Do You Have a Project Queue?
Too many active projects drain your energy and make you less productive. Each one competes for attention because your brain treats them all as unfinished work that needs input now.
A more sustainable approach is to keep only a few projects active and place the rest in a queue. When one completes, start on the next. This reduces the number of open loops your brain is managing at any given time.
Our brains tend to hold onto open loops, like unfinished projects and tasks, more than completed ones. This is known as the Zeigarnik Effect. When your attention isn’t stretched across too many priorities, you work and rest far better.
Communication plays a key role here. Stakeholders need to understand what you’re working on now and when their project is likely to begin. That clarity builds trust—you become known as someone who gets things done—and creates space to work more intentionally.
If you’re thinking, "Sounds good in theory, but I don’t have that kind of autonomy", I challenge you to test this boundary. You may have more autonomy and influence than you think.
So, limit your active projects. Communicate clearly. And use a simple shutdown routine to help your mind step away from work.
That’s sustainable productivity.
