Feeling Stuck in Your Business? Here’s How to Tell if It’s Avoidance or if you are hitting Capacity.

You know those days (or even weeks) when your brain is just not cooperating, and you have tasks that you want to do, but just never quite seem to get round too?

Maybe it’s the blog you’ve been wanting to write

Maybe it’s creating some Content for Social Media

Maybe it’s replying to that email (you know the one I mean) 

You might even find yourself wondering: “Am I avoiding this… or am I just exhausted?”

Let’s unpack the difference between avoidance vs being at capacity and explore how to respond to each one without guilt, shame, or pressure.

What Do I Mean by “Avoidance” and “Capacity”?

When I talk about avoidance, I don’t mean procrastination or that cheeky little social media scroll you like to do when you have a few minutes in between client sessions.

I mean the way we quietly circle a task that feels uncomfortable, uncertain, or emotionally risky. The things we say we want to do, but just never quite seem to get round to it or find the time, those things.

The blog that never gets started

The price rise you know you need to do

The report that never quite gets sent

The finances that never get looked at

We all have these things (including me) that sit on our to-do lists for days, weeks or maybe even months but just never quite go from idea into action.

When I talk about capacity, that’s the space you have - mentally, emotionally, physically to take action and the tricky thing about capacity is it's fluid. It changes day to day, moment to moment and varies through different seasons in life. Everyone's capacity and circumstances vary, with many factors influencing how much you can hold, process and do as an individual.

For Business owners, being "capacity aware" is a crucial part of looking after ourselves and our Businesses, not to limit our potential but to avoid pushing past it, without support for too long potentially leading towards burnout.

What being at Capacity means

Before we go any further, I want to be really clear: avoidance is not the same as being at capacity. They are two entirely different things that often look very similar from an outside perspective.

Avoidance is not the same as: resting, re-prioritising, or responding to real-life demands. Choosing to delay tasks because you are unwell, your dog needs to go to the vets, someone you love is ill or needs your support. This is not avoidance it's capacity management and responding in the best way you can with the resources you have available.

And there’s nothing wrong with choosing to delay a task that genuinely isn’t a priority right now. Not everything needs to happen immediately, and not everything is urgent. 

But avoidance creeps in when something is important to you and you find yourself pushing it down the list, again and again, without really knowing why.

You tell yourself you’ll do it later, when you have more time, more energy, more clarity…And yet later never quite comes.

That’s the kind of avoidance we’re talking about here.

So Is It Avoidance or have I hit capacity?

So how do you know if you’re truly avoiding something  or if you’re just maxed out? If there are no obvious external stressors going on, but your still not quite sure - one question you can ask yourself is.

Have I taken care of my basic needs today? (Answer honestly)

• Have I eaten anything real?

• Have I had water or am I running on caffeine and adrenaline?

• How well did I sleep last night?

• Do I know exactly what the next step is… or am I overwhelmed by the whole task?

• Have I had even a small win today something that makes me feel capable?

If most of those answers are no, you’re probably not avoiding it. You’re depleted and running on low reserves which will be impacting your ability to function and focus.

But if your needs are met… and you’re still circling the same task? That’s when we start looking for avoidance patterns. Not with judgement - but with curiosity.

What to Do When You’ve Hit Capacity

If you realise you’re depleted, overwhelmed, or simply running on fumes pushing through will only make things worse.

This isn’t about giving up. It’s not about being lazy. It’s about recognising that you’re operating from a loop of survival, not strategy.

If you wouldn't expect a friend, a family member or someone you love to function at their best under the same circumstances (that's usually a good indicator not to keep pushing through).

Start here instead:

• Meet a need. Eat something. Drink water. Step away from the screen. Give your brain what it’s quietly screaming for.

  
  

• Name your limit. Say it out loud. “I am at capacity right now.” This isn’t weakness - it’s awareness.

• Don’t turn it into a character flaw. You’re not flaky, uncommitted, or broken. You’re tired, your human and that’s allowed.

Short-Term vs Long-Term Strategies (for capacity management)

The short-term strategies above can help you get moving when you’re stuck in the moment but if you’re constantly feeling like you’re always at capacity it might be time to look deeper.

Try asking:

• Are my boundaries being pushed or ignored? [Blog: 5 Personal Boundaries and How to Set Them]

• Is my business structure creating more work than I can realistically hold? [Blog: How to Break Free from Client Churn with Ethical Retention]

• Am I operating on systems that no longer fit where I am now?

Sometimes, what feels like avoidance is actually a sign that your business might need to evolve to meet your needs now, not your needs when you first started.

What about when it is Avoidance?

If your needs are met but you’re still stuck in a loop it’s time to shrink the task until it feels possible again.

Try this:

• Lower the starting threshold. Don’t do the whole thing. Just open the document. Draft the first sentence. Decide the headline. Make the task laughably small.

• Contain the stress. Set a 10-minute timer. Give yourself permission to stop when it ends. (You probably won’t.)

• Bring it out of isolation. Co-working. Telling a friend. Voice noting your intention. Avoidance feeds on isolation collaboration balances it out.
  

Avoidance doesn’t mean you’re lazy.

And hitting capacity definitely doesn’t mean you’re failing

If you’re tired of second-guessing whether you’re avoiding something or simply running on empty and you’re ready for support that helps you follow through without pushing past your limits…

Let’s talk.

I bring over five years of business mentoring, qualified coaching, and a behaviour-change-informed approach blending strategic clarity with the emotional insight and practical follow-through most business owners are quietly craving.

This isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing what matters in a way that fits the brain, bandwidth, and boundaries you’re working with.

👉 Learn more about Mentoring here

Not quite ready for mentoring, but know your boundaries need some attention?

The Boundaries Toolkit is a free, practical resource to help you spot what’s draining your time and energy and start reclaiming your capacity without guilt.

👉 Download The Toolkit here