As women, we have so much on our plates. We work, manage households, tend to children, build and run businesses, make it a point to get physical activity in, and so many other things. I don’t even have kids yet but often feel overwhelmed with all that I have to manage. I can only imagine how I’ll feel if and when kids are thrown in the mix. There’s just no denying the challenges women face.
Between balancing demanding jobs and business, managing our personal lives and working towards financial goals, it’s no wonder hustle culture is driving us to burnout! We’re constantly overwhelmed. We feel the stress and weight of all our priorities. It’s easy to focus on what we didn’t accomplish, instead of what we did. I don’t know about you, but I want peace and productivity!
I want to work hard and play hard. I want to work towards my goals and then enjoy the fruits of my labor! I truly believe it’s possible. I think we, as women, can do all the things – run families, households, businesses and more. Not only that, we can do it and be at peace! Let’s go from overwhelmed to organized! I’m sharing some steps we can all take to working hard but still enjoying a peaceful, productive life.
Steps to a More Peaceful and Productive Life
#1 Identify Your Priorities
Many of us move through life on autopilot, responding to the loudest demands rather than the most important ones. We end up exhausted but wondering why we never make progress on what truly matters. When you get crystal clear on your priorities, decision-making becomes simpler. You’ll stop feeling guilty about saying “no” because you’ll recognize when something doesn’t align with your core values and goals.
Reading the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey helped me get clear on my values, which helped to shape my priorities. Another way to identify your priorities is to set aside 30 minutes this weekend for honest reflection. Ask yourself: “If I could focus on only 3-5 areas of my life right now, what would they be?” Maybe it’s career growth, financial stability, relationships, health, or creative fulfillment. Keep your answers somewhere handy so you can refer back to them regularly.
If you’re constantly feeling overwhelmed, create a priorities list with three columns: “Must Do,” “Should Do,” and “Nice to Do.” This helps distinguish between essential priorities and optional activities. Tackle the “Must Do” list first before moving on to the others.
#2 Declutter Your Schedule and Your Space
Mental and physical clutter is exhausting, overwhelming and deflating. If you want to have a more peaceful and productive life, you’ll need to regularly declutter your calendar and your space. Learn to say “no” to tasks and commitments that don’t align with your goals.
Start to delegate or outsource tasks wherever possible. You can use apps for meal prepping, hire a cleaning service to take deep cleans off your plate, or leverage a task management system to keep all of your tasks and to-dos organized. I personally love Asana for this.
When you take the time to declutter your schedule, mind and surroundings, you instantly feel the benefits. If you’ve let that lingering cramped closet, unopened planner, or unused meditation app go too long, start making time for it. It matters.
#3 Create a Morning and Evening Routine
Without intentional routines, our mornings often become chaotic scrambles and our evenings dissolve into mindless scrolling. We start the day already feeling behind and end it wondering where the time went. Bookending your day with intentional routines creates a sense of control and purpose.
These rituals act as powerful transitions that signal to your brain when it’s time to focus and when it’s time to rest. I’m still working on my own evening routine, but creating my daily morning routine was a true game changer. You can hear about my morning routine for productivity in CGS Podcast Episode #58!
Research shows that routines reduce decision fatigue—the mental exhaustion that comes from making constant choices. By automating parts of your day through routine, you conserve mental energy for more important decisions and creative thinking. Choose just one morning or evening habit to implement consistently for the next week. Once it becomes automatic, add another element to your routine.
#4 Embrace Time-Blocking or Batch Working
Organize your day by dedicating specific blocks of time to batching similar tasks. Time-blocking is the practice of scheduling specific tasks or activities into dedicated time slots. Instead of working from a long to-do list, you allocate blocks of time for each task. For example, respond to emails in one block instead of throughout the day.
Batch working involves grouping similar tasks together and completing them in one focused session. I use batching to write my blog articles, record podcast episodes, and create social media content. In one time-blocked session for batch work, I get a month’s worth of tasks completed!
By adopting these methods, you can streamline your work days, maintain focus on your goals, and free up mental space for what matters most. Not only that, but you maximize efficiency in completing your tasks, making you feel much more productive.
#5 Prioritize Self-Care
We often wear busyness as a badge of honor, glorifying hustle culture while neglecting our well-being. We push through exhaustion, skip meals, sacrifice sleep, and then wonder why we feel burnt out and resentful. I have been guilty of this myself in the past, especially when working full-time and trying to grow city Girl Savings.
I had to learn to prioritize self-care, so I could actually continue working towards my goals and feel happy about the life I was creating. It’s not a perfect science and I still have to work on it, but that’s okay. If you struggle with prioritizing self-care, here are some ideas to help get you started:
Rethink Rest: Start seeing rest as a productive activity. Studies show that taking breaks actually increases overall output and creativity. Try the Pomodoro Technique (25 minutes of focused work followed by a 5-minute break) to build rest into your workday.
Movement Matters: Even 15 minutes of movement daily can transform your energy levels and mental clarity. Find what feels good for your body—whether that’s morning yoga, a lunchtime walk, or an evening dance break.
Sleep Is Your Superpower: Protect your sleep schedule as fiercely as you would an important meeting. Create a consistent bedtime ritual, aim for 7-8 hours, and notice how much sharper and more efficient you become when well-rested.
Remember, self-care isn’t a luxury—it’s the foundation that makes all your productivity possible. Just as you wouldn’t expect your phone to function without charging it, you can’t sustain high performance without replenishing your energy. And yes, I’m giving myself that reminder too!
#6 Simplify Your To-Do List
One thing that may be adding to your overwhelm is your current to-do list. Is it never-ending? Are you always adding to it? Do you feel drained just by looking at it? Any “yes” answer could mean that your to-do list needs some simplification!
Use tools like the Eisenhower Matrix to categorize tasks by urgency and importance. Address tasks with the highest urgency and highest importance first, then work your way down the list. Another approach is to simplify what you get done in a day. Instead of trying to get everything done, focus on completing three key tasks each day to feel accomplished without overwhelm.
#7 Set Boundaries for Work and Personal Time
In our hyper-connected world, work easily bleeds into every aspect of life. We check emails while cooking dinner, respond to Slack messages in bed, and never truly disconnect. This constant state of “always on” leads to burnout, resentment, and diminished joy in both work and personal life. It’s very hard to transition from overwhelmed to organized (and peaceful) without boundaries.
Boundaries aren’t walls—they’re bridges to a more balanced life. By clearly defining when you’re working and when you’re not, you create space for true presence in both areas. This separation allows for deeper focus during work hours and more meaningful rest during personal time.
Like most women, I struggle with this myself. Some things that have helped me are having a designated space for working (the CGS office), going on Do Not Disturb at bedtime, and responding to messages the next day. It’s not always perfect, but boundaries like this do help me feel more in control of my working hours and my personal hours.
Our worth isn’t measured by our constant availability. By setting boundaries, you’re modeling healthy work-life integration for others while ensuring you have the energy to bring your best self to both areas of your life. Win-win for everyone!
#8 Reflect and Adjust Regularly
Regular reflection turns productivity from a rigid set of rules into a flexible, evolving practice that grows with you. It’s the difference between following a map blindly versus constantly recalibrating your GPS as you learn more about your destination.
As you implement steps to a more peaceful and productive life, schedule time to review and assess. Are you feeling better? Do you have less overwhelm? Reflection allows you to assess what is and isn’t working and adjust where needed. Adjust what isn’t working but celebrate what is working!
Our brains are wired to focus on what’s going wrong but intentionally celebrating progress—no matter how small—releases dopamine that motivates continued effort. In your weekly review, write down at least three wins from the week. They might be as simple as “I said no to an unnecessary commitment” or “I maintained my morning routine for four days.”
The most productive people aren’t those who never struggle or make mistakes—they’re the ones who notice what’s not working, adjust their approach, and keep moving forward.
Related: 5 Ways to Get More Time Back in Your Day
Your journey from overwhelmed to organized isn’t a straight line but a series of experiments, reflections, and refinements that gradually create the peaceful, productive life you deserve. Each of the steps above can have tremendous results in you obtaining that productive, yet peaceful life you’re worthy of!
Don’t feel like you need to make all the changes at once. Prioritize the most important steps, establish your boundaries and constantly look for the balance in creating a peaceful and productive life. Just one small step today can help you feel better instantly!
Which step would be most impactful for you? Drop a comment to share which step you’ll be implementing first as you shift from overwhelmed to organized!
-Raya
The CGS Team
