Stress, Uncertainty, and You: Regaining a Sense of Control
- Javier Lopez, MSA
- 17 hours ago
- 5 min read
Editor's Note: This recap highlights key themes and insights shared during a recent The Gov Geeks webinar. Questions and examples have been summarized for clarity and readability.
When the world feels uncertain, many of us instinctively try to gain control by gathering more information, working harder, or preparing for every possible outcome. Unfortunately, these efforts can sometimes leave us feeling more overwhelmed, not less.
Recently, The Gov Geeks hosted a live webinar, Stress, Uncertainty, and You: Regaining a Sense of Control, led by executive coach and educator Javier Lopez. The session brought together professionals from a variety of industries who were looking for practical ways to manage stress, prevent burnout, and build resilience during challenging times.
The discussion explored the stages of burnout, workplace well-being, the psychology of control, and practical strategies for protecting mental bandwidth. Most importantly, it reminded participants that while we cannot control everything around us, we can choose where we focus our attention, energy, and effort.
Like Frodo carrying the One Ring, Captain Picard navigating a crisis, or Din Djarin protecting Grogu in a galaxy that rarely cooperates with his plans, leadership often requires moving forward despite uncertainty. The goal is not perfect control. The goal is purposeful action.
Key Themes and Insights
Burnout Rarely Happens Overnight
One of the most important lessons from the session was that burnout is often a gradual process rather than a single event.
Javier discussed five stages of burnout, beginning with enthusiasm and overcommitment and potentially progressing toward chronic stress, exhaustion, and habitual burnout. Many professionals fail to recognize warning signs because the process unfolds slowly over time.
Just because stress is common does not mean it should become normal.
When organizations and individuals accept chronic stress as simply "part of the job," they often overlook opportunities to address root causes before they become larger problems.
The Five Essentials for Workplace Mental Health
Drawing from guidance developed by the Office of the U.S. Surgeon General, the webinar explored five workplace conditions that support employee well-being:
Protection from harm
Connection and community
Work-life harmony
Mattering at work
Opportunity for growth
These factors influence far more than employee satisfaction. They affect
engagement, performance, retention, collaboration, and long-term organizational effectiveness.
Whether you're leading a Fortune 500 company, managing a public sector team, or running a small business, these essentials create the foundation for sustainable
performance.
The Circle of Control
One of the most popular concepts discussed during the webinar was the Circle of Control framework.
Many participants described feeling overwhelmed by external events, workplace changes, economic uncertainty, social media, and constant news updates.
The Circle of Control helps individuals categorize challenges into three areas:
Things You Cannot Control
Examples Include:
The economy
Weather
Organizational decisions
Other people's behavior
Global events
These issues often
consume enormous
mental energy despite
being largely outside our
influence.
Things You Can Control
Examples Include:
Your actions
Your reactions
Your boundaries
Your habits
Your priorities
This is where meaningful
progress begins.
Things You Can Influence
Examples Include:
Relationships
Team dynamics
Stakeholder engagement
Workplace culture
While outcomes cannot
be guaranteed,
thoughtful action can
help shape results.
Like a skilled Dungeon Master helping players focus on their next move instead of every possible scenario, the Circle of Control encourages us to focus on actions that create momentum rather than anxiety.
Managing Information Overload
Many attendees identified information overload as a major contributor to stress.
Doom scrolling, constant notifications, and nonstop exposure to news can create the illusion that we are staying informed while actually increasing anxiety and reducing focus.
Javier encouraged participants to create intentional boundaries around information consumption by:
Scheduling designated times to check news updates
Limiting exposure to unnecessary media
Turning off nonessential notifications
Protecting uninterrupted focus time
Mental bandwidth is a finite resource.
The more attention we give to distractions, the less energy remains for meaningful work, relationships, and personal well-being.
Small Wins Create Momentum
When uncertainty feels overwhelming, large goals can feel impossible.
The webinar explored how focusing on small, achievable actions helps build confidence and momentum.
This concept aligns with growth zone thinking. Rather than attempting to solve every problem simultaneously, individuals can focus on the next actionable step.
Every hero's journey begins with a single choice.
Luke Skywalker did not defeat the Empire in one day. The Fellowship did not reach Mordor in a single afternoon. Progress is often built through small wins repeated consistently over time.
Letting Go Without Giving Up
Many high-achieving professionals struggle with the belief that they must carry every responsibility, solve every problem, and manage every outcome.
The webinar challenged this mindset by introducing the concept of letting go without giving up.
Letting go does not mean becoming passive.
It means releasing responsibility for things outside your control while continuing to take meaningful action where you can make a difference.
This shift often reduces emotional exhaustion while increasing resilience and effectiveness.
Building a Personal Resilience Toolkit
The session concluded with practical strategies for developing a personal resilience toolkit.
Participants were encouraged to identify tools that support recovery, energy management, and emotional well-being, including:
Walking and exercise
Journaling
Deep breathing
Mindfulness practices
Connecting with supportive people
Creative hobbies
Gaming and recreational activities
Healthy boundaries
Regular recovery rituals
Resilience is not something we discover during a crisis.
It is something we build before the crisis arrives.
Audience Questions & Discussion
Participants frequently asked questions about:
Managing stress during periods of organizational change
Balancing high performance with personal well-being
Navigating uncertainty without becoming overwhelmed
Establishing healthy boundaries at work
Supporting team members experiencing burnout
Maintaining resilience during prolonged periods of disruption
These conversations reflected a common challenge across industries: professionals are often expected to deliver results while managing increasing complexity and uncertainty.
Why This Matters for Professionals and Organizations
Stress and uncertainty are not limited to any one profession, industry, or leadership level.
Whether you are leading a team, changing careers, managing competing priorities, or simply trying to stay grounded during difficult times, your ability to focus on what you can control directly influences your effectiveness and well-being.
At The Gov Geeks, we believe leadership development and executive coaching are not just about performance. They are also about helping people sustain that performance in healthy and meaningful ways.
Because even the most capable leaders need recovery, perspective, and support.
Editorial Transparency
The insights shared in this resource are inspired by real coaching conversations and
leadership experiences. To protect confidentiality, identifying details and
circumstances may be adjusted or combined. AI-assisted tools may support drafting
and editing, but all content is reviewed, refined, and validated by The Gov Geeks to
ensure authenticity, accuracy, and practical value.
References
Office of the Surgeon General. (2022). Framework for workplace mental health and well-being. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Lopez, J. (2026). Stress, uncertainty, and you: Regaining a sense of control [Webinar]. The Gov Geeks.
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