Creative Chaos #35
The Silent Cost of “Just One More Thing”
It starts small.
A quick favor for a friend.
A last-minute client revision.
A new feature idea that “won’t take long.”
One more thing — that’s how burnout sneaks in wearing productivity’s clothes.
I used to say yes to everything. Because saying yes felt like progress. It meant motion, opportunity, growth. But over time, my yes diluted everything that mattered.
1) Every yes is a no in disguise
When you say yes to something new, you’re silently saying no to something that already mattered — your health, your team’s focus, your weekend. The trade is invisible until it hurts.
2) The discipline of closing doors
Real focus doesn’t come from doing more — it comes from pruning.
Last quarter, I made a list of projects and cut 40%. What was left finally had a chance to breathe — and get done right.
3) Urgency is contagious
If you treat every idea as urgent, your team will too. Suddenly, everything is “priority one,” and nothing actually moves. Urgency without hierarchy burns time faster than bad strategy.
4) Momentum feels better when it’s measured
After cutting projects, our weekly check-ins got shorter but sharper. People stopped showing up with updates; they showed up with results. That’s what space creates — clarity.
One Move for Today
Pick one thing that’s “almost done” but not essential. Archive it.
You’ll be amazed how fast your brain exhales when it’s gone.
Closing Thought
You don’t run out of time. You run out of room.
And the cure isn’t more effort — it’s fewer distractions.
– Tom