When Your Brain Has Too Many Tabs Open: A Reminder for Handmade Sellers to Breathe

Embracing Simplicity in a Busy Season

Since settling back into the rhythm of fall, I’ve noticed something interesting about my brain:

It feels like there are way too many tabs open—all the time.

You know that feeling when your computer slows down because a dozen tabs are competing for attention, each loaded with its own task, priority, or worry? That's exactly how my mind has been running for the past few weeks.

Between the business picking up for the holiday season, school routines, Halloween prep, family matters, and a real estate project I’ve got in the works—not to mention the ever-spinning news cycle—there’s been a constant buzz in my brain.

Then there’s this other, unexpected weight I’ve been feeling: the pressure to keep up with everyone.

I love being near family and friends, and I genuinely feel grateful to be where I am. But there’s this constant mental loop of “When will I see so-and-so?” or “I should plan that friends’ night” or “When’s our next family gathering?” Summer was different—no need to juggle social calendars or coordinate logistics weeks in advance. It was just… simpler. And quieter.

And recently, I realized how much this is like having an entrepreneurial brain.

As handmade business owners, we’re constantly running with tabs open—ideas, tasks, to-do lists, big projects, small projects. The mental load is real, but it’s easy to romanticize it: “Oh, that’s just the creative brain!” or “I thrive on ideas!” But when those tabs start to close, even for a moment, we realize how noisy it all was.

Now, with year-end goals, holiday prep, and personal obligations piling on, it’s the perfect time to simplify. Close a few of those tabs and just breathe.

If your mind’s been running on overload too, maybe it’s time to:

• Unsubscribe from what’s not serving you—email lists, unnecessary obligations, or even business distractions.

• Take a social media break—no, you don’t need to post every day to stay relevant.

• Put a few projects on hold. You might find in a month or two that they don’t need to get done at all.

We don’t need to be “on” all the time.

Sometimes, the best thing we can do for our business and ourselves is to step away. The clarity that comes from quieting the noise can help us focus on what’s really important.

Take care of yourself, and remember that even the smallest break can bring you back with a refreshed perspective.