How to Stay Organised When You’re Feeling Stressed and Burnt Out

How do you manage your workload? Do you get overwhelmed, panic and then go on a work spree until you’re completely burnt out? If so, this could be a really helpful read for you.

You might find that when your work life feels organised, everything else in life feels more balanced too. So here are some tips on how to feel calmer, more in control and more organised at work. Some of these might work brilliantly for you, others might not and that’s okay. We’re all different!

See what works for you and let go of what doesn’t. That’s the whole point of working well: your systems need to work for you.

1. Start With a Brain Dump (Not a To-Do List)

When we feel stressed or burnt out our minds are usually overloaded. Instead of jumping straight into a structured to-do list, we recommend starting with a brain dump.

Write down everything that’s in your head:

💖 Tasks

💖 Deadlines

💖 Ideas

💖 Things you’re worried about

💖 Even personal reminders

Getting it out of your head and onto paper helps reduce mental clutter straight away. From there you can turn it into a structured list that actually feels manageable.

This is why having a dedicated planner or notebook can make such a difference it gives your thoughts somewhere to live instead of carrying them around all day.

2. Choose Three Priority Tasks Per Day

One of the biggest causes of burnout is trying to do everything at once.

Instead, we suggest choosing three key priorities each day.

💖 One must-do task

💖 One important task

💖 One smaller, quick win

If you complete those three the day is a success. Everything else becomes a bonus.

This helps stop that end-of-day feeling where you’ve been busy all day but don’t feel like you’ve actually achieved anything. This is something many of us experience when running a business or juggling a busy workload.

3. Make Your Tasks Visual

If everything lives in emails or in your head, it’s easy to feel scattered! That’s why you need your tasks visible and right in front of you

It helps to:

💖 Write tasks in a physical planner

💖 Colour-code projects

💖 Use sticky notes for urgent jobs

💖 Break larger tasks into small steps

Seeing progress visually (and ticking things off) gives a real boost of motivation and control which is exactly what we need when stress levels are high.

4. Break Big Tasks Into Tiny Ones

When we’re burnt out, even simple tasks can feel huge. That’s why breaking work into smaller steps is so effective.

Instead of writing:

❌ Plan corporate gift campaign

Try:

✔ Research ideas

✔ Draft product options

✔ Email suppliers

✔ Write copy

✔ Schedule photos

Suddenly the task feels doable instead of overwhelming. Small wins build momentum, and momentum helps reduce stress.

5. Schedule Rest Like It’s a Task

This is the one most of us skip, but it’s often the most important.

If breaks aren’t scheduled, they usually don’t happen. And when breaks don’t happen, burnout creeps in quickly.

Try adding into your planner:

💖 Lunch away from your screen

💖 A short walk

💖 A coffee reset

💖 A realistic finish time

Rest isn’t something we earn once the work is done. It’s something that helps us do our work better.

6. Create a Simple Weekly Reset Ritual

A weekly reset can stop work piling up and keep your mind clear.

This only needs 20–30 minutes at the end of the week:

💖 Review what you completed

💖 Move unfinished tasks forward

💖 Plan your priorities for next week

💖 Clear your desk or workspace

Starting the week with a plan already in place removes that overwhelmed feeling before Monday has even begun.

7. Build Systems That Support You

Organisation isn’t about being naturally tidy or super disciplined. It’s about building systems that make work easier.

For us, that might look like:

💖 A planner we genuinely enjoy using

💖 A notebook that stays close by

💖 A daily check-in routine

💖 Templates for repetitive tasks

💖 Setting realistic working hours

When our systems support us, motivation follows much more naturally.

Why Organisation Matters for Wellbeing

When our workload feels messy, our minds often do too. Organisation isn’t just about productivity it’s about protecting our energy and wellbeing.

Feeling in control of our tasks can:

💖 Reduce stress

💖 Prevent burnout

💖 Improve confidence

💖 Help us switch off after work

💖 Make space for creativity

Sometimes the smallest tools like a planner, notebook or structured to-do list can have the biggest impact on how we feel day to day.

That’s exactly why we created our Boss Babe Gift Box. It’s designed to support motivation, organisation and confidence, especially for women balancing busy lives, businesses or careers. It also makes a thoughtful wellbeing gift for International Women’s Day or for any moment someone needs a boost.

Sometimes a fresh notebook, a clear plan and a reminder that you’ve got this is all it takes to reset.

From G 🤍

'I’m a complete scatterbrain if I don’t have my tasks visual and right in front of me. A massive thing I’ve had to learn while running my own business is how to stay productive when you’re your own boss.

It’s the same whether you manage yourself at work or you’re responsible for a team you have to learn the skill of managing not only others, but your own workload too. It can feel daunting and overwhelming at times (I often feel like I’m on a rollercoaster), but being able to tick off those hard tasks is so rewarding.

You are completely capable of doing it. It’s just about learning the skills and systems that work best for you, because we’re all different.

I have complete faith you’ve got this, and you will shine.'

G xx