Managing Overwhelm
When everything feels like too much at once, overwhelm can make it hard to think clearly or know where to start. This worksheet applies structured CBT problem-solving to that feeling: get every demand out of your head and onto the page, sort what is yours to carry from what is not, and turn it into a realistic short plan with a clear first step. A brief grounding option is included for the moment itself.
Written by Tarun Vermani, Trainee Clinical Psychologist Last reviewed
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Managing Overwhelm
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Name and Rate the Overwhelm
Start by checking in with how things feel right now. Naming it and putting a number on it is the first step in getting some distance from it.
Get It All Out of Your Head
List every demand, task or worry that is currently weighing on you - work, home, relationships, admin, all of it. Don't filter or order them yet; the goal is simply to empty your head onto the page. For each one, note roughly how urgent it is and how much of it is actually within your control.
| # | Demand / task / worry | How urgent? (0 = not, 10 = very) | How much is in my control? (0 = none, 10 = fully) | Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ||||
| 2 | ||||
| 3 |
What Is Not Mine to Carry
Overwhelm often grows when we shoulder things that are not actually our responsibility, or that we cannot control. Look back at your list and separate these out. Letting go of them, even just on paper, frees up room for what you can act on.
A Realistic Short Plan
From what is left - the things that are yours and within your control - pick the few that matter most right now. Then choose one concrete first step. Small and specific beats big and vague.
| # | Priority | Why this one now? | Actions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
If You Need to Steady Yourself First
Sometimes overwhelm is too loud to think through. If that is the case, take a moment to ground yourself before going further. This is optional and just for the moment.
Check In Again
Now that you have a plan and a first step, rate the overwhelm once more. Notice any shift - even a small drop tells you that taking structured action helps.
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When to use ‘Managing Overwhelm’
‘Managing Overwhelm’ is an interactive cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) worksheet. As a core CBT skill it is used right across the model, with presentations including depression, anxiety, OCD, trauma and low self-esteem, rather than being tied to a single diagnosis.
It is designed to be used within therapy rather than as a standalone self-help tool: a therapist introduces it, works through it collaboratively, and helps make sense of what it surfaces. You can preview the full worksheet above, then assign it digitally for clients to complete between sessions on any device — or download it as a print-ready PDF.
How it works
Most people work through it in around 15 minutes. It moves through six short steps:
- Name and Rate the Overwhelm — Start by checking in with how things feel right now. Naming it and putting a number on it is the first step in getting some distance from…
- Get It All Out of Your Head — List every demand, task or worry that is currently weighing on you - work, home, relationships, admin, all of it. Don't filter or order…
- What Is Not Mine to Carry — Overwhelm often grows when we shoulder things that are not actually our responsibility, or that we cannot control. Look back at your list…
- A Realistic Short Plan — From what is left - the things that are yours and within your control - pick the few that matter most right now. Then choose one concrete…
- If You Need to Steady Yourself First — Sometimes overwhelm is too loud to think through. If that is the case, take a moment to ground yourself before going further. This is…
- Check In Again — Now that you have a plan and a first step, rate the overwhelm once more. Notice any shift - even a small drop tells you that taking…
Completed on the Formulate platform, your client's answers are saved automatically and shared straight back to you, so you can review them before the next session rather than waiting for a paper copy to come back.
The CBT approach behind it
In common with other CBT methods, ‘Managing Overwhelm’ works by noticing the links between situations, thoughts, feelings, physical sensations and behaviour — and finding practical ways to change unhelpful patterns. The aim is not positive thinking but a clearer, shared understanding of what keeps a difficulty going — and practical, testable ways to change it.
Because it is a CBT tool it stays focused on the here-and-now links between thoughts, feelings, the body and behaviour, and it works best as one part of a wider course of therapy rather than as advice or a diagnosis.
Evidence & sources
This worksheet is grounded in established cognitive behavioural therapy theory and practice. Key sources include:
- D'Zurilla, T.J. & Goldfried, M.R. (1971). Problem solving and behavior modification. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 78(1), 107-126. doi:10.1037/h0031360
- Nezu, A.M., Nezu, C.M., & D'Zurilla, T.J. (2013). Problem-Solving Therapy: A Treatment Manual. New York: Springer Publishing.
For use alongside professional support
Formulate provides educational CBT resources for use with a qualified therapist. They are not a substitute for professional assessment, diagnosis, or crisis care.
If you need urgent help now:
- Emergency services: 999 — if you or someone else is in immediate danger
- Samaritans: 116 123 — free, day or night, 365 days a year
- SANEline: 0800 689 5555 — 4:30pm–10:30pm, every day
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