If you’ve ever finished a week, collapsed onto the couch, and thought, “How am I this exhausted and still feel like nothing really moved forward?”. You’re not alone.
This is one of the most common frustrations I hear from leaders and professionals across all sectors, from schools and businesses to non-profits and start-ups. You’re busy every second of the day, but the needle doesn’t seem to move on the things that really matter.
And here’s the tough truth:
👉 It’s not just the workload that’s burning you out – it’s the mental load.
We’re carrying too much around in our heads. Unfinished tasks, big ideas with nowhere to land, decisions we’re avoiding, conversations we haven’t had ye. It’s all swirling around, competing for attention and silently draining our energy.
This constant mental juggling act creates what neuroscientists call cognitive load, and it’s one of the fastest ways to exhaust your prefrontal cortex (the part of your brain responsible for decision-making, planning, and focus). When cognitive load is high, you default to reactive thinking, struggle to prioritise, and lose the mental bandwidth needed for creativity and strategic thinking.
Sound familiar? Are you nodding along?
The productivity shift that will start to shape your thinking
Here’s the simple (but powerful) principle I teach in productivity training that consistently helps leaders take back control:
🗂 Differentiate Between Projects and Tasks.
This is straight from David Allen’s Getting Things Done (GTD) methodology, and it’s supported by everything we know from productivity training and neuroscience – your brain loves clarity. It craves “closed loops”—a clear next step and a sense of resolution.
- A Project is anything that takes more than one step to complete.
- A Task is a single, clear, actionable item you can complete in one go.
Here’s where most people get stuck…..They write down “Implement Structured Literacy” or “Launch Wellbeing Program” on their to-do list and wonder why it never moves forward. That’s not a task. That’s a multi-step project that needs its own plan.
Meanwhile, “Send email to staff about literacy training dates” is a task. You can do it, tick it off, and feel that powerful sense of momentum.
How This connects to the PARA framework
If you’re familiar with Tiago Forte’s PARA method (Projects, Areas, Resources, Archives), you’ll know that one of the biggest challenges for productivity is poor organisation of our commitments and information. (Tiago’s works and understanding PARA was another significant milestone in my journey).
- Projects are short-term efforts with clear outcomes.
- Areas are ongoing responsibilities (like leadership, wellbeing, or curriculum oversight).
- Resources are materials and information that support your work.
- Archives are completed or inactive items.
When you don’t separate projects from areas, everything feels active and urgent. Your brain is constantly scanning through unresolved commitments, triggering low-level anxiety and that nagging feeling of “I’m missing something.”
Why this matters for your brain
According to Dr. Amy Arnsten, a leading researcher in neuroscience, your brain’s executive function is like a battery—it can only handle so many “open loops” before it starts shutting down. She jokingly refers to as the brain’s Goldilocks – working best “when everything is just right”.
When you don’t have a clear system to externalise and organise what’s on your mind, you’re asking your brain to do something it’s biologically terrible at: store and prioritise dozens of unresolved items all at once.
The result?
- You stay stuck in reactive mode.
- You struggle to access higher-order thinking (creativity, problem-solving, strategic planning).
- And you end the week exhausted but unsatisfied.
✨ Your Challenge (If you’re really want to make change):
📅 Block out time with yourself. Not when you “find the time”, make the time. Schedule it like an important meeting with yourself.
📄 Grab a blank page or your favourite digital tool.
📝 Write down two things:
What are all the projects I’m carrying right now? (Think beyond work. Include personal commitments that are taking up mental space too.)
What’s the very next small, actionable step I can take for each project? (This might need to happen in another block, as sometimes it’s a hard question to answer).
Then pause. Breathe. Notice how writing it down creates space in your head and immediately reduces overwhelm. That’s not a coincidence. It’s neuroscience in action.
This is the beginning of real productivity
We often think productivity is about doing more. But the most effective leaders know it’s really about doing the right things, at the right time, with clarity.
It’s about building a system that supports your brain, reduces decision fatigue, and creates the space for deep, meaningful work. Whether you use GTD, PARA, or a system of your own, the goal is the same: reduce mental clutter and create momentum.
So, I’d love to know – what’s the very next step you’ll take?
Email me to let me know and for everyone that does I will check with you on a personalised call – how cool would that be. #accountabilityinaction