Overwhelm hospitality style

Someone mentioned the term COGNITIVE OVERLOAD to me about a year ago, and my ears pricked up. That phrase seemed to capture what so many of my clients in hospitality experience: the mental clutter, the fog, the sense of overwhelm.

Cognitive overload happens when your mind is juggling too much at once. Hospitality is high-energy & creative - but it can also be relentless. The pace, the pressure, the never-ending stream of decisions. It’s the perfect storm for overload.

Our best ideas, our wisest choices come after we’ve had time to think. But many hospitality leaders struggle to give themselves that time. It can feel unfamiliar, even indulgent. We’re doers. As a chef owner I coach told me "I like to shift sand". But thinking time isn’t a luxury - it’s a leadership tool.

So here’s a gentle prompt: what if next week, you gave yourself permission to...

🧘 Take 30 minutes a day to think

🧘 Start your day with a plan, not messaging

🧘 Protect your breaks like they are a VIP table

🧘 Hide yourself away to get something done

What's one thing you can do to give yourself some space next week?