From Organised to Overwhelmed

There’s a quiet kind of weight that comes with owning a business—one that’s hard to sometimes articulate (I remember being asked by a friend, ‘what do you have to do’ and struggling to find an answer as there is so much ) and even harder to share. 

It isn’t just the long hours or the financial risks. The mental load creeps in and camps out in your head, even when the day is over. It’s the never-offline feeling, the constant background hum of what’s next, what’s missing, what could go wrong, or worse, what you might have already overlooked.

No one really warns you about that part. They talk about freedom and flexibility, about being your own boss. And yes, those moments exist—they’re real and rewarding. But for every win, there’s an invisible brunt to bear. The planning at midnight, the emails answered from bed, the decisions made in the shower because that’s the only quiet place left. Even joy gets filtered through the lens of responsibility. Can I afford this time away? Did I delegate that properly? What’s the worst-case scenario while I’m offline?

For me, it’s not just about managing tasks—it’s managing the weight of being the final stop. When something breaks, when a client is unhappy, when cash flow tightens—it all ends at your desk. And sure, you may have help. But leadership is often lonely. It’s not just about solving problems; it’s about holding space for other people’s stress, too. Carrying their anxieties, shielding them from the mess behind the scenes, while trying not to crumble under the pressure.

Some days, I am sure you fantasise about being able to clock out at five and leave the to-do list behind. To go a whole weekend without checking in “just in case.” But then again, you chose this path. There’s pride in the chaos, in the growth, in knowing you built something real. You did this for a reason and although its easy to lose sight of that at times, by being truthful with how you feel and putting in place what is needed to truly allow yourself the freedom this business should give you, that's a start.

If this blog resonates with you, reach out, let's talk, it’s cliche, I know but a problem shared is a problem halved.