Overstimulated at Work? Here's How to Regain Your Focus and Balance

What does overstimulation mean?

Overstimulation also known as sensory overload is when your brain gets more information than it can handle. When this happens, you fail to focus as your mind becomes preoccupied with the numerous stimuli, reducing your ability to work effectively.³

There are 4 main types of overstimulation:

• Sensory overstimulation: When your senses become overly sensitive, causing everyday situations and sensory experiences to become overwhelming.
• Emotional overstimulation: When your emotions or feelings become too intense and make you feel overwhelmed.
• Intellectual overstimulation: When too many thoughts or worries lead to mental distress.
• Social overstimulation: A mix of sensory, emotional, and intellectual input, that makes you feel extremely uncomfortable in social situations leading to withdrawal and closing up.

To explain why overstimulation has such a profound impact on performance, health psychologist Grace Tworek compares it to having too many tabs open on a computer. This causes the computer to slow down or even crash. 

In the same way, too much information can make you feel stuck or overwhelmed. This is your body's way of telling you it's getting too much input at once​​​​​​.⁴ 

Constant overstimulation not only shatters long-term performance, it also affects your physical health and mental well-being.⁵ Therefore, it’s crucial to know what triggers us at work.

Some factors that contribute to sensory overload are:^1,4,9

• fluorescent, flickering, or bright lights
• loud noises
• crowded spaces
• constant chatter
• overwhelming smells
• physical discomfort
• constant multitasking 
• excessive sensory input.  

What does overstimulation feel like?

The experience of overstimulation varies. It can manifest emotionally or physically in different forms. When people become overstimulated, they experience a range of sensory overload symptoms, from feelings of slight discomfort to extreme anxiety, stress, or even feeling paralyzed.³

Lights and sounds become too much and they feel everything around them is too loud, too bright, and too overwhelming to process. This makes people want to escape and provokes panic attacks in some. 

Ever noticed how some people can’t stand chewing sounds whereas others don’t even notice them? 

This is because different people are prone to different types of stimuli. Take my example, even though we work in the same conditions, one of my colleagues barely notices distractions while I struggle to concentrate and often rely on my noise-canceling headphones to get work done. 

People like me, who are easily upset by loud sounds, bright lights, or strong smells are referred to as Highly Sensitive People (HSPs). HSPs are more susceptible to chronic overstimulation.⁶ But it's not just us, most people have trouble focusing in places with many distractions. 

Forensic psychologist trainee Amy Jayne, says,

‘Sensory Overload. I can say from personal experience, it is awful. For me, my body completely shuts down until I have returned to baseline. These are the times I wrap myself with fluffy throws, turn all the lights off, and want to be left alone. 

‘For me, this often happens at work, I’m just so exhausted from having to function “normally”, I get home and just flop.’⁷

For Amy, overstimulation can be paralyzing. Dr Tworek explains this phenomenon as ‘The body’s fight or flight response’. Something commonly observed when a wild animal is faced with a predator. 

When fight or flight kicks in, our body gears up for action. Our heart beats faster, our breathing quickens, and our muscles get ready to move. Our hands and feet feel cold as the blood in the body moves to important muscles, and we start sweating. All these involuntary actions are our body’s natural way of dealing with danger.

These feelings last for a while. She suggests calming techniques like deep breathing or meditation to help speed up recovery, but we’ll talk more about this later.

What are the physical symptoms of overstimulation in adults?

Since sensory overload is not recognized as an official disorder, getting a formal diagnosis isn’t possible.⁸ However, many doctors and health professionals recognize overstimulation, especially in neurodiverse individuals such as those with autism spectrum disorder, ADHD or other conditions.

Even though overstimulation may exhibit differently in different people, some common symptoms are:^4,9

• discomfort
• anxiety
• feelings of overexcitement
• hands over ears or closing eyes
• restlessness 
• inability to relax or think straight 
• extreme sensitivity
• inability to focus
• heightened irritability.

What to do when you're feeling overstimulated? Coping techniques

Overstimulation takes away your ability to think straight. When this happens, you’re often left feeling confused and lost. So how can you manage sensory overload? 

Most experts believe that one of the first steps is acknowledging and accepting the triggers. It is also equally important to treat yourself with compassion and kindness and refrain from judging yourself. 

Psychologist, Dr Megan Connell, recommends taking breaks from time to time and focusing on how you're feeling, 

‘If you need time alone, be alone. If you know that you have certain foods, or smells that comfort you, keep them on hand for bad days. For some, it is taking time in meditation, while for others it is spending time with a pet, and still others want to use a weighted blanket. Find what works for you and have what you need on hand so that if you are overstimulated it does not ruin your day.’¹⁰

Instead of fighting your emotions, observe what's happening and pay attention to your body's reactions. This may require some time and experimentation to get right. 

Here we’ve gathered 9 expert-suggested techniques to manage sensory overload:^11,12

1. Lower your body temperature

Place your head under cold water or use ice on your neck, wrists, and underarms. This lowers your heart rate and helps you calm down.

2. Do some physical activity

Exercise is a great way to distract yourself and reduce negative energy. Run up and down the stairs or do jumping jacks to release excessive energy.

3. Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness is a popular method for achieving focused attention and awareness. It allows you to recognize and disengage from overwhelming external stimuli, without judgment, reducing stress and enhancing emotional regulation.

4. Practice the 4-7-8 breathing technique

This is something I practice whenever I start feeling overwhelmed. Psychologist J Ryan Fuller suggests the 4-7-8 breathing method to regulate our nervous system. 

Inhale for 4 counts, hold your breath for 7 counts and then exhale slowly for 8 counts. The long exhale slows your heart rate and makes you feel relaxed.

5. Do mindful observation and the 5-4-3-2-1 technique

Practice focusing on one sense at a time. This way, you become more aware of your surroundings and sensations, which creates a sense of calm. 

In the 5-4-3-2-1 technique, you identify 5 things you can see, 4 things you can hear, 3 things you can touch, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste. By doing this, you distract yourself from stressful factors and stay grounded in the present moment.

6. Keep fidget toys on hand

Who doesn’t love fidgeting with fidget toys like spinners or stress balls? Use them to distract yourself and keep from feeling overwhelmed.  

7. Chew gum

According to therapist Laurie Singer, chewing gum engages your senses and provides you with a sensory distraction. 

One study on the effects of chewing gum found that frequent gum chewers have decreased stress levels compared to their counterparts. Even people who don’t often chew gum felt less stressed when they started.

8. Step away from stressful situations

Whether it's a 15-minute walk around the block or 1 minute away from a heated conversation, walk away from overwhelming situations to calm down. Limiting or taking a break from social interactions clears some of the brain fog and allows you to think more clearly. 

9. Exposure therapy

While all the techniques provide some sort of relief, they can only offer temporary management solutions for sensory processing issues. 

For long-term management, Dr Fuller recommends Exposure Therapy. This is when you expose yourself to overwhelming situations. This may sound intimidating but gradual exposure, while you’re in control, takes away fears and allows you to adjust.  

Remember, not all techniques and strategies will work for you. Take the time to experiment and learn what works best.

Remember to be patient and practice self-compassion as you try out different techniques. 

How to prevent overstimulation at work

Practice the following to prevent factors and control variables that lead to overstimulation. Build a healthy routine so you're always calm and not overburdened. 

1. Establish a daily routine that includes stress-reducing activities.

Another factor that leads to overstimulation is stress.¹³ We all get extra snappy when we’re on edge, tired, overworked, or not at our physical and emotional best. Keeping a healthy routine and taking preventive measures can keep the stress from building at work. Include calming activities in your daily life.¹⁴

• go for walks
• do meditation
• do yoga
• practice deep breathing techniques
• read
• listen to calming music or engaging podcasts.

2. Identify triggers and make changes accordingly.

Spend some time figuring out what sets you off and then make adjustments to reduce those triggers.

3. Set boundaries at work to avoid taking on too much.¹⁵

Setting boundaries whether they're mental, physical, emotional, or even technological helps you spend your time wisely and keeps you away from unnecessary tasks and drama.

4. Get help from your supervisors or colleagues. 

Talk to your supervisor or colleagues and ask for support. Openly communicate what’s causing you stress and work together to build a supportive and calming workplace. 

Discover your preferred work environment with the Fingerprint for Success (F4S) assessment. Do you gain energy from working independently with minimal contact with others or do you feel most productive and energized when you work with others? 

F4S is a collaboration and performance AI that helps individuals and teams work more productively by gaining a deeper understanding of the personal communication styles of each colleague. This allows you to adapt your communication to suit each individual.

• Set up your team in the F4S App and start by taking the free assessment.
• Run a team dynamics workshop to understand how your team can best work together and predict where conflict may arise.  
• F4S also offers AI and human coaching. Set your goal in the app and AI Coach Marlee will recommend the best coaching programs. Our Ask Marlee feature also provides personalized coaching related to the individual motivations of each team member, so teams can quickly resolve conflict, and enhance team performance.