The Capacity Gap

If you're anything like most people I speak to, you've probably had moments where you've thought:

"I just need to get more organised."

Or perhaps:

"Once I get through this busy period, things will settle down."

Yet for many of us, that busy period never seems to end.

We have more productivity tools than ever.

More access to information.

More opportunities.

More ways to optimise our lives.

And yet many people feel overwhelmed, distracted and exhausted.

What if the problem isn't your productivity?

What if it's your capacity?

We live in a culture that quietly celebrates doing more. Being busy can feel like evidence that we're successful, needed or making the most of our lives.

But as human beings, we are not designed for endless output. We're biological systems, not machines or software programs..

Just as muscles need recovery after exertion, our brains need periods of rest, reflection and renewal. Without them, the quality of our attention begins to decline.

Recent Gallup data found that half of the Australian employees surveyed experienced high levels of stress the previous day, while only 21% reported being engaged at work. [gallup.com]

Perhaps that's because we're trying to solve a capacity problem with productivity strategies.

When our capacity narrows, so does our ability to think clearly, make good decisions, be present with others and notice what's important to us.

The answer isn't always to do more. Sometimes it's simply to create a little space.

Space to think.

Space to recover.

Space to reflect.

This week, instead of asking, "How can I fit more into my day?"

Try asking:

"What would help restore my capacity?"

Protecting your capacity is not selfish.

It's what makes everything else possible.