By Elyn Buscani
October 2025
Some unflappable people keep smiling as they run from potential crisis to potential crisis like in the Netflix series “Emily in Paris”, while others get stuck. I know that in my busy life I can’t get stuck, but it’s also wildly unrealistic (if not wonderfully entertaining) to watch how Emily fires off a text and skips off into the Paris night in a couture gown when she’s putting out a major fire. As our business development lead, the mom of three young adults including one with significant special needs, and the only in-town family support for aging parents, there are a lot of people depending upon me to not fall apart.
At some point everyone will feel overwhelmed at work or with life in general, so what are some tips to deal with it? Here are a few things I do to keep myself grounded when it all feels like it’s going sideways.
Create a welcoming space for you. Take the time to set up a place for yourself. What does it need? A photo? A vase of flowers? A clean desk with your work in separate folders? A better office chair? At Rasor, our Office Manager keeps bowls of chocolate candy and fidgets in our large conference room for us. This really helps soothe frustration.
Truly savor something in your day. Maybe you’re lucky enough to work with a furry friend, maybe you really enjoy your special cup of coffee, or you take a minute to feel the sun on your face outside. Be in moments where you are focused on breathing and releasing tension in your body, at regular intervals throughout your day.
Find your people right away. Take a moment to reach out to others when you’re feeling anxious instead of holding it all inside. In our open office, we can see each other’s expression and body language and check in with each other when someone looks particularly stressed. You may have to proactively connect with people who can help you with a client project, ask for additional time, or find caregivers so that you can make some progress on your workload.
Do something for others. I’ve learned this from experience and it’s one of the top 10 tools for resiliency.
Practice good self-care. Whatever that looks like for you, but at a minimum sufficient sleep and hydration. For me, I schedule two regular workout classes in my work week.
Life’s challenges won’t stop coming, but we can build our capacity to face them with grace and resilience. By creating nurturing spaces, savoring small moments, leaning on our support networks, helping others, and prioritizing self-care, we can navigate even the most demanding seasons of life and work. Remember that feeling overwhelmed is a universal human experience – it’s not a sign of weakness, but an opportunity to implement these practical strategies that help us stay grounded and effective. The key isn’t to eliminate stress entirely, but to develop healthy ways to manage it while continuing to show up for the people and responsibilities that matter most to us.