I have to confess — some days, my brain feels like a browser with 37 tabs open.
(And yes, most of them are frozen.)
Chances are, you know the feeling too.
Every day brings endless pings, dings, and other notifications reminding me of emails, Slack messages, client calls, task lists, and meetings.
It’s like my focus gets splintered into a thousand fragments before I even finish my first coffee.
But here’s the truth:
It’s not the endless tasks that’s the problem.
It’s the switching back and forth between the tasks.
The Productivity Thief We Don’t See Coming
Every time I jump from one task to another, it feels like I’m being “efficient.”
Spoiler: I’m not.
Context switching—going from writing, to replying, to scrolling, back to writing—kills momentum.
Worse? It drains energy without me noticing.
Studies show it can take up to 17 minutes to refocus after a switch. Multiply that by every interruption, and that “quick check” turns into hours of lost deep work.
What It Was Really Costing Me
• Creative ideas? Gone.
• Clear thinking? Scattered.
• Focused time? A myth.
• Progress? Barely visible.
And yet—I felt busy.
The illusion of productivity had me fooled.
How I Started Taking My Focus Back 🛠
I had to unlearn some habits that felt productive but weren’t.
Here’s what actually started helping:
→ Time Blocking
I block deep work hours like sacred appointments. No multitasking. No pings. Just focus.
→ Task Batching
Emails in one batch. Meetings in another. Creative work in its own zone.
→ Saying No to the “Quick Check”
Because it’s never quick. It always spirals. I learned to pause instead.
→ Giving My Brain Breathing Room
Stepping away between tasks, even for 2 minutes, resets my mind better than pushing through.
It’s Not About Doing Less—It’s About Doing What Matters
When I stopped switching so much, something shifted:
I wasn’t just getting more done—I was getting the right things done.
I started making room for clarity.
For strategy.
For real momentum.
And I didn’t have to work longer hours to do it.
Ask Yourself: Where Are You Switching Too Much?
Open up your calendar. Glance at your tabs. Think about your day so far.
Where are you constantly shifting gears?
What’s keeping you from protecting your focus?
This isn’t about being rigid—it’s about being clear.
- Clear on what moves the needle.
- Clear on what deserves your energy.
- Clear on the version of you who thrives with intention—not interruption.
Here’s to fewer tabs, more flow, and reclaiming the deep work that actually moves
us forward.
Ciao for now,
Ash
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