You Work From Home — How Do You Have Work Besties?

Returning home from a Saturday networking event, excited and in full ADHD chatter about how much fun I had, how I really enjoyed doing this event with one of my work besties, lost in the dopamine hit as only a true ADHDer can be, I was interrupted by my husband:

“You work from home… how do you have work besties?”
He said it with genuine curiosity, not sarcasm.
Screeched to a halt came the dopamine excitement, and the excitement of the networking train of thought, a sudden shift of tracks….

OH that’s right, I have a whole world that is not in my everyday life, yet a part of my everyday life. Maybe it’s time to talk about that!

There’s this assumption that if you work from home, especially as a therapist or healer, you’re sitting in a room by yourself, slowly spiraling into professional isolation. But for me, the truth is quite the opposite.

My Bestie Brie-Anna Willey from Business for Nerds find her @https://www.businessfornerds.com/

I Have Work Besties — They Just Don’t All Live Here (well some do, but most don’t)

I have several work besties, and they live all over the country.

Some of them, I’ve never met in person — we found each other online through coaching programs, collaborations, or even social media threads that turned into real friendships.

Others are local — we’ve met for coffee now and then — but most of our connection happens online. We hop on Sunday Zoom calls, check in by voice note, and co-work in real time, from wherever we are.

These relationships? They’re real.
They’re intentional.
And they’re saving me from burnout.

I Was Afraid Going Online Would Be Lonely

As a therapist, I need connection with others who understand what this work takes — emotionally, mentally, energetically.

I used to think working online would strip that away. That I'd be trading connection for convenience. But then I watched my kids build real friendships online — deep, trusting ones. They’d laugh, support each other, and build community in Minecraft or Discord the way I used to at lunch tables and break rooms.

And I thought… why not me?

Online Friendships Can Be Deeper Than In-Person Ones

And honestly? I prefer these relationships to many I had in past in-person jobs.

Back then, we connected mostly because we showed up at the same office. Now, my work besties are people I chose. People who chose me.

We make time to meet — not because we’re forced into the same break room — but because we value each other’s support. We bounce around ideas, talk marketing and mindset, cry, laugh, vent, and get each other through the weirdness that is online entrepreneurship.

They’ve seen me in every state:

• Polished and put-together before a presentation

• Disheveled and under-caffeinated on a Sunday brainstorm call

• Fragile after a tough week with clients

• Buzzing with excitement after a big win

These people get me — my work, my energy, my mission. They challenge me…to grow, confront my fears, to TALK about my money challenges.

Neurodivergent Folks Often Prefer This Way of Connecting

I work with many neurodivergent and highly sensitive women, and let me tell you — this kind of connection works for us.

We don’t always thrive in noisy mixers or drop-in groups full of surface-level small talk, it’s exhausting and often feels like we are pushing against our natural desire to go deep fast. We CAN do it, it just leaves us depleted and takes a lot of our spoons.

We like the slow burn of connection — repetitive, intentional interactions that help us decide if someone is safe, aligned, consistent.

And when we do connect around shared goals or mutual understanding?
We skip the water cooler and dive into the deep end.

So Yes — I Have Work Besties

I never imagined going online would grow my sense of community. But it did.

My work besties are a lifeline. A mirror. A brain trust. A nervous system regulation squad.

If you’re thinking about going online — whether as a therapist, coach, healer, or creative — I want you to know that isolation doesn’t have to be your fate.

With a little intention, you can build the community you need.
You can find your people.
You can create meaningful connection — even from your kitchen table in pajama pants.

One More Thing

If you’re sitting in your home office wondering if you’ll ever find your people, consider this your nudge.

✨ Start a conversation.
💛 Join that group.
🌱 Say hi to someone new at the next Zoom event.

Your future work bestie might be one message away.

Burnout in Highly Sensitive Women: Motherhood, Homeschooling, and Learning to Choose Less

Burnout often shows up differently in highly sensitive or neurodivergent women, especially during seasons like motherhood and homeschooling.

Burnout: My Journey to Less

Burnout is real (even when your life looks good on paper)

Burnout can show up differently in highly sensitive and neurodivergent women, especially during seasons of motherhood and when you have school aged children, especially if you decide to homeschool. What looked like anxiety or exhaustion in my life was actually a nervous system asking for a different pace, a different rhythm, and a different way of living. It took me years to realize that what I thought was anxiety or depression was actually burnout in a highly sensitive nervous system.

Burnout often looks different in highly sensitive or neurodivergent women. Instead of obvious collapse, it can look like constant exhaustion, frequent illness, feeling overwhelmed by everyday tasks, or wondering why everyone else seems able to handle more. Many women who later discover they are highly sensitive, ADHD, autistic, or AuDHD spend years believing they are simply “too much” or “not resilient enough,” when in reality their nervous systems are processing far more than most people realize

Why this matters: Burnout is real, and when you throw motherhood into the mix, it’s a whole new level of chaos. Let me take you on my journey through it. 😅

It all started after grad school, just after I’d bought a house and thought I was doing everything *right.* I went to my doctor, (who was used to seeing me every few weeks because I was constantly sick. I didn’t realize at the time my body was trying to tell me to rest, take it down a notch. I blamed it on a bad immune system and working with kids.) Anyway, there I was, sitting in my doctor’s office, tears streaming down my face. He asked, “What’s wrong?” and all I could say was, “I don’t know! Everything in my life is good—I just graduated, bought a house, life is great.” He looked at me, nodded, and reached for his prescription pad, saying,”You don’t have to feel this way, I can help.” Desperate, I nodded in agreement.

When Burnout looks like anxiety or depression

The meds helped… for a while. But deep down, I knew it wasn’t just depression, it wasn’t just anxiety. I didn’t know what it was at the time, I just knew that getting through the day was a task. I worked, and slept. 🙃 I had drained my energy reserves trying to juggle grad school, two jobs, and all the demands life threw at me. My plate was way too full, and I had no idea how to pace myself.

I mean, you’d think being a therapist, I’d understand burnout, right? But nope—I was too busy trying to be Do The Things… and wondering why I kept crashing into walls. It turns out that knowing all the theory doesn’t help when you’re busy ignoring the giant flashing “Warning: You’re Burning Out!” signs in your own life. 🤦‍♀️

Learning that Self-Care is more than bubble baths

Eventually, I did what any overwhelmed human would do—I started taking things off my plate. *Fast.* I learned to set boundaries and redefine self-care. And spoiler alert: self-care is way more than bubble baths and eating healthy. 🛁🌿 I needed real rest—more sleep, time to play, and moments to just *be.* I needed fewer commitments, fewer expectations, and more time outdoors.

Motherhood and the Return of Overwhelm

Gradually, I got better. And then… I became a mom. 👶 Just like that, the to-do lists multiplied overnight. The self-care strategies that had worked so well before? Out the window. Now, it was crying babies, endless time commitments, and the exhaustion of keeping a tiny humans alive while trying to survive myself. The overwhelm was back, and I had to adjust—again.

So, I shifted gears. Soulful art became finger painting in the bathtub. 🎨 My quiet time morphed from Enya and candles to cuddles and Baby Mozart. 🍼 Priorities changed. The clean house? Less important. Being present? The new goal. I found moments where I could sink my feet into the grass while keeping my toddlers contained. I adjusted, and it worked… for a while.

But as my kids grew, so did the commitments—extracurriculars, school, work deadlines. It was all *too much.* And in the midst of this chaos, I decided to open my own business. This may seem counter-intuitive but I was tired. My thought was if I am dumping all this time into someone else’s vision, why not do it for myself, my way. I needed more control, I needed to do things on my terms. This was a game-changer, giving me a chance to create a schedule that worked for me, to slow down the grind while still supporting my family.

Discovering I was a Highly Sensitive Person and why burnout suddenly made sense

Then, by chance, by happenstance, through synchronicty, I am not sure how I got there honestly, but I came across the term Highly Sensitive by Elaine Aron. Insert deep dive here, and I realized I was highly sensitive. Trying to keep up with “normies” (no offense, normies, I love you) was just not in the cards for me. I couldn't compare my schedule to others. I had to accept that I was wired differently, that my energy had limits, and that burning myself out trying to meet everyone else's expectations was never going to work. I needed to play by my own rules.

But burnout? It’s a sneaky beast. Some mornings, even getting out of bed felt impossible. Staying awake past my kids’ bedtime? Forget about it. I often fell asleep moments after tucking them in, sometimes even in their beds. If I tried pushing past and staying up late, my body reminded me to rest by getting sick and forcing me back to bed.

My self-care was pretty good. Monthly acupuncture, Check. Good sleep, Check. Eating healthy, Check. Leaning into others, still a struggle. Making sure I set boundaries, Check. However, the drowning feeling was still there. I was managing, but not living fully.

The Unexpected Nervous System Reset

Then came COVID. Our lives, like everyone else’s, turned upside down. The kids came home, and I shifted to doing virtual therapy. I closed my physical office—a space I had poured my heart into creating—and with a heavy heart, I re-evaluated *everything.* When the next school year came, I decided to homeschool. It started as a practical decision because of the pandemic, but it turned out to be an unexpected gift. 🌟

Gone were the daily battles over time, the morning rushes, the “GET YOUR SHOES ON NOW!” meltdowns. We traded those for schoolwork done in pajamas, laundry tossed in between clients, and well-rested kids who no longer had to face after-school homework wars.

For my family, the pandemic, despite all its hardships, actually reduced our stress. And as the world started to return to “normal,” I realized I didn't want to go back. I didn't want the chaos, the frantic pace, the burnout.

Choosing a Slower Life

So, we chose *less*. Not as some radical act of rebellion, but as a conscious choice for calm and sanity. In all that hustle, I hadn't even realized my boys were feeling burned out too. Most of our conflicts came from being bone-tired or being hungry and not being able to get food on the table fast enough. We were done with the fast-paced, on-demand lifestyle. We needed a slower rhythm, more time to recover. ❤️

Now, four years into homeschooling, we sleep more than most families. We have less structure. We have one or two activities, and social events are maybe once a week. Our house? Still not always clean. Often, we're home together but each in our own space, doing our own thing. Our time still includes cuddles on the couch, game nights, and things that are slower paced.

Like all moms, I worry whether I'm doing things right. Will my kids be stereotyped as "awkward homeschoolers"? Am I harming them by not making their childhood more demanding? Honestly, I don't have the answers to those questions yet. What I do know is that I've been able to preserve my sanity. I don't fight with my kids as much, and our time as a family is peaceful. Maybe I can send them into the world without their nervous systems being on fire, without starting adulthood already burned out. If that's the case, I'll take the awkwardness. 🙂

Many of the women I work with are highly sensitive, neurodivergent, creative, or homeschooling parents who have spent years trying to function at a pace that simply doesn’t fit their nervous system. Therapy can help you understand your wiring, reduce burnout, and build a life that supports your energy instead of constantly draining it.

By choosing less, I found more—more time, more peace, more connection. Maybe you can too! Sometimes, the best decision is the one that lets you just *breathe*.

If this story resonates with you it could be because…

• You’re a highly sensitive woman who feels overwhelmed by the pace of modern life
• You suspect you may be neurodivergent (ADHD, autistic, or AuDHD) but were never recognized growing up
• You’re a thoughtful, creative, or intuitive person who absorbs the emotions and needs of everyone around you
• You’re a homeschooling or alternative-education parent trying to create a calmer life for your family
• You’re capable, insightful, and responsible… but constantly exhausted

If you think you are ready to start therapy, schedule a free consult.

Questions Highly Sensitive and Neurodivergent Women Often Ask

Why do highly sensitive women burn out more easily?
Highly sensitive nervous systems process more emotional and sensory input, which can lead to faster exhaustion when life becomes overwhelming.

Can burnout look like anxiety or depression?
Yes. Burnout can show up as exhaustion, irritability, frequent illness, emotional overwhelm, or feeling like even simple tasks require enormous effort.

Can therapy help highly sensitive or neurodivergent women with burnout?
Therapy can help you understand how your nervous system works, develop boundaries that protect your energy, and create a life rhythm that supports rather than overwhelms you.

With love and healing,

Laura 💖

Buy The PreCut Watermelon: a lesson in burnout, energy and letting yourself choose easier

Why “Doing It the Hard Way” Isn’t Always Better

Like many highly sensitive, neurodivergent, or overwhelmed parents, I struggle with eating. Well, not really eating, I love eating. I struggle with meal prep, the cleaning…often before and after. The planning. I struggle with the rinse, wash, and repeat meals. I work from home and homeschool two boys, a teen and an almost teen…and well the reality is our refrigerator should have a revolving door on it.  As my kids have gotten older, meal prep has been easier, they can make their own food. However, it takes forever to train little humans, and often, while food has been prepared, the never-ending dishes are spread all over the counter. The sink has piled up, they have not quite learned the art of “clean as you go”.  Meal prep is on ongoing stressor. I know I am not alone; my family is not unique, this is the case for many families. For parents already balancing work, family, and mental load, these small daily demands can slowly add up to real burnout. So, what does this have to do with precut watermelon?

The Pre-Cut Watermelon Incident

Shortly after my second son was born, a family member had a get together at their home. It was a crab feast, which I was extremely excited about. Moving to Florida from the Northeast, getting blue crab from back home was a rare, albeit expensive experience. So, besides being taught that you bring something to contribute when there is a gathering, I wanted to show appreciation for the host. The morning of, with a newborn and 4-year-old in tow, we are excitedly on our way to devour some nostalgia. Although feeling stressed about already running late, I made my husband stop at the store, and get 2 packages of precut watermelon,  a couple bottles of my favorite wine and flowers for the host.

Now, why watermelon? Well, because as any person from the Northeast knows, it is THE FOOD that goes with a crab feast, along with ears of grilled corn and some sliced tomatoes. It just is. I had my husband get precut, because with a newborn that I was still breastfeeding, and a toddler, I knew I was already going to be overwhelmed. MY HANDS were going to be full, feeding the baby, chasing the toddler, doing those things that Moms do at gatherings.  On top of that, this was an extended family gathering, and while I love family gatherings, a large one like this, leaves me emotionally and physically drained. Getting the precut watermelon just seemed like one less thing to worry about.

When a Small Choice Becomes a Big Judgment

However, little did I know that getting precut watermelon was going to create a conflict. My husband and I brought in the watermelon, wine, and flowers, set them down in the kitchen, and went outside to give the family hugs and hellos.  Despite being late, we were one of the first of the local relatives to arrive. While I was outside taking care of the formalities, the host came in from outside, went into the kitchen and put the flowers in a vase.

Shortly after, I walk back into the house, and sit at the table. The host begins commenting, “OH, someone must be making a lot of money if they can buy precut watermelon.” Amid noticing a smell, and getting up to do a diaper check, I think…nope, not going there. Mind you, this is the same host that has spent a lot of money on having blue crab brought in from another state and the watermelon is sitting next to my favorite wine. So, the host KNOWS who brought the watermelon. No comment was made on the flowers that were now in the vase.

Another family member walks in, loaded with kids stuff, no party contributions, children in tow and attention is drawn to them. Grateful for the disruption, I begin to engage them.

Shortly after, the host begins commenting  again, “ Gosh, somebody makes a lot of money bringing in precut watermelon.”  Another family member arrives very late,  empty handed except for the ton of stuff she needed for her littles, babies in tow, crying…puts stuff down, goes “Oh, thank god, watermelon, grabs a piece for the crying child, hands it to them and then grabs a piece for herself.”  At this point I am thinking, did I miss the memo that we are not supposed to contribute? However,  I am thankful for having a large family to take some of the pressure off, thinking to myself surely this will be the end of it.

With a fresh diaper in place, I  begin to breastfeed my son on the couch. I am looking forward to that one glass of wine, after I feed him, because I know if I time it right, I won’t need to do a pump and dump. Who wants to waste their liquid gold?  This is when the host’s comment comes in for the third time, even louder- “SOMEBODY MUST BE MAKING A LOT OF MONEY IF THEY BOUGHT PRECUT WATERMELON.” A fourth family member walks in, grabs a piece of the watermelon, pops it his mouth and says “Wasn’t me, but it is good.”

It was never about the watermelon.

It Was Never About the Watermelon.

Frustrated, and realizing that ignoring the comments is futile, I respond… “I bought the precut watermelon, and it’s not about making a lot of money, it was about convenience with a toddler and a newborn and wanting to contribute.”  The host replies “Well, it’s too expensive and you should have bought a whole watermelon.”  I responded. “Okay, I just wanted to contribute, I know the cost of the crab was expensive and it was supposed to be a thank you.”  Things escalated from there, with the host chastising me about how I am always trying to show off that I make more money. Confused, and feeling attacked, I responded “It is watermelon.”  They responded, “Expensive watermelon.” I went on to try and explain, thinking if I explained, it would surely help. “Look, I wanted to contribute, but with the baby, I needed to do something easy and wanted watermelon to go with the crabs. I was not trying to show off.”  My explanation failed to do its job, and instead, things were getting even more heated.

Knowing this was not a rational battle, I knew it was best not to engage. However, I had conflicting emotions: my fiery, redhead, Irish,  Leo side not wanting to back down, and my protective mother side not wanting my babies to see or feel this tension. My protective mothering side won, and my husband and I chose to leave. We didn’t eat the crab, the corn, the tomatoes, or the precut watermelon. I didn’t get my glass of wine with the family. We stopped at a seafood place on the way home, it wasn’t blue crab, it didn’t have childhood nostalgia connected to it, but it didn’t have the bitter taste of resentment either.

The Guilt That Followed Me

Fast forward, two older children, working full time, overwhelmed by the day to day, I am stressed. Meal prep is still hard, food is still hard. Eating out is expensive, and I am trying to find balance. I still buy precut veggies and fruits if I know it is going to be a heavy week. However, my relatives voice kicks in, “THAT IS EXPENSIVE.” The guilt kicks in. My family does okay because we have two working adults and we budget, but we pick and choose where we want to spend money. We are middle class and life is expensive.

At this stage of my life, I am past babies. However, I am still stressed and overwhelmed. Trying to break familial patterns, self-care, build a business, work as a therapist, be a wife, raise kids, keep house and doing my best to eat healthy and feed others…it is all just too much. I began to see a therapist; this wasn’t my first therapy go around, so I jumped right in.  In exploring my relationships and stressors, the watermelon story comes up. My therapist helps me sort out some of the deeper meanings, the hidden messages, the underlying beliefs that came with the precut watermelon. It was never about the watermelon.  It was about what I had been taught to believe about effort, money, and self-care.

Therapy Helped Me See the Real Lesson

Therapy helps me begin to see the ways buying precut foods was a form of self-care. My therapist tells me a story she read about a woman who would not run the dishwasher when it was half-full because she was taught to run it only when full. She felt guilty when she ran it half full. The problem was, if she waited until it was full, the needed items were in the dishwasher. She could hand wash them, but often didn’t have the energy, and felt like she was wasting water.  Here the therapist said “Run the dishwasher half full.” And the woman understood, it was better to run the dishwasher half full than it is to struggle with lack of energy, guilt and dirty dishes. My therapist’s  lesson sinks in, (pun intended) and I begin to try incorporate releasing guilt of things that I was taught in my family, that may not be serving me now.

Buy the Pre-Cut Watermelon: A Lesson in Self-Care

Time has gone on; my tween and teen and I are visiting with some friends. My friend is talking about being vegan…and I am curious. I want to try it, but is it difficult? My friend says, “Oh I order these premade box foods, you should try it! Here is my referral code.”  I respond, “Isn’t that expensive?” She replies, “Maybe? I think it is about the same though. With everything being precut and portioned, and easy to make, I save time and I think I save money because I don’t avoid cooking, things don’t go bad in the fridge, and I eat out less because it isn’t hard to make. Actually, I may save money in the long run.  A light bulb went off. IT IS SELF CARE. Rehearing her words…it is cheaper in the long run because I don’t eat out as much and I am more likely to make the food. Eating healthy, while maintaining energy is self-care.

One thing I didn’t understand and wasn’t connecting was that the watermelon was about self-care. Getting it precut was about saving energy and time, especially at a point in my life where that was limited. The person who complained it was expensive, was not good at self-care. They could not understand my need to buy precut watermelon, because they had not grown to the point in their life where their own self-care was a priority. I had unintentionally taken to heart advice and criticism from someone who had not learned to prioritize their own self-care. I was looking for reinforcement from someone who could not understand why I would spend more money on something that seemed frivolous.  My expectations of them were unrealistic. My expectations of myself to get them to understand were unrealistic. One cannot give you something they do not understand and cannot give themselves. My friend who was great at self-care improved my understanding because she had given it to herself. She understood that it was a form of prioritizing her well-being.  

Today, I buy precut veggies. Sometimes they are a little more expensive, and I notice the passing guilt.  I buy the precut fruit, and remind myself, it is okay.  I buy the precut watermelon. It gets eaten. We eat out less. I saved money.   Buy the precut watermelon, I tell myself, it is self-care. Instead of guilt, it is a reminder that selfcare isn’t just the big things like massages, getting your nails done and vacations. Healthy self-care is taking every day micro actions that help save you time and energy.   Occasionally, I will still hear: “It’s expensive” and the voice of self-love whispers “Yeah, and you are worth it.”

If This Story Feels Familiar…

• You’re a highly sensitive woman who feels overwhelmed by daily responsibilities
• You’re thoughtful and responsible but constantly exhausted
• You struggle with guilt when choosing convenience
• You’re balancing parenting, work, and life while trying to care for yourself
• You’re learning that self-care sometimes means choosing easier options

Questions Highly Sensitive/Neurodivergent Women Often Ask About Burnout and Self-Care

Why do small tasks sometimes feel overwhelming?
For highly sensitive or neurodivergent people, everyday tasks can require more mental and emotional energy because their nervous systems process more information throughout the day.

Is convenience sometimes a form of self-care?
Yes. Choosing options that save time and energy can help prevent burnout and allow you to focus your energy on the things that matter most.

Why do I feel guilty choosing easier options?
Many people were raised with beliefs about productivity, responsibility, and money that make convenience feel indulgent. These beliefs don’t always support well-being in adulthood.

Can therapy help with burnout and overwhelm?
Therapy can help you understand your energy patterns, challenge old beliefs about productivity and self-care, and build a lifestyle that supports your nervous system.

Many of the women I work with are highly sensitive or neurodivergent and have spent years trying to meet expectations that don’t match their energy. Therapy can help you create a life that supports your nervous system instead of constantly overwhelming it.

#SelfCare #Parenting #HealthyEating #FamilyGatherings #StressManagement #Convenience #TimeSaving #EmotionalWellbeing #HealthyLifestyle #GuiltFree #TherapyInsights #BalancedLife #PrioritizeSelfCare

Give yourself permission not to have to do it all now...

Create a peaceful environment, so that you can take care of yourself.