One of the recurring themes on Reflective Practice Radio is that speed, by itself, isn’t the problem. Losing context is.
In this episode, Matthew and I spent time unpacking what it feels like to work faster than ever—often on multiple things at once—while staying grounded, intentional, and aware of what actually matters. The conversation flowed through journaling, focus, boundaries, AI, and even pool tables, but it all kept circling back to the same question:
How do we avoid drifting when everything is moving quickly?
Capturing Context Instead of Chasing It
I shared some of the recent experiments I’ve been running with voice journaling and lightweight note capture. The goal isn’t to journal ideally or even entirely—it’s to leave breadcrumbs.
A few words. A short reminder. Just enough to preserve context so that later, when there is time to slow down, reflection has something to grab onto.
This has changed how I move through the day. Instead of interrupting deep work to journal fully, I can quickly capture a thought and return to what I was doing—without losing it.
Dashboards, Not Distractions
We also talked about physical and digital workspaces—specifically, how more screens don’t automatically mean more distraction.
Used intentionally, dashboards can reduce cognitive load. A fixed place to see what you’re working on, where you were last, and what’s coming next makes it easier to re‑orient after context switches.
The key distinction we kept coming back to: everything in view must belong to the same context. Email, chat, and notifications don’t live there unless they directly serve the work at hand.
Boundaries as a Form of Care
From there, the conversation turned to boundaries—how they protect not just focus but people.
I shared stories from earlier in my career about being constantly interrupted and how learning to set explicit time windows for collaboration led to better outcomes for everyone involved. Boundaries weren’t about saying no to people; they were about creating space for thinking, learning, and doing meaningful work.
Matthew reflected on how easy it is to use interruptions as an escape from complex problems—and how awareness of that pattern is often the first step toward changing it.
Journaling as an Early Warning System
One of the most important threads in this episode was journaling as a way to notice burnout before it takes over.
By capturing not just what we did, but how the work felt, patterns start to emerge. Repetitive tasks with no perceived value. Resistance that keeps showing up. Days that blur together.
Those signals are always there. Journaling makes them visible—early enough to respond with intention rather than react too late.
Winning the Lesson
We closed with a metaphor that kept resurfacing: strengthening the non‑dominant hand.
Whether it’s brushing your teeth differently, taking a left‑handed pool shot, or approaching familiar work from a new angle, the practice isn’t about winning in the moment. It’s about building adaptability, perspective, and resilience.
Sometimes the real prize isn’t finishing faster or performing better—it’s learning something you can carry forward.
Reflection Over Speed
This episode felt like a fitting pause as the year winds down.
Before asking where you’re going next, it helps to know where you’ve been—and how you felt along the way. Journaling, reflection, and thoughtful use of AI aren’t about doing more. They’re about staying oriented while you do it.
If this conversation resonated, I encourage you to watch the full episode and sit with the ideas for a bit. The insights often show up after the pace slows.
