It’s Friday. The weekend’s in sight.
But your mind?
Still carrying more than just work.
Because if you’re anything like the leaders-in-waiting I coach, your mental load doesn’t clock off with your laptop.
It’s relentless.
The what-ifs.
The second-guessing.
The rewinding and replaying that never really resolves.
“Did my boss sounding off in that meeting mean something more?”
“Am I reading too much into this?”
“Was that email too blunt?”
If that sounds familiar, it’s not a personal flaw.
It’s your system doing its job. Trying to keep you safe.
What’s Really Going On in Your Brain
Here’s what I see playing out beneath the surface in thoughtful, high-functioning leaders:
➜ Hypervigilance
Your mind is scanning for signals. You’ve been blindsided before, so you’re working hard to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
➜ Attachment sensitivity
When someone senior reacts—even subtly—you feel it more. It lands harder.
➜ Trust wounds
You’ve been through enough to know things can change in a moment. Maybe it was redundancy. A toxic boss. A bad review that came out of nowhere. So now, your system stays on guard.
The thing is, you don’t want to overthink.
But your brain’s not trying to sabotage you.
It’s trying to protect you.
And that tells me something important.
If you overthink, it’s because you care. Deeply.
You notice the nuances others miss.
You’re thoughtful, conscientious, invested.
But caring can quietly tip into cognitive clutter.
And that mental load? It clouds leadership clarity.
Next time your brain decides to host a conference of ‘what-ifs’ at 3am, come back to this.
How to Think About Thinking (So It Doesn’t Drain You)
The goal here isn’t to stop caring. Or thinking about what’s important to you.
It’s to lead with clarity instead of clutter.
Start small:
➜ Name it
When your thoughts start spiralling, pause. Breathe. Name the thought. You can’t shift what you haven’t spotted.
➜ Test it
Is this true, or just familiar?
Are you interpreting or assuming?
Is there hard evidence… or just a feeling?
➜ Lead yourself
If someone on your team was spiraling like this, you’d offer reassurance. So do the same for yourself. Inner-leadership means extending yourself the same clarity, compassion, and calm you give others.
And if You Lead Someone Who Overthinks?
This matters even more.
Because thoughtful people who overthink are often your most loyal, invested team members. But without the right leadership, they burn out or shrink back.
Here’s what makes the difference:
➜ Clear is kind
Unspoken expectations trigger anxiety. Spell it out.
➜ Reassure early
Don’t wait until they’ve spiralled to step in. A little clarity goes a long way.
➜ Remember
They don’t want to overthink.
They just haven’t learned another way …yet.
Let’s Make It Practical
So, what helps quiet your mental noise?
➜ What brings you back when your thinking loops start running the show?
➜ What restores clarity when your mind feels heavy?
And if none of that’s working right now?
That’s not a red flag. It’s a signal.
The most thoughtful leaders I work with aren’t the ones who never overthink.
They’re the ones who recognise when their mind is carrying too much weight – and choose to realign with purpose.
Maybe it’s time to do the same.
