Frost on the Pumpkin

The most productive thing I did all week

The frost is on the pumpkin. The summer clothes are put away, the fall and winter ones are in, and it gets dark before dinner. Halloween is almost here.

I'm in transition, just like the season. Behind the scenes, I'm building the next version of my business: a new website, a quiz, and an automated email flow, all working together. (More on that soon.)

Last week I wanted to finish the workflow that connects all three. But after five long days, my brain was cooked. It was screaming to shut off. By Friday everything seemed to be taking me longer. I had to read things twice. I started making mistakes. My focus was gone.

That kind of tired doesn't feel like a crisis. It feels like a frustrating day. I kept thinking one more hour would get me there. Then I realized that it would have cost me more time fixing the errors than the hour was worth.

So I walked away. That wasn't easy. But I knew it would be better after a break when I could start fresh again, even though I wanted to keep going.

Instead, I went and picked up three of my grandkids for a sleep over. They brought their Halloween costumes for trick-or-treating at my mom's senior independent living facility. We had a great day!

My 12-year-old was a cockroach. My 8-year-old was a character from a show whose name I can't remember. My 6-year-old was a kitty skeleton.

The residents were just as much fun. Many of them dressed up too: elves, fairies, a butterfly, a witch, a queen. I loved watching their faces as they handed out candy. I loved watching the kids' faces when they saw how many treats they were getting.

Something about candy and costumes brings everyone in the room into the present moment. We set down whatever we were carrying (emotionally and mentally), even if just for a few minutes.

My mom loved all of it. She got an afternoon with her great-grandchildren (and they with her), and I got to watch.

On Monday, I sat back down at my desk feeling refreshed.

I even left a looming board deadline untouched until then, and it got done.

I planned first, then wrote, and I checked off a lot of items on my list. I saved the heavy workflow work for Tuesday, when I knew I'd have the energy for it.

That's how I love to work: plan first, then do (write or meet with people), and schedule the creative work or heavy lifting for when I'm at my best.

This week I posted about a new DDI study that found 19% of leaders say they often feel "used up." Most stay in their roles anyway.

What strikes me is how quietly it happens. For me, it looked like reading everything twice and making small mistakes. Nobody announced anything. My brain just stopped cooperating.

Healthy leadership doesn't mean never running low. It means you notice before your team does.

Here's what I'm taking with me:

Treat a slowdown as information. Rereading and making mistakes was my brain telling me it was done for now. Pushing harder would have cost me more time than stopping did.

Go be with people. Watching kids and elders light up refilled me in a way another hour at my desk never could.

Plan first when you return. On Monday I planned before I wrote. The work felt lighter and the list got shorter.

Match the task to your energy. The heavy workflow waited for Tuesday, when I could give it a full brain.

Honor the season you're in. Change takes more energy than I tend to budget for. The days are getting shorter, and it's okay to adjust my pace to match.

Stepping away from my desk was the most productive thing I did all week, and I almost talked myself out of it.

What is your brain telling you right now that you keep overriding?

“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.”

~Anne Lamott, Author

All my best,

Maureen