From Burnout to Clarity: How to handle the hidden transitions in your workday
Part three in a series on the science of change
In the first post of this series, we explored Transformative Shifts — the major pivots in life and work that demand a new identity. Then we looked at Natural Rhythms — the seasonal and predictable cycles that shape our energy and motivation.
But not all transitions are big or cyclical.
Some are so small they’re easy to miss. These tiny shifts — the brief pauses, the moving between tasks, the decisions about what to focus on next — are often invisible. But they have a real impact.
When Everything’s Important, Nothing’s Important
I recently spoke with a leader who loved his work — it felt purposeful and fulfilling — but by the end of the day, he was completely fried. He wasn’t just tired. He was mentally scattered, emotionally drained, and feeling increasingly out of sync with his own values. His question stuck with me:
“Why am I so exhausted, even when I’m doing what I care about?”
It’s a question I hear more and more, especially from knowledge workers trying to juggle a seemingly endless list of tasks. Between tightly packed virtual meetings, fragmented focus, and the increasing complexity of modern roles, many of us are over-tasked and under-resourced. The result? Burnout. Decision fatigue. That lingering feeling of having done everything and nothing at once.
One sneaky culprit behind this phenomenon? The myth of multitasking.
The Multi-tasking Myth
Despite what we tell ourselves, we’re not actually doing multiple things at once. We’re task-switching — rapidly flipping between activities in a way that looks seamless, but comes at a cognitive cost.
Here’s how it actually works:
Stop Task 1
Reorient your attention
Start Task 2
When we bounce between tasks, we repeat this three-step cycle over and over, losing focus, stamina, and quality with every switch. It’s like trying to feed a toddler and listen to a podcast at the same time — possible in theory, unsustainable in practice.
To demonstrate this in workshops, I often run a quick experiment:
I ask participants to write the numbers 1–26 down one side of the page, and the letters A–Z on the other — alternating back and forth (1A, 2B, 3C…). Then I have them repeat the task, but this time writing all the numbers first, then all the letters.
Guess which method is faster and less exhausting?
Exactly.
Even brief micro-transitions — like going from a spreadsheet to a Zoom call — create a drag on our cognitive system.
The Antidote: Mindful Transitions
So what’s the alternative?
Mindful transitions. That means bringing awareness to the in-between moments — the space where you stop one thing, reorient, and begin another.
Even here, we can apply Kurt Lewin’s model of change:
Unfreeze → Change → Freeze.
In micro-transitions, this looks like:
Pause. Recenter. Begin again.
When we bring intention to these in-between spaces, we reduce friction, recover energy, and regain clarity.
Practical Shifts That Make a Big Difference
Here are three small but powerful ways to reduce cognitive overload and protect your focus:
1. Give Yourself the Gift of Completion
Don’t just “move on” — close the loop.
For large tasks, this might mean reaching a clear milestone.
For mid-sized ones, time-blocking (“I’ll spend 90 minutes, then stop”) can help you finish with peace.
For tasks that take fewer than five minutes? Try knocking them out the moment they land, instead of letting them linger on your mental to-do list.
Of course all of this is predicated on giving yourself enough margin in your day. Yes, that’s right – lower your expectations for yourself, don’t overcommit, create more blank space in your calendar. Completing something fully is better than making false progress on never-ending tasks.
2. Minimize the Number of Transitions
Earlier in my career, I gave a piece of advice that I now regret:
I told a team member to “touch each client project once a day.”
At the time, the goal was noble: I aimed for my team to be responsive to client needs and move projects forward consistently. But as workloads grew, it became clear that the switching between tasks was taking more effort than the tasks themselves.
Now, I recommend the opposite: fewer transitions, deeper focus.
Try anchoring your day around one meaningful accomplishment — something that moves you forward and gives your day direction.
3. Reduce the Magnitude of Transitions
If you’re juggling several projects, notice the mental modes they require.
Are you using analytical focus for Projects A and C, but strategic storytelling for Projects B and D? Group similar work together.
Some leaders I work with schedule all 1:1s on one day — so they can stay in “coaching mode” and identify collaboration opportunities across their team.
The smaller the mindset shift, the less energy you lose with the transition.
Put It In Practice: The Power of Tiny Shifts
As I’ve become more aware of the role transitions play in shaping our energy and focus, I’ve also noticed how easily we miss the opportunity to engage with them. One of the biggest culprits? Our phones.
I say this not to sound tech-averse — I rely on my phone, too — but it’s worth noticing the pattern many of us fall into. The transition from sleep to wake is interrupted by a scroll through social media. The moment between ordering your coffee and receiving it is filled with email checks. We unlock our phones reflexively — in the car, in line, at the gym entrance — using these brief pauses to distract, rather than reset.
These in-between moments are the perfect time to breathe, refocus, or check in with yourself — but they’re often hijacked by habit.
This isn’t about guilt or judgment. It’s about observation.
Ask yourself: Does reaching for my phone during every pause actually serve me?
Big change often begins in small, quiet places — a breath between meetings, a moment of stillness before starting the next task, the simple act of finishing something fully instead of carrying it around in your mind all day.
Want to work with your attention — instead of burning it out?
Try this:
Name your transitions
What are the small shifts in your day — and which ones drain you the most?Complete what you can
Where can you give yourself the gift of closure, even if it’s just to a pause point?Design for focus, not responsiveness
Can you reduce context-switching and protect one “big thing” each day?Group by mindset
What tasks share a common mental mode? Can you cluster them to minimize friction?
Each of these is a tiny shift, a micro-transition, a moment of intentionality. Over time, they build the kind of clarity, capacity, and calm that protects your energy and strengthens your focus.
Closing Reflection: Tiny Is Transformative
Across this series, we’ve explored the big, the cyclical, and the small:
Transformative shifts, natural rhythms, and tiny transitions.
What they all share is this:
Real change happens not just in dramatic moments — but in daily choices.
When you learn to work with the shape of your life — not against it — change becomes more sustainable, more aligned, and more human.
Whether you’re at the edge of something big or simply trying to finish the day with a little more clarity, remember:
You don’t have to overhaul everything.
Just choose your next transition — and move through it with intention.
Foster Insights helps leaders clear the path for meaningful change—whether through personal or organizational development. Want to create space for something better? Let’s talk.