The Mayhem of May: How to Beat Overwhelm With Strengths and Strategy
It’s that time again! The month of May arrives not with flowers, but with field trips, final projects, graduation invites, teacher gifts, sports banquets, end-of-year reports, and a to-do list that keeps multiplying. For many of us, May feels more chaotic than December, only with better weather and worse allergies.
If you’re like me, you’ve probably caught yourself staring into space mid-task, wondering how you’ll make it through the month without losing your mind, your keys, or your coffee. The good news? Overwhelm isn’t a personal failure; it’s often a signal. A signal that our brains and bodies are maxed out, and that it’s time to pause, assess, and approach things differently.
Here’s the better news: You already have tools that can help: YOUR STRENGTHS!
Whether you’ve taken the CliftonStrengths assessment, the Working Genius, or just have a good sense of what makes you tick, you can use your natural talents to navigate the noise.
Step 1: Know What Fuels You
In times of overwhelm, our instinct is to grind harder. But the research says otherwise. According to Gallup, when we use our strengths daily, we’re more likely to report high energy, better stress management, and greater engagement at work and at home.
✅ Action Step: Look at your top 5 strengths (or core talents). Which of these gives you energy when you use it? Try to intentionally build a “strengths moment” into your day, even just 10 minutes. Maybe it’s using your “Learner” theme to listen to a short podcast. Maybe it’s letting your “Empathy” shine by checking in with a friend. Recharge in your own way.
Step 2: Ditch the Shoulds
Not everything that can be done should be done. May is full of optional “extras” that feel mandatory. But trying to do it all is a fast track to burnout.
✅ Action Step: Make a “Stop Doing” list. Choose three things you’re letting go of this month. This could include saying no to volunteer asks, skipping that elaborate themed snack, or outsourcing something. Then remind yourself: boundaries are a form of self-leadership.
Step 3: Let Your Genius Work for You
From the Working Genius framework, we know there are six types of working energy. When we ignore our geniuses and operate from places of frustration too long, we get drained and stuck.
✅ Action Step: If your genius is “Enablement,” find one small way to support someone this week that fills you up, not burns you out. If your genius is “Wonder,” give yourself space to reflect on how you want your summer to feel. Build your week around your genius, not in spite of it.
Step 4: Call In the Collaborators
Overwhelm often makes us feel isolated, like we’re carrying the whole circus solo. But collaboration is a proven way to reduce stress, improve creativity, and get things done.
✅ Action Step: Choose one task you’re dreading and invite someone to help. Co-work. Delegate. Ask a teen to wrap teacher gifts or a coworker to brainstorm with you. Don’t just survive May; team through it.
Step 5: Get Out of Your Head and Into Your Body
When stress ramps up, our brains go into overdrive. We overthink, spin stories, and catastrophize. Research from the field of positive psychology shows that even a short walk, dance break, or stretch can help restore perspective.
✅ Action Step: Set a 3-minute timer and move your body. Literally shake off the stress. Your brain will thank you and so will your nervous system!
Final Thought:
May might still be busy. But you don’t have to white-knuckle your way through it. With a little strategy, a lot of self-awareness, and permission to lean into what makes you strong, you can turn overwhelm into opportunity…or at least keep your coffee cup half full!