You don’t have to do it all: How to let go of guilt and rest without shame

Take 5 minutes to reset

If you’re reading this with a to-do list running through your head and a slight knot in your stomach, take a breath. You're not alone.

Spring can feel like a fresh start - longer days, lighter evenings, flowers blooming in the garden or along your drive to work.

But for many Activity Coordinators, especially those like you - juggling work, home, and everything in between - this season can also bring pressure. Pressure to be brighter, more motivated, more productive.

And if you're not feeling any of those things? The guilt creeps in.

Let’s stop right there.

You are allowed to feel tired.

You are allowed to feel overwhelmed. You are allowed to rest.

Just because it’s spring and everything outside is waking up, it doesn’t mean you have to suddenly be bursting with energy or joy. Being an Activity Coordinator isn’t just about crafts and quizzes - it’s emotional labour.

It’s holding space for joy and grief, often in the same hour.

It’s remembering birthdays, noticing when someone hasn’t been themselves lately, keeping spirits up… sometimes when your own spirit is feeling stretched thin.

No wonder you're tired.

The guilt myth

You might find yourself thinking:

• “I should be doing more.”

• “I haven’t planned next week yet.”

• “Everyone else seems to manage – why can’t I?”

That voice? That’s the guilt myth talking.

The idea that if you’re not constantly on, you’re letting someone down.

But that’s not true.

In fact, your residents don’t need you to be perfect.

They need you to be present - and that starts with looking after yourself.

Spring is actually the perfect time to gently reset. Not by piling more on your plate, but by choosing to let go of a few things you don’t need to carry.

Here’s what you can try this week:

🌼 Pause and notice

Take five minutes (yes, five!) outside. Breathe in the air. Listen to the birds. Let yourself just be, even briefly. You’ll be surprised how much it can reset your mind.

🌼 Reframe doing nothing

Rest is doing something. In fact, it’s essential. Whether that’s sitting in the staff room without scrolling on your phone, a bath when you get home, or letting the kids watch a film so you can have a cuppa in peace - it counts.

🌼 Choose one thing to let go of

Just one. Maybe it’s not doing the extra display this week. Maybe it’s giving yourself permission to use a ready-made activity from your toolbox instead of creating something new.

The world won’t stop turning - I promise.

🌼 Remember what’s enough

You showed up. You smiled at someone who needed it. You created a moment of connection.

That is enough.

A gentle affirmation for you

“I don’t have to be positive all the time to make a difference. Showing up with honesty, care, and compassion is more than enough.”

Be kind to yourself this season. You don’t have to bloom like the daffodils. Sometimes, the most important work happens underground, quietly - just like roots growing strong beneath the surface.

And if no one’s told you this lately: you’re doing a brilliant job.

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