Ending the Epidemic of Overwhelm

Ten Practices to Help Solopreneurs Thrive

***I'm overwhelmed***

We’re hearing this all the time. It feels like an epidemic amongst solopreneurs. 

There are so many things we could do.

There are so many things we should do.

There are so many things people want us to do.

I’m overwhelmed.

The great news is we have control:

We decide what to listen to.

We decide what we will do.

We decide what we won't do.

We get to captain our own ship... but isn’t it hard going alone?

We’re not lacking motivation or vision. 

But many of us are lacking clarity on how to set the path, and stay on it.

Is this the biggest challenge of being a solopreneur?

We are single-handedly responsible for creating the priorities, the plan, the organization, the execution, and the accountability for what we do, and don’t do. 

All the results come down to us. We can only point the finger at ourselves. 

That’s what feels so overwhelming. 

It seems most people perform better within an organizational structure. 

This is what schools provide for people who want to learn. What businesses provide for people who want a career. What religion provides for spirituality.

The Impacters Co-op is creating an organizational structure for heart-driven solopreneurs looking to make their greatest impact.

So we need practices to battle this epidemic. 

Ten Ways We’re Tackling Overwhelm

Weekly MAAP Posting: Each week, co-op members share “My Action & Accountability Plan” (MAAP), outlining their most important actions for work, wellbeing, and relationships. This helps everyone stay focused and accountable to their highest priorities, and allows other co-op members a view into how they can help or support each other. When we identify  our most meaningful actions, we now also know what to say “no” to.

Implementation Intentions: Many of us are writing out our weekly MAAPs as “implementation intentions”, which follows the format of: I will do (behavior) in (specific context) to (achieve purpose/goal). This formula has been proven to boost success rates by 2-3x, on top of giving us clear direction and motivation for the week.

Celebrating Boundaries: Saying "no" is a superpower that helps preserve your energy and focus. By managing expectations with others, we protect our time and mental well-being, making room for what truly matters.

Rewards & Penalties: People that have studied the science of habits and productivity know that the biggest booster of improvement is doing “deliberate practice”, which involves getting immediate feedback after taking action. We do this for ourselves by attaching immediate rewards or penalties to our actions. This creates a powerful feedback loop, keeping us accountable and energized to follow through.

Managing “Head Trash”: We separate what we can control from what we can’t, reducing unnecessary stress. This clarity lets us focus on what’s actionable and helps us stop overthinking situations that are beyond our power.

Focus on Systems, Not Goals: Systems create consistency, making it easier to reach long-term success. By focusing on regular habits, we ensure progress even when we haven’t achieved a goal.  We embrace and enjoy the satisfaction of our effort and execution (what’s within our control) while letting go of a specific outcome (what’s outside our control).

Deep Work ‘Dharma Sprints’: Inspired by Erick Godsey and the Dharma Artist Collective, our community encourages focused, distraction-free work sprints, which work even better (and are way more fun) when we do them together. These bursts of focus without task switching help us accomplish more in less time and stay engaged.

Vulnerability and Support: In our co-op, vulnerability is encouraged—asking for help or advice fosters connection and collaboration. We have an Advice channel, and in our weekly meeting any member can ask for advice using the ‘wise crowds’ format. By encouraging asking for help, we create a felt sense of having a larger team ready to back you up.

Spotting F.E.A.R.: False Expectations Appearing Real (F.E.A.R.) often hold us back. We challenge these fears with the CBT practice of asking: what evidence do you have for this fear? And then: what evidence do you have that the opposite is true? This is a powerful way to dismantle limiting beliefs and keep things movin’. 

Celebrate Progress: We look to celebrate every step of progress, whether it’s completing a task or simply showing up. By acknowledging small wins, we reinforce momentum and remind ourselves that the journey itself is a success because we’re learning and experiencing.

Overall we’re realizing that tackling overwhelm isn’t about doing more—it’s about doing better - and often less!

By embracing these practices, we create clarity, focus, and a support system for ourselves. 

The Impacters Co-op exists to help each of us prioritize what matters, and develop systems that encourage us to stay accountable in making our greatest positive impact in the world.

As we continue building this community together, we have an opportunity to transform how we approach our work, so that we can all thrive. 

With progress, we’re not just managing overwhelm—we’re unlocking our full potential. 

So let's keep moving forward, intentionally and together.