Ever had one of those days where you’re not sure if you’ve had lunch or just eaten something beige between Zoom calls? Your calendar's rammed. Your inbox looks like it’s been partying all night. You’re replying to emails with one eye twitching and a jaw that’s been clenched since 8am.If any of that feels familiar, let me just say this:You're not broken, you're not bad at time management and no, you don’t necessarily need a holiday (although I’d never talk you out of one).What you do need… is a reset.A moment. To breathe. To clear your mind. To feel like yourself again.I’m going to show you exactly how to do that, even when life feels like it’s coming at you 100 miles an hour.<h2 id="28c926a3-4f37-4fd0-a176-74fd082ce158" data-toc-id="28c926a3-4f37-4fd0-a176-74fd082ce158">The Myth of “I’ll Rest When I’m Done”</h2>Here’s the trap most high-achievers fall into…We’ve been trained to believe that rest comes after the work is done.Finish the project. Meet the deadline. Prove yourself. Then you can relax.But if your days feel like you’re sprinting on a treadmill that’s speeding up every hour, let me ask you this:When exactly does the ‘done’ part come?The truth is, if you’re waiting for the chaos to die down before you allow yourself a breather, you’ll be waiting forever.<h3 id="e1689895-7eed-42ef-838a-70d94dfacfe2" data-toc-id="e1689895-7eed-42ef-838a-70d94dfacfe2">Here’s the real truth:</h3>You don’t need to earn calm. You can create it.Right now. In the middle of the madness. Without quitting your job or running off to Bali.<h2 id="c72e65ce-cfe2-47ec-81cb-65fb62b7c49e" data-toc-id="c72e65ce-cfe2-47ec-81cb-65fb62b7c49e">What’s Really Going On In Your Brain?</h2>Let’s pull back the curtain on what’s happening up top when overwhelm takes hold.When your brain is flooded with tasks, alerts, and expectations, it slips into survival mode. It’s a real neurological shift.The Reticular Activating System (RAS) - the part of your brain that filters information - starts scanning for threats and tuning out anything that doesn’t feel urgent.That’s why you:<ul><li style="color: rgb(55, 65, 81);">Struggle to focus</li><li style="color: rgb(55, 65, 81);">Forget basic things</li><li style="color: rgb(55, 65, 81);">Snap over minor stuff</li><li style="color: rgb(55, 65, 81);">Feel like you’re always on edge</li></ul>You’re not ‘too emotional’. You’re not ‘bad at multitasking’. You’re in fight-or-flight mode.And here’s the thing, your brain thinks it’s keeping you safe.<h2 id="6d624933-aa71-4b33-a607-916b512be85d" data-toc-id="6d624933-aa71-4b33-a607-916b512be85d">The Moment That Changed Everything for My Client</h2>I was coaching a senior executive from a global company recently.&nbsp;He was one of those people who, on paper, had it all together. High salary, big team, respected across the board.But when he logged onto our Zoom call, something was off.His eyes were glassy. His voice was flat. He looked like he hadn’t had a proper breath in weeks.Then he said this:“It feels like I’ve got 37 tabs open in my brain… and they’re all screaming for attention.”That hit me. Because I’ve heard that same sentence in different words from countless professionals, coaches and leaders over the years.My client wasn’t just tired. He was drowning in invisible pressure from work, family, expectations… and mostly, himself.And that’s when I asked him the question that changed everything:“What if calm wasn’t something you wait for… but something you could create right in the middle of the chaos?”<h2 id="317a281f-edcf-4964-8b31-7844836c12a4" data-toc-id="317a281f-edcf-4964-8b31-7844836c12a4">How to Create Calm When Life Won’t Slow Down</h2>Let me introduce you to something I call the Micro-Moment Reset.It’s a 3-step process that’s simple, science-backed, and takes less than 60 seconds.<h3 id="a176d482-9f05-4540-bcbb-97ebbf12cbdd" data-toc-id="a176d482-9f05-4540-bcbb-97ebbf12cbdd">🔹 Step 1: Stop and Notice</h3>This isn’t about looking around, it’s about tuning in.Where’s the tension? Are your shoulders up around your ears? Are your teeth clenched? What’s the story playing on repeat in your head?Just notice. No judgement.<h3 id="fa15f0ba-bf4f-449f-bbd2-7e48c916b1f6" data-toc-id="fa15f0ba-bf4f-449f-bbd2-7e48c916b1f6">🔹 Step 2: Breathe Intentionally</h3>Not the shallow, ‘I’m-still-on-my-keyboard’ kind of breath.Proper breath.In through the nose, slow and steady. Out through the mouth, longer than you breathed in.Let your shoulders drop. Let your jaw relax. This activates the parasympathetic nervous system, your body’s natural calm button.<h3 id="94fbdd2b-b5ae-438d-bf9e-5fbe4cd118d6" data-toc-id="94fbdd2b-b5ae-438d-bf9e-5fbe4cd118d6">🔹 Step 3: Ask Yourself One Simple Question</h3>“What’s actually mine to carry right now?”Not the entire company. Not everyone else’s mood. Just what’s yours.This resets your mental filters and gives your nervous system a chance to recalibrate.<h2 id="0106c8ff-08be-4920-830c-dae5ac60537d" data-toc-id="0106c8ff-08be-4920-830c-dae5ac60537d">What Happens When You Do This Regularly?</h2>A few weeks later, my client came back to our session a completely different man.Still busy. Still under pressure. But grounded.His voice had weight again, he wasn’t drowning, he was navigating.He said:“I’ve started finding these little pauses in my day, not to check out but to check in.”That’s what presence looks like.That’s what real confidence feels like.And the best part? It’s available to you anytime you choose.<h2 id="ea9829c1-9001-40c3-92da-12b84c7c93c8" data-toc-id="ea9829c1-9001-40c3-92da-12b84c7c93c8">FREE RESOURCE: Pinpoint Your Confidence Gaps in Under 5 Minutes</h2>Let’s be honest, confidence isn’t all or nothing.You might be bulletproof in a boardroom, but doubting yourself when it comes to setting boundaries. Or clear as day when speaking to clients, but second-guessing your worth behind the scenes.That’s why I’ve created a simple, powerful tool:<h3 id="73a904e3-5975-470d-842f-1d2e6b2f5669" data-toc-id="73a904e3-5975-470d-842f-1d2e6b2f5669">The Confidence Rating Worksheet</h3>This free self-assessment helps you: ✅ Identify your strongest confidence traits ✅ Spot the subtle gaps holding you back ✅ Know exactly what to focus on nextIt’s quick, it’s insightful, and it might just be the missing piece you've been looking for.👉 Click here to grab your free Confidence Rating Worksheet.<h2 id="78ab6804-6e55-4793-abea-e8b66ed9bd42" data-toc-id="78ab6804-6e55-4793-abea-e8b66ed9bd42">Final Thoughts: You’re Not Behind - You’re Just Stretched</h2>If life has felt heavy lately… you’re not alone.But don’t mistake pressure for failure. Don’t confuse busyness with progress. And please, don’t wait until burnout to give yourself permission to pause.Because here’s what I know for sure:You don’t need to change your entire life to feel calm. You just need a few moments of presence.And those moments? They change everything.<h2 id="b6b37ef7-564a-48a5-9d5a-8a311da3a8c5" data-toc-id="b6b37ef7-564a-48a5-9d5a-8a311da3a8c5">Let’s Keep This Conversation Going</h2>If this article resonated with you please share it with someone else who might need it.You can also connect with me for more tools, ideas, and real-life stories on:<ul><li style="color: rgb(55, 65, 81);">Instagram:<a target="_blank" href="https://instagram.com/anthonylayespeaks"> @anthonylayespeaks</a></li><li style="color: rgb(55, 65, 81);">YouTube:<a target="_blank" href="https://youtube.com/anthonylaye"> @anthonylaye</a></li><li style="color: rgb(55, 65, 81);">Website:<a target="_blank" href="https://www.anthonylaye.com"> </a><a target="_blank" href="http://www.anthonylaye.com">www.anthonylaye.com</a></li></ul><h2 id="2ab2c3ee-666f-46db-85df-2127f9f6de9d" data-toc-id="2ab2c3ee-666f-46db-85df-2127f9f6de9d">Looking for More?</h2>If you’re a business leader wanting to help your team improve communication, handle pressure better, and show up with more clarity and confidence, or an event organiser seeking an energetic, relatable keynote speaker, I’d love to help.As an executive coach, speaker and mentor, I help professionals, coaches and leaders develop the skills, mindset and presence they need to live a life less ordinary.Whether it’s through team training, private coaching or my mastermind programme, I’m here to support lasting shifts that you’ll actually feel in your day-to-day life.Ready to explore what that could look like?Let’s chat.

But don’t mistake pressure for failure.
Don’t confuse busyness with progress.
And please, don’t wait until burnout to give yourself permission to pause.

Too Busy to Breathe: How to Stay Calm & Clear When Life Gets Overwhelming

The Myth of “I’ll Rest When I’m Done”

The Moment That Changed Everything for My Client

How to Create Calm When Life Won’t Slow Down

🔹 Step 3: Ask Yourself One Simple Question

FREE RESOURCE: Pinpoint Your Confidence Gaps in Under 5 Minutes

Final Thoughts: You’re Not Behind - You’re Just Stretched

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Too Busy to Breathe: How to Stay Calm & Clear When Life Gets Overwhelming

Too Busy to Breathe: How to Stay Calm & Clear When Life Gets Overwhelming

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