Here’s something fun: I put “work on newsletter” on my calendar, sat in my home office, and proceeded to not get the newsletter done…repeatedly. Each time it felt as if the enthusiasm I had when I sat down evaporated. Then my chest tightened and breath shortened. Next my hands went cold.
Because “work on newsletter” could mean brainstorming topics, identifying the target person I’m writing for, creating an outline, finally putting the course I bought into action, recording a voiceover, ensuring I provide value to the reader, creating social content, editing, designing, scheduling, or any of the seventeen other micro-decisions hiding inside those three innocent words: work on newsletter. The overwhelm won again and again and again.
And I’m only talking about writing. Imagine what it’s been like for my podcast! 😮💨
This is what my executive dysfunction looks like. It’s not laziness. It’s not incompetence or reflective of my capabilities. And it certainly isn’t for lack of want. It’s my brain getting so overloaded by the undefined nature of a task that it refuses to compute at all so I go watch Law & Order SVU or First 48.
And when this happens repeatedly, things pile up. Content stops getting created. Work tasks linger. I miss an early meeting because I wasn’t used to the time and it wasn’t burned into my routine yet.
I had another early meeting a couple days later and barely slept the night before because I was terrified I’d miss it.
While I might be putting some extra pressure on myself, the stakes right now are very real: I’m at a new job with all new players and want to establish myself as the fully present and whole person I’ve become. This is the first job I’ve started in my career where I’m not struggling with undiagnosed cPTSD or in the throes of healing from it.
And I can’t let content creation fall off again because I remember what the job search felt like; and I never want to be back there. Creating always creates opportunities inside and outside my day gig. Not doing it does me a disservice. It’ll be a slower process now that I know my energy constraints, but it must happen no matter what.
So I’m resetting how I work with help from an executive function coaching service that’s offered as a benefit through work.
My calendar blocks are now very specific. Instead of “work on newsletter” or “creative time,” I write exactly what I’m doing in that block. “Identify the topic and purpose of the next newsletter.” “Draft the opening section.” “Review and edit the closing.”
No decisions. No options or lists. No overwhelm. I show up and the work is already defined. All I have to do is execute.
I’m also re-integrating the Pomodoro Technique: 20-25 minute work blocks dedicated to completing one specific task. The timer creates just enough pressure to get me moving and doesn’t feel like a massive time and energy commitment.
I’ve also consolidated project management tools because I was doing way too much. I had Asana, Notion, Trello, Google Tasks, and various scattered digital notes. It was chaos. Since I already use Asana at the day job, I created a separate account for my business. One system means less switching, less mental overhead, and a lower chance of something falling through the cracks.
I’ve been severely underutilizing my phone’s capabilities. My home screens for both my work and personal phones now have two things front and center: my Google Calendar and Asana widgets. I can see the day’s color-coded blocks and anything due from Asana without getting distracted by other apps.
None of this is sexy. In fact, it all feels incredibly basic. The work here is identifying what actually works for my brain and then turning those actions and systems into sustained habits.
So far I’m off to a good start. The overwhelm is lessening. Things are getting done (like this post). And ultimately, I’m building the infrastructure that lets me do the work I actually want to do.
Consistently.
R
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