Brain fog is stealing your productivity- but you can get it back
It’s 4:30 pm. That thing you’d originally intended to get done today at work? You barely started it. And that’s not all. Every day feels like this… an absolute slog where you sit down, overwhelmed by your to-do list, and your brain feels like mush.
It’s super frustrating because- honestly? You used to be able to power through the day with laser focus, “in the flow”. Colleagues would compliment you on your whip-smart intellect and sharp memory!
But now…
you’re exhausted,
you’re forgetting thoughts mid-sentence and making careless mistakes, and
you’re stressed out that your boss will notice and you’ll get passed up for the next promotion (if you even had the mental energy to take it on).
PLUS the worst part >> your productivity has sunk so low that you’re working longer hours just to keep up.
If this sounds familiar, please hear me: You’re not alone, and you’re NOT lazy.
I went through it all myself- feeling exhausted, lazy, and like a failure all at the same time. And I wish I’d had someone to tell me the truth:
Brain fog and mental exhaustion are extremely common among career-driven women. We’re so wired to achieve more and aim higher that it’s easy to fall into the trap of ‘hustle culture’ where working till you drop is common and rewarded.
***But that constant push, unfortunately, takes a toll.
When your body and mind are literally running on empty, your focus weakens, memory fails, and performance declines.
You’re headed towards BURNOUT: a widespread phenomenon among women in our capitalist society. In fact, McKinsey and Co.’s Women in the Workplace study found that 43% of women leaders are burnt out (compared to only 31% of men at their level).
But the good news? There are real, tangible ways to regain your focus and productivity so you can work less and get more done. In this post, I’ll share three powerful strategies for doing that. Ready? Let’s get into it.
Strategy 1: Optimize your workday systems and habits to improve focus and be more productive
Fact is, it’s easy to get distracted these days, whether you work in an office or from home. Regardless of how much sleep you got or how well you’re doing ‘self-care’, you can still have an unfocused and unproductive day if you don’t have good systems and habits in place.
*And trust me, I understand how easy it can be to reflexively pick up your phone and start scrolling social media… only to “wake up” 30 minutes later and wonder what happened.
I’ve even had clients tell me they know they’re wasting time during the day, checking Facebook or bringing their phone with them on bathroom breaks.
The allure of distraction is REAL- and so are the consequences.
Knowing that, here are five simple habits that can double your productivity:
Avoid checking your phone, email, or social media first thing in the morning. These habits deplete your dopamine reserves, dampening your motivation and focus for the rest of the day. They also spike anxiety as messages, requests, and bad news trigger your stress response and scatter your attention.
Yes, putting this new habit to work can take a bit of willpower- especially at first, because you’ve likely ‘trained’ your brain to expect repeated dopamine hits from your phone. But when you do it, you’ll see your morning productivity soar!
To make the transition away from your devices easier for you, begin your day with a morning routine that focuses on YOU (see this blog post for ideas).
Start the workday by reviewing your priorities. Take five to ten minutes to identify THREE key tasks that will really move the needle for you at work. Then, bracket everything else (at least for now).
This step removes overwhelm and adds structure to your day so you know exactly what you need to get done.
Block out “deep work” time. Clear your schedule for 1-3 hours in the morning when you’ll focus on the most challenging of your 3 priority tasks. By challenging, I mean those tasks that require problem solving and creativity. Your brain is ‘freshest’ in the morning and you’ll get these tasks done faster than if you saved them for after lunch.
Make sure to remove ALL distractions during this block of deep work. No checking email, no phone, no notifications. No meetings (virtual or in-person). This will be a game changer for you.
Use the Pomodoro Technique. If you haven’t heard of it, this is your sign to try it out- it’s especially useful when you’re doing your 1-3 hours of deep work. The idea is to work in focused sprints followed by short breaks. Set a timer for 25 minutes and get going. When the timer goes off, take a 5 minute break. (And btw, take that break even if you think you could just push through.)
Schedule meaningful breaks into your calendar. This includes lunch! And, try not to scroll on your phone during your breaks. Instead, get up. Move around. Take a walk. Do a few minutes of deep breathing exercises. Remember that breaks during your workday are there for a reason: to refresh your brain and recharge your energy!
These routines and habits WORK by honing your focus, reducing decision fatigue, cutting distractions, and protecting your energy. In my 1-1 coaching program, THRIVE, I’ll often help my clients strategize how to insert these routines seamlessly into their workday- which often involves the more challenging task of setting boundaries with family or colleagues who may have gotten used to you always being available.
That said, most of my clients aren’t quite ready for productivity tips when we begin working together. That’s because they’ve been living in a state of chronic stress for months or even years, and need to de-stress and build back a bit more energy first. That might be the case for you, too! If so, the next two strategies should be your starting point…
Strategy 2: Fuel Your Body & Brain for optimal mental energy
When it comes to your brain, food is your friend. What you put into your body will impact your mood, your concentration, your perceived level of stress… all of it. Harvard Dr. Uma Naidoo’s book, This Is Your Brain On Food, is a fantastic resource if you want to dig into the latest research on this.
There’s no end to the recommendations you’ll read - or that I could offer- on the best foods for energy and brain health (see my blog post on nutrition for brain health). Nutrition can seem complicated! But don’t worry- as your friendly burnout recovery coach, I know you’re already overwhelmed and I’m going make things easy for you.
So with that said, here’s a few simple ways to start using food to reboot your mental energy fast:
*Don’t skip meals! Especially breakfast.
When I’m working with a new client, if she’s not eating breakfast, that’s often our first action step. An even better step? Breakfast before your first coffee.
*Eat balanced meals and snacks.
That means including a source of protein, healthy fat, and fiber. Protein, in particular, is non-negotiable. And though the ‘right’ amount for each person can differ, 30g for a meal and 15g for snacks are good numbers to aim for. For more details on protein, and suggestions of good protein sources (both animal and plant-based), definitely read THIS blog post.
*Load up on whole, ‘real’ foods.
And avoid processed foods and sugar as much as possible. ‘Nuff said!
*Go easy on caffeine.
If you’re having multiple cups of coffee a day, try cutting down to just one or two in the morning. While caffeine may give you a happy jolt you in the moment, the fall can really zap your energy.
The idea behind all these action steps? Blood sugar balance. Regardless of whether you’re diabetic, pre-diabetic, or your doctor says you’re fine, blood sugar balance is for EVERYONE. (I wrote more about this HERE).
When blood sugar goes too low- because you’ve skipped a meal, had a high-carb sugary or starchy snack or meal, or loaded up on caffeine- it’ll soon come crashing down. And when it does, you’ll feel anxious, irritable, foggy, and unfocused- not to mention hangry.
Oh! And quick interlude- if you want a deeper understanding of how this works and ideas for applying it in your life to reignite energy and banish burnout, then make sure to grab my FREE anti-burnout nutrition guide:
Strategy 3: Prioritize Sleep with 3 simple shifts- and watch your daytime energy skyrocket!
This might sound obvious, but sleep is an absolute requirement for beating brain fog. When you’re sleep deprived, your brain is literally running on empty. You’ll feel stressed and ‘reactive’ all day long, and you’ll find it impossible to focus on anything.
—> I’m sure this is not news to you, but had to remind you anyways :)
The first step here is to truly prioritize getting 7 to 9 hours of quality sleep, every night. And by “prioritize” I mean if you’re struggling with sleep, you need to be open to changing up your routines and possibly doing some things that feel uncomfortable (at first) in order to see results- for example, like leaving screens out of the bedroom (yes, I love scrolling in bed, too, but it’s not the best habit).
To start you off, here’s three action steps you can start implementing today.
Get morning sunlight. If you only have the capacity to do one thing, DO THIS! Sounds counterintuitive, but good sleep starts with your first moments of the morning.
As soon as you can, go outside for 15 minutes for a walk or just to sit and enjoy your coffee. Even if you’re tired (and you probably will be, at least at first). The exposure to natural light helps reset your circadian rhythm- you’ll have more energy during the day, and fall asleep more easily at night. No sun? No problem! This works even if it’s cloudy outside (UV rays easily pierce through; same reason you need to wear sunscreen on cloudy summer days).
Stick to a set sleep/wake schedule. Try to stay consistent with your bedtime and wake time, even on the weekends. This trains your body’s ‘internal clock’ and will make it easier for you to both fall asleep and wake up refreshed.
Create a wind-down routine. One thing many of my clients love to do is work on their laptops in bed. Or work late, come home, eat dinner while watching Netflix, and go straight to bed. And then they lie there struggling to sleep.
Sound familiar? Maybe that worked for you when you were in college, but you need a different approach now. You must prepare your body and brain for sleep.
Start your routine an hour before you want to be in bed. Dim the lights in your home, and turn off all screens (your laptop, iPad, phone). Do something calming like reading, gentle stretching, or a guided sleep meditation. Signal to your body and brain that it’s time to rest.
There’s more you can try doing to improve your sleep (see this blog post for ideas), but the three ideas above are what I’d call priority tasks.
That said, when I work with women in THRIVE, sleep is almost always an issue, and together we’ll come up with a plan to improve it that’s tailored to their specific challenges. Usually it’ll involve a combination of different strategies, plus a little experimentation to see what works.
But one thing ALL my clients have discovered? When they get good sleep, they get more done, and they feel better overall. It’s like magic.
“But I’ve tried all that- Doesn’t work. I think I’m hopeless.”
Everything I suggested above can all help improve your focus- and by consequence, boost your productivity and maybe even shorten your workday.
But these strategies are LIMITED. What I mean is, they won’t be enough if your brain fog and lack of focus are also accompanied by:
Low motivation
Lost drive or ambition
Dreading the workday, every day
A sense that what you do doesn’t matter
Feeling unfulfilled and disconnected from your purpose
These are all signs of BURNOUT.
And successfully healing from burnout requires going BEYOND basic self-care and productivity routines. You need to dig deeper, assess the root causes of your burnout, and then:
—> Identify and take action to mitigate big stressors.
—> Learn and apply ways to manage and respond to stress more effectively.
—> Evaluate how your own behaviors and beliefs contributed to your burnout- and then work through them.
For example: career-driven women who reach burnout also tend to be people pleasers, overachievers, and perfectionists. They usually say ‘YES’ too much, take on more than they can handle, and thrive on external validation and praise.
In fact, those behaviors are often key contributors to WHY they struggle with things like sleep, nutrition, and sticking to proven productivity solutions like avoiding email first thing in the morning.
Figuring out how to fix all that on your own can be extremely challenging, and leave you feeling stuck and even more overwhelmed. I know because I’ve been there.
And this is all why I created THRIVE…
Beyond Brain Fog: Let’s Build a Burnout-Proof Life Together
In THRIVE, my private coaching program, I help ambitious women banish burnout, regain their energy on every level, and create a life and career marked by ease, impact, and purpose.
You don’t have to keep pushing through brain fog, exhaustion and overwhelm- especially not alone. If you’re ready for real and sustainable transformation, let’s make it happen!
To learn more about THRIVE and schedule a free Burnout Breakthrough Assessment with me, click on over:
