How to Get Stuff Done When Everything Feels Like an Emergency
Keep reading this post to learn:
Why buffer time is essential (not optional) when life is unpredictable
How to use your Focus 3 to anchor your day before fires pop up
How to tell the difference between a real emergency and “burnt toast”
Why boundaries are about energy stewardship, not letting people down
How “close the loops” days clear mental clutter and restore calm
Isn’t it wild how you can have the most beautiful, perfectly planned to-do list… and still spend the entire day putting out fires?
A sick kid. A crisis call. A conversation that takes more emotional energy than expected. Life happens, and suddenly your priorities are competing with real-time needs.
Peaceful productivity isn’t about ignoring those moments. It’s about building a system that supports you through them.
Here are four ways to stay grounded and get meaningful work done, even when your day feels unpredictable.
01. Build in Way More Time Than You Think You Need
Most of us underestimate how long things take, and overestimate how much we can squeeze into a day.
Buffer time is breathing room for your nervous system. It allows space for conversations, interruptions, and energy dips without derailing everything.
Try this:
If a task should take 30 minutes, schedule an hour
If a project feels like two weeks, give yourself three or four
Leave space before and after meetings so you’re not rushing
Buffer time doesn’t slow you down, it keeps you sane!
02. Do the Most Important Work Early
When everything feels urgent, saving your most important work for “later” almost guarantees it won’t happen.
Your energy is highest earlier in the day, and that’s when your Focus 3 matters most.
Think of your day like a jar:
Big rocks = your Focus 3
Sand = emails, errands, small tasks
Put the rocks in first. Once your priorities are handled, the rest of the day feels lighter, even when fires pop up!
03. Decide What Counts as a Real Fire
Not everything that feels loud is an emergency (read that again, bestie).
A real fire needs immediate attention. Burnt toast is uncomfortable, annoying, but survivable.
Examples:
A sick child? Fire.
A non-urgent email? Burnt toast.
A grieving friend? Fire.
A message about a future commitment? Burnt toast.
When you define this ahead of time, you stop living in reaction mode and start responding with intention!
Wait! Are You a Visual Learner? Because We’re on YouTube!
04. Keep a “Close the Loops” Day on Your Calendar
Open loops create mental noise. Emails you haven’t answered. Appointments you haven’t scheduled. Tasks you keep rewriting.
A Close the Loops Day is dedicated to finishing those lingering tasks, not starting new projects.
Make it a reset, not a grind:
Cozy playlist
Candle lit
Low pressure, completion-focused
When loops are closed, your mind feels lighter and your days feel calmer.
Want More Support?
Remember: peaceful productivity isn’t about controlling life. It’s about designing systems that support you when life gets messy!
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