I remember the days of being very overloaded at work with far too much to do and not enough time to do it. I remember how hard it was to have a demanding job with heavy travel while earning my MBA and also having a husband and two teenagers at home who needed my attention too. It was challenging and very stressful. It was also a long time ago and while I remember feeling overloaded and was often overwhelmed too, I don’t remember feeling particularly overstimulated or hearing so much about it, often with references to the constant input from and access to our many electronic devices. But things have changed, and now, more than ever before, we suffer from information overload and too many choices. We are constantly connected to and under siege from our devices. We are pulled in many directions; we often have conflicting priorities and plenty of anxiety about not being able to keep up.

Most of us, especially those who have raised or worked with children, recognize the signs of overstimulation in children. We might see agitated, unfocused, overactive behaviors that can lead to a meltdown (tantrum) or signs of fearfulness and withdrawal. And while we recognize the signs of an overstimulated child, are we able to recognize the signs of overstimulation (and overwhelm) in ourselves? When we have exceeded our personal limits for stimulation, we may behave like overtired, overstimulated children, melting down and behaving badly. We may become irritable, demanding, and behave coercively towards others (bullying) in an attempt to control what is coming at us. We may lash out in anger, withdraw inappropriately, or isolate ourselves. We may become depressed, develop stress-based ailments, or become hyper-focused on our physical concerns.

If the signs of overstimulation sound familiar to you and you are feeling overloaded and overwhelmed, do you know what to do about it? Please join us on Friday, June 30th for our roundtable discussion. Together we will engage in great discussion, share ideas and strategies and learn from one another.

Please note: This is a “brown bag” event and it is recommended that participants bring their lunch to eat during the roundtable. We’ll also have beverages and popcorn or other snacks to share.

About the Roundtable: The Women’s Leadership Roundtable is a facilitated open forum for women, as leaders of themselves and others, to discuss relevant issues, build community and network, collaborate with, learn from, and support one another. It provides an opportunity for women to be heard, share their experiences, engage in thought-provoking discussion, and to generate ideas and growth together. The roundtable is an ongoing event, open to the public, held on the last Friday of every other month from January through September in a Denver area location. You are encouraged to attend as frequently as possible and bring your ideas, issues, and interests to the discussion. There is a $10 charge for the roundtable, paid in advance when registering online, and a $12 charge when paid at the door. For additional information, contact Karen McGee at 303-503-9681.