Have you ever felt completely overwhelmed, which at times feels like you’re helpless, drowning, lost any control that you felt you had and have no idea what to do next; your ability to function normally disappears and you find yourself staring at walls and wondering what is going on, and you have a ton of stuff to get on with!
We will talk about this a lot more shortly, but first what has NAPSA been up to this week.
The 2nd NAPSA Webinar for last month was held on Wednesday 30th September and NAPSA hosted Sean Hooker from Property Redress, who covered the Renters Rights Bill currently going through Parliament, what souring agents should be aware of as well as the importance of material information and it will become much more going forward. Meaning now is an ideal time and opportunity for all sourcing agents to raise themselves above the non-compliant and become a dominant force!
What we learned from the webinar was that Property Redress are very supportive of what NAPSA is doing and working towards, and they are also there to guide and support sourcing agents and believe strongly in them being professional. The Renters Rights Bill has a lot contained within it that sourcing agents will need to be aware of, linked to material information. An important covered was, there is a danger going forward that agents who don’t know what they are doing and may find themselves on the wrong side of a fine for not disclosing all that should be disclosed to a buyer of a deal.
Also, this week, the NAPSA Team have been working on the research project which is now in full swing and the results of which will be released by the end of November. The report might well surprise a lot of people and not in a good way, about the property sourcing and deal packaging sector.
As this diary is being written, Sarah will be packing her case to come home from sunnier climes and will be back in the office with the team on Monday 6th October!
Data Privacy and Anti-Money Laundering Training Certificates issued in September: 16
Now, back to ‘Can Feeling Overwhelmed Ever Be A Good Thing?’
A quick search of Google for the meaning of ‘feeling overwhelmed’ shows something similar to:
‘Experiencing an unbearable amount of stress, tasks, or emotions that you feel unable to cope with, leading to difficulty thinking clearly, making decisions, and functioning effectively’
Some common causes that Google lists include:
· Too many responsibilities – Excessive workload, too much to get done.
· Major life changes – New job, moving, financial concerns, stepping outside your comfort zone.
· High expectations – Unrealistic standards, comparing yourself to others and creating a sense of inadequacy, wanting to achieve too much in too short a time frame, being unrealistic.
· Lack of control – Feeling powerless, unable to progress.
· Information or sensory overload – Constant influx of notifications and digital information.
· Underlying health conditions – Anxiety, depression, PTSD, ADHD.
A ‘Poll’ was recently carried out in our NAPSA Community Group this week, because we realised that there was a large time gap between those on our training course and becoming ‘Approved NAPSA Members’. Sometimes over a year, some even after 18 months were still not approved; whilst others were through the whole process in weeks. We wondered why, what was the cause of the blockage in the system, what was stopping some people from progressing, was it something that we could change or provide support with?
The poll asked a simple question:
What blockers are you facing that stop you finishing the training and becoming an Approved NAPSA Member?
We gave various options as well as ‘Other’ if anyone had a blocker that they felt did not fit the other options available. Members could select all that were relevant to them and add more detail in comments if they felt that it would help or they wanted to reach out for support.
The results so far have been clear, two options stand out as the main causes of the blockage:
Lack of Time: 37%
Feeling Overwhelmed: 31%
The next option in line was, ‘Lack of Cash’: 12%.
From the comments in the poll post, a lot felt overwhelmed by how much they needed to do and that combined with a lack of time, just exacerbated the problem.
Those members who highlighted issues have all now been offered a 1:1 call with me to work through the problem(s) and how NAPSA can support to overcome them.
What can you do to alleviate any overwhelm that you feel?
Here are some steps that I have learned to do over the past many years, when overwhelm hits me:
1. Take a break, go somewhere that you feel relaxed and pause and just focus on your breathing.
2. Acknowledge how your feeling, don’t just ignore it, accept it and then it’s easier to deal with.
3. Write down your tasks, what is causing you to feel stressed, make a list and prioritise them: must do, could do, can outsource/leave for later.
4. It’s ok to say “No”, learn to say, sorry I don’t have time to do that, “No”.
5. Reach out for help, we don’t seem to like to ask for help, when at some stage we will all need it.
Have you ever felt overwhelmed, it would be good to hear about how you dealt with it and for you, what are the causes?
Upcoming Events
NAPSA Member Webinar
Wednesday, 8th October, 7pm (Live and recorded – (NAPSA Members only)
Topic: Professional Insurance by Insurance-Desk
This one-hour webinar will cover:
· Latest updates and trends in the property and insurance industries
· Guidance on selecting correct insurance policies for your business needs
· A review of what to look for and ask for in policy documents
· Understanding whether you require more than just professional indemnity insurance
This one-hour webinar will give you the knowledge to stay ahead of the curve and operate with confidence. A live Q&A session will follow the presentation, and a full recording will be available for members to re-watch or catch up later.
The NAPSA Team will be attending the next National Landlord Investment Show
Venue: Manchester United Football Stadium, Old Trafford
Date / Time: Tuesday 14th October 2025 – Event runs from 9am to 3:30pm
A couple of meetings have already been arranged at the event with people, so if you are also attending, let us know and let’s have a catch up over a brew – If you’ve not yet registered, it is free to attend:
Register Here – Its Free of Charge to Attend
NAPSA supports its members not just with setting up and running your sourcing business and compliance, but about everything business, finance and marketing as well.
Wishing everyone a peaceful and stress-free week ahead.
Tina Walsh
CEO, NAPSA
Like a sourcing consultation call with Tina?
We offer a number of free calls each week to discuss your property sourcing or deal packaging business, to assess any gaps and provide guidance on recommended next steps.
