catch Balls that Aren’t Ours?
Often our inner struggles or stresses come from our tendency to jump on board someone else’s problem. A friend calls in a panic “My job / mother / cat is driving me crazy. What should I do?”
Before we’ve even taken a breath, we’re problem-solving, reassuring, rearranging our day and absorbing the emotional weight of a situation that isn’t ours to carry.
Hours later we feel behind, overwhelmed, resentful or exhausted…
but we forget that we chose to catch the ball.
Sound familiar?
It’s okay to say No..
Repeat that out loud!!
As Carson reminds us learning not to catch every ball is a powerful way to protect your peace.
“Remembering you don’t have to catch the ball is a very effective way to reduce the stress in your life. When your friend calls, you can drop the ball, meaning you don’t have to participate simply because he or she is attempting to lure you in.
This doesn’t mean we stop caring about our friends. it means we honour our own limits.
As Brene Brown beautifully says:
“Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.” Brené Brown
And sometimes showing up looks like saying:
“I’m really sorry, I don’t have the capacity or space for this right now.”
Not unkind. Not selfish. Just honest.
Every Notification Is A Ball.
We all get balls thrown at us constantly, at work, from friends, from our children, even from strangers online. And yes, those little red dots on our phones? Also balls.
If I caught every single one, I’d go mad, and I suspect you would too.
One question I return to often is this:
“Will this matter a year from now?”
It’s not about dismissing real problems, but about gaining perspective.
A Little Story About Our Wedding.
A few weeks before our wedding, the vicar realised she’d double-booked our ceremony. Invitations had been sent. Guests had organised their travel. Everything was arranged and suddenly our time slot didn’t exist anymore.
She checked the date again.
And yes… she was meant to marry two couples at the same time.
We laughed (eventually!), moved the ceremony back a little and carried on.
We celebrated our 24rd wedding anniversary this year and we can’t remember the exact time we said “I do”.
But we can remember the comedy of the best man and ushers racing into the church with the flowers just as the other bridal party drove away!
And the answer to “Will this matter in a year?” was a very clear:
No. Not at all.
Choosing Which balls To Catch.
The key isn’t to avoid catching every ball, it’s noticing when you’re about to catch one unconsciously.
Answering the phone when you know you’re too busy?
That’s catching a ball.
Reading a message when you know you don’t have the energy to respond?
Also catching the ball.
Absorbing criticism that wasn’t meant for you?
Definitely catching the ball!
You can choose to drop it. You can choose not to engage. You can choose peace.
As Brené Brown says:
Vulnerability is not about winning or losing. It’s having the courage to show up even when you can’t control the outcome.
Brene Brown.
And sometimes the bravest thing we can do is say:
“Not today.”
We all need a smile.. A gentle reminder that even the smallest shifts; in clothing, in boundaries, in energy and mindset can create the biggest sense of relief!
“It’s outstanding how much ones stress level goes down with the simple switching of skinny jeans to yoga pants”
Unknown
So, How Many Balls Will You Catch This Week?
I know I’ve caught a few already!
But awareness is everything isn’t it and once you start noticing, you can begin dropping the ones that drain you, distract you or simply don’t belong to you.
Use today and the week ahead, to look after yourself.
In this weeks blog, I’m sharing my top tips to plan effectively so that you can prioritise more time for what’s important in your life, how I plan my diary and one very key lesson I learned years ago, which I still use today.
How do you plan? Are you an electronic diary kind of person or, like me, love to have a pretty planner..? Or several..?
Whilst this may seem excessive, I’m yet to find a planner that ticks all my boxes – so I use two or three. One for the home and my interiors projects, one for my Blogs and Missions and one for my Fitness and Wellbeing Goals including the “everyday” . The dream is to take all the aspects I love about the planners I use and add my own little spin. Wonder if you can guess what I’d add? Do you think if I make a wish, it might just happen..?
“The key is not to prioritise what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.”
Stephen Covey.
I have used the diaries and calendar from Boxclever Press for years, in fact am sure I was one of their first customers the year they launched which coincided with me becoming a new mum. Writing the important things down is key to managing my time effectively.
I was delighted recently when they asked me to review their new academic diary and calendar for 2021 / 2022 and share with you how I use them and what works for me. These planners are as close to perfect as I can get. They have everything for me as a busy mum of teens and and help me plan my writing and goals effectively.
The new school term for me is a perfect time for a new focus, and yes with that, a new planner! There’s something about having a new pencil case and notebook to reignite the passion around your working life, home life and yes, planning the final quarter of the year, all whilst wondering how that time has passed so quickly!
The planning starts for me before the Autumn term begins. I’m not sure what it’s like in your house but as the school summer term finishes, my inbox starts to flood with fixtures and dates for the new term. As a swim mum, this includes swimming fixtures as the season runs from late August through to the following summer.
Getting everything in place from dates to labelling the school uniform, early in the school summer holidays, means I can relax that little bit more without too many shocks the week before the new school year begins!
“Most of us spend too much time on what is urgent and not enough time on what is important.”
Stephen Covey
Look after the big rocks first.
The same year I became a first-time mum, I attended a Franklin Covey course on time and life management. There began my love for Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits for Highly Effective People. The biggest lightbulb moment was to look after the Big Rocks first.
The Big Rocks are the things in your life that are MOST important, they go in your planner first. It sounds a simple thing to do, but how many times when we are in the thick of life, we can revert to reactive living and not proactive. With a planner that works for you together with effective planning, life really does seem that much more manageable.
My Top Tips to Effective Planning:
Find a planner that works for you. it sounds really obvious but get to know it, spend time looking at all its functions so you are able to use it to your best advantage.
Put the big rocks in first, including YOU time – book it like an appointment. You wouldn’t miss you appointmentt for your car to have an MOT. Book them in for you too! Easier said than done I know, however practise makes perfect!
Create a system; with pens, stickers, whatever works for you to highlight the important appointments and fixtures that matter.
Create time for a Power of an Hour each day. Having focused time to work on ONE thing, working with intention and without distraction, it’s incredible what you can achieve.
Fail to Plan, Plan to Fail! It’s the little things that have a huge effect on the big things, so simple but true. So plan ahead – if you’re planning on working out first thing in the morning, prepare ahead by getting your kit ready the night before.
Consider how you can limit any stresses that come your way. What do you need in place to limit any stresses that may come your way? As a stationary lover, having a box of birthday and celebration cards to hand is always helpful with children in the house.
Each Sunday, I spend a little time getting prepared for my week ahead. This involves looking at my planner, doing a diary check with the family. Adding and taking out what can help and hinder the week ahead. I confirm my workouts, plan the weekly menu, including the shopping list and print my Consistency Checklist for the week ahead. I’ve created some free downloads which might help you.
“You have to decide what your highest priorities are and have the courage—pleasantly, smilingly, non-apologetically, to say “no” to other things.
Stephen Covey.
Let’s be real.
Trying to plan effectively and having systems in place, are all well and good, but let’s be honest and realistic for a moment, life happens! We can plan for most things, yet curveballs can occur which will send us out of kilter. We’ve certainly learned that in the last year haven’t we?
We all know that it is how we respond to these circumstances that matter so please be kind to yourself. If you drop the ball, that’s ok. I truly hope that sharing some of the things that work for me, help you too. Be kind to yourself and put things in place that work for you.
Find a space where you can take a moment to catch your breath.
We are gradually returning to our normal lives here in the UK. How are you feeling about life post Lockdown? Anxious? Excited? Maybe a bit of both..? I really hope this blog post will help you gain some perspective on what you can do about feeling overwhelmed at a time when we feel we should be excited about life returning back to normal.
It has been 16 months like no other hasn’t it? Life as we knew it changed beyond all recognition. We had to learn, and fast, how to manage our lives with a global pandeamic.
Our homes have been our sanctuary over this last year. Love this calming space and gorgeous Olive Tree from Charles Ted
Whatever you feel today is totally OKAY. Repeat that out loud!
How you are feeling in this moment is totally OK..
No one can take that away from you. We have all had our own individual experiences of the Covid-19 pandeamic, some good, some horrific, yet it would be wrong for anyone to suggest how you should be feeling..
“Vulnerability is not winning or losing. It’s having the courage to show up and be seen when we have no control over the outcome.”
Brene Brown
You are not alone, 1/2 of the UK are feeling anxious and overwhelmed about the changes to ease Lockdown and indeed what about life post lockdown will now be like. For many of us, we are now used to logging on from home to have meetings, workouts and order our food shopping, all online, without leaving the house.
We’ve learned that our new normal is to stay at home. The commute is as far as from the bedroom, to the kitchen, dining room or study and as we reach these longed for dates, the thought of the work commute on the tube or heavy traffic is something we’ve not missed and the heart starts to race..
Postives and negatives about working from home, this was a postive!Homemade cookies and coffee Sunrise walks on Dartmoor was a huge positive to this last year
Many of us will feel excited, many of us apprehensive. Lots of us maybe feel a bit of both. Join me in trying to navigate these next few weeks together..
“Self-reflection entails asking yourself questions about your values, assessing your strengths and failures, thinking about your perceptions and interactions with others, and imagining where you want to take your life in the future.”
Robert L. Rosen
Let’s take baby steps..
It will take time to find our feet again. (I can’t even remember when I last wore heels!) In all seriousness, much like last March when we were told to stay home, it took time to adjust and adapt accordingly. Now the reverse is happening and again, it will take time us time to adjust and get back into a natural rhythm. Be easy on yourself!
Keep talking! Share how you are feeling with friends, family, colleagues. (and even in the comments below) Be open and transparant, I’m sure they will resonate with you too. This whole situation has been a BIG deal. Our mental health and wellbeing is truly key.
“Journal what you love, what you hate, what’s in your head, what’s important. Journaling organizes your thoughts; allows you to see things in a concrete way that otherwise you might not see. Focus on what you think you need to find in your art.”
Kay Walkingstick
Journal. Consider writing down how you’re feeling. We have good days, great days and everything inbetween and by writing them down, we can distinguish between. Writing down can be freeing, can help figure out what you truely think and can be very therapautic. Love this journal from Gisela Graham Leather Effect Mini Notebook A6 – Grey
You don’t have to do everything at once! Breathe, take your time.. (Although I’m trying to remain calm about the sports fixtures that are coming in thick and fast for my children and me as taxi driver!!) I shared in a previous blog thoughts about feeling a little happier and less overwhelmed. I believe these ideas haven’t dated in 12 months and so hope you may find some inspiration.
Go at your own pace – if you’ve ever been off work with an illness or had maternity leave, then you may have had a phased return to work before. Much like a return to work, consider adapting your own phasing back to your “new normal” This is a motto I’ve shared on many occaisions and especially with my clients:
Start Low, Go Slow, Aim High
Start Low – With anything new, decide what you want to achieve and start with low expectations. What is the minimal thing you’d be happy with? This isn’t a negative by any means, but by starting with low expectation instantly removes some pressure and you’re more likely to feel in control.
Go Slow – Once you have your new routine in place, take it steady before you start adding new pressures to your daily life. Get used to the new normal, adjust the sails if you need to.
Aim high – Remember the saying “begin with the end in mind?” This concept of aiming high, is similar. You may have had time over the last year to really think about which direction you wish your life to take – so go for it!
I’ve created some planners which I find really useful in keeping me focused and organised which you can find here.
I hope these will give you a little inspiration so that you can create a feeling of being more in control and less overwhelmed. You can then concentrate on the things that are most important to you.
Spend time with people that make you happy, where you can be your true authentic self. Go for a walk in the wind, rain and sun! Make time for the coffee..
Let go of the people in your life who add to the anxiety and stress, or the situations that don’t serve you. So hard to do but trust me, you deserve to be happy and not worry about the people that don’t champion you. This might help..
Pratice gratitude and being vulnerable. It’s no secret that I’m a huge admirer of Brene Brown’s work, having first read The Power of Vulnerability years ago.
She taught me that there is absolutely no shame in being vulnerable, that you don’t have to be in control of every situation.
Easier said than done, I know! Writing down 5 things that you are grateful for can really help gain perspective.
Empty the mind – many struggle to sleep, with the brain starting to whirl the minute you turn out the light.
Keeping a notebook by your bed so you can scribble any thing you think you might struggle to remember in the morning can really help.
How pretty is this one from LifeStyled Planner? The Journal is an A5 bullet journal with high quality pages printed with dotted graph for all of your planning needs. Great for creative bullet journalling and making notes.
“Journaling is paying attention to the inside for the purpose of living well from the inside out.”
Lee Wise
Take care of yourself today, tomorrow and all 365 days of the year. Beautiful flowers from Bloom and Wild
I really hope this blog post has helped you gain some perspective on what you can do about feeling overwhelmed at a time when we feel we should be excited about life returning back to normal. I’d love to know your biggest take home / lightbulb moment in the comments below, together with how you’ll take action this week.
What will you be keeping in place from our Lockdown days? Maybe you’ve opted to continue to work from home? Maybe you’ve decided to change career altogether?
So that you don’t miss next weeks blog, sign up to receive it straight to your emails, it’s quick and so simple to do, simply follow the link
Whatever you decide to do, stay happy and healthy – those two things are priceless.
Let me introduce you to a tool that’s helped me (and so many of my clients) find clarity, focus, and motivation — the Power of an Hour.
It’s beautifully simple: one hour of focused time dedicated to a single mission or task. No distractions. No pressure to be perfect. Just progress.
Do You Ever Feel Overwhelmed?
Maybe you have a mountain of things to do and don’t know where to start.Or perhaps it’s just one task, but it feels so big, you’ve overthought it into paralysis.
When that happens, we procrastinate, scroll through our phones and do everything but the thing. Sound familiar?
Here’s How To Use The Power Of An Hour:
Decide on your Mission. What’s one thing you want to achieve today?
Turn off distractions. Notifications off, phone away.
Set your timer for one hour.
Get started. No overthinking, just action!
Why It Works?
Putting gentle urgency around your Mission helps you focus and get results. You’ll be amazed how much you can do in 60 distraction-free minutes. For a deeper dive into mindfulness and staying present, I highly recommend The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle. You can find it here on Amazon
“The Power of an Hour is such a help to me as I can’t physically do as much as I used to do. The Power Hour is such a string and positive name, it doesn’t make you feel feeble that you can only manage an hour!! Thanks for sharing, it’s been life changing for my husband and I”
Alice
What If You Don’t Have A Full Hour?
That’s completely fine! Even 20 or 30 minutes of focused time can make a huge difference. Sometimes it’s not the task itself that’s hard, it’s getting started.
Remember, your Power of an Hour doesn’t have to be about productivity. It could be about recharging your mind or taking care of yourself. Self-care and mental wellbeing are far more important than an empty inbox or a completed to-do list.
Some Ideas To Get Your Started:
Have a long soak in the bath with a good book..
Call a friend you’ve been meaning to catch up with.
Get outside for a walk in the the fresh air.
Make It Yours.
Whatever you decide to do with your Power of an Hour:
Do it with intention
Without scrolling through your phone
Without interruption..
This is YOUR time!
The Power of an Hour is a simple, powerful way to bring focus and intention into your day. I’ve shared my free daily planner and other tools in the Organisation section, they really help me make the most of my Power Hours.
What will you do with your next Power of an Hour?
I’d love to know, join in the conversation on my Instagram, Facebook or comment below.
Feel free to tag me into your #powerofanhour and use this hashtag! I’d love to know how you find using this simple tool and what an effect it has on your daily life and routine.
Stay happy and healthy,
Hi, I'm Claire
I’m the creator of Woman on a Mission, a lifestyle space dedicated to helping women bring more calm, confidence and balance into everyday life. Born from my own journey to slow down and live with greater intention, it offers inspiration around wellbeing, organisation, home and mindset, one meaningful mission at a time
Find a planner that works for you. it sounds really obvious but get to know it, spend time looking at all its functions so you are able to use it to your best advantage.
