When Your Brain Won’t “Do the Braining”

So I’m late writing this week’s post. It’s supposed to be a piece that makes you think and maybe helps you move and become unstuck yourself. But in truth, I’ve been stuck with writing it – in decision paralysis mostly – about what to write, or which topic to cover.

I kept asking myself whether to build on last week’s post, whether that would give you the most value, or whether a totally different topic would be better. I mind‑mapped many ideas and drafted a few different pieces, but I couldn’t settle on anything that felt right.

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Naming the internal whirlwind

Why am I sharing this internal whirlwind with you? Partly because it’s a real reflection of those times when we are stuck – and how important it is to acknowledge that, reflect on it, and sit with it, rather than forcing ourselves to “make it happen”.

Sometimes, even though we want the task to move forwards, the brain just won’t do the braining 🧠.

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When pushing through isn’t the answer

Yes, sometimes we do need a strategy: committing to a single pomodoro, gamifying the task, asking an accountability buddy for support, or using one of the many ways we can try to move forwards.

But sometimes the answer is to walk away from the task, change approach, switch gear, and circle back later.

For me, I had to pivot to other tasks – a couple of ugly frogs that needed to be addressed. Once I started on those, I found I had more mental bandwidth to return to this post. That pivot helped me build some momentum, but it also gave me the time and space to realise that what I really wanted to write was something more authentic and honest.

Madda has reminded me many times that it’s helpful to match the energy we have to the task at hand. But are you really allowed to say that instead of doing the task, you went back to bed?

That’s exactly what I did when I got up at 6 a.m. I got up, said hello to my accountability group, and then promptly snuck back to bed 😴. On paper that might look like a backward step, but I actually think it put me in a better position for the rest of the day.

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Questions to help you pivot (or rest)

Pivoting from our main task, being productive with another task, or taking time to rest can all be valid options. The key is some gentle self‑assessment as you figure out how to move forwards.

You might ask yourself:

• Can I commit to one pomodoro to see if I can get some initial momentum?

• Am I likely to make meaningful progress if I keep chipping away at this current task?

• Would I be in a better place overall if I do something else and come back later?

• Can this task be delayed without major consequences?

• Could I do something smaller to build momentum and then return to this task?

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When you come back to the task

When you do circle back to the task (like I did with this blog), you can ask:

• What is the smallest possible step I can take next?

• Could I talk the task through with a friend :

  • to bounce around ideas, or

  • to explore why it’s taking up so much headspace?

Sometimes just saying it out loud helps the knot loosen.

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Simple ways to shift your state

A few other tiny ideas that can support you when you’re stuck:

• Change your physical space – move to a different room, sit in a café, or clear a small patch of your desk.

• Raise your heart rate – a brisk walk up a hill can work wonders for brain fog; a short jog if you’re up for it.

• Cold water reset – if you’re feeling desperate or determined, a cold shower or even a cold splash on your face can give your nervous system a jolt and bring some clarity to a post‑lunch slump.

None of these are magic fixes. But they are small, compassionate ways of working with your brain, rather than fighting it when it just doesn’t want to “do the braining”.