Hey there, fellow human in the juggle.
If you’ve landed here, chances are your brain’s running faster than your to-do list.
You’ve got half-written notes, overdue emails, and at least one tab open that’s been “for later” since last Tuesday.
You’re not alone, you’re just living in organised chaos, like the rest of us.
This isn’t about becoming superhuman. It’s about pressing pause for five minutes to clear the fog and give your brain a fighting chance to focus again.
When you pause and reset, you’re actually doing something deeply productive, you’re reducing what psychologists call cognitive load. That’s your brain’s “working memory” space, which fills up when too many things are floating around at once. A small reset helps shift you from firefighting to focus.
Step 1: The Sweep. Empty your head
Grab a pen (or open Notes) and do a quick brain dump, everything that’s shouting at you.
Emails you haven’t replied to. Calls you need to make. That random thought about buying milk or fixing the printer.
Don’t overthink it. Just get it out.
Work things, life things, admin things, half-ideas, all of it. The aim isn’t to make sense yet; it’s to stop your brain juggling.
You’ll probably surprise yourself with how much was just hovering in your head, and how much lighter you feel when it’s all down on paper.
When you do this, you’re giving your brain a quick reset. The act of writing helps your memory centre offload and signals to your nervous system that it’s safe to stop spinning for a bit.
(Tip: set a timer for five minutes. That’s plenty. The goal is release, not perfection.)
Step 2: The Sort. Give it structure
Now look at what’s in front of you and tag each one:
- Needs doing this week
- In progress or waiting on someone
- Not important / can be deleted
- Worth thinking about later
The aim here isn’t to be ruthless, just honest.
Why it works:
Our brains hate open loops. Every “must remember that” takes up mental bandwidth. By labelling things, you’re closing those loops and signalling to your brain: it’s handled.
Step 3: The Focus Three. Less, done better
From your ‘Needs doing’ list, pick 3 things that will make the biggest difference this week.
Not thirty. Not everything. Just three.
Write them down somewhere visible, on a sticky note, a whiteboard, or your lock screen.
If you get those done, it’s a win. Everything else is optional.
Why it works:
Our brains love progress. Finishing even small tasks gives a dopamine boost, the chemical that helps motivation and focus. Tiny wins create momentum, and momentum beats perfection every time.
Step 4: The Tiny Reset. Clear your space
Now that your head’s a bit clearer, do one small tidy-up – digital or physical.
Close the tabs. Clear your desktop. File that one annoying document.
This isn’t “deep cleaning.” It’s a small gesture that tells your brain, “We’re resetting.”
Why it works:
Physical order supports mental order. Studies show that visual clutter competes for attention, reducing focus. Even a small tidy-up gives your brain a sense of closure and clarity.
Take a breath and look at what you’ve just done.
In less than ten minutes, you’ve cleared the noise, given your thoughts a home, chosen what really matters, and created a bit of space to think again.
It’s not about catching up with everything — it’s about catching your breath.
That’s what a reset really is: a quiet moment of control in the middle of the chaos.
If you fancy listening to something while you reset…
Podcast pick: You Are Not a Frog – “How to Be Really Productive… Without Losing the Plot” (with Graham Allcott)
A grounded conversation about realistic productivity, focus, and doing fewer things, better.
A note from me
You don’t need to be perfectly organised to feel in control.
You just need a few small resets that remind you you’re running the show, not the other way round.
That’s what Organised Chaos is about: realistic organisation for real people.
A mix of calm structure and get-it-done energy, with a bit of science (and humour) in the mix.
You’ve just done the first one.
Nice work.
Lauren x
Coming next in the Organised Chaos series:
The Waiting For Tracker – a 3-minute tool to stop “Did I ever chase that?” panic.
