A day in the life : Day 434

This week, I ran into a simple but irritating problem — constant context switching. I’d sit down to work on one thing, then jump to another because a message popped up, then another task reminded me of something else. By evening, I felt busy but not satisfied. Around the same time, I kept seeing people talk about the “one-tab rule,” where you keep only one main task open at a time to reduce mental clutter.

I decided to try it for a day. I closed extra tabs, pinned just one document, and promised myself I wouldn’t switch unless absolutely necessary. The first hour was uncomfortable. I kept feeling like I was missing something important. That urge to check “just in case” was stronger than I expected.

The problem showed up when someone needed a quick update and I didn’t respond immediately. It caused a short delay and a bit of confusion later. That told me the rule needed adjustment. I added two short check-in windows during the day, and after that, things flowed better. I wasn’t disconnected — just less scattered.

The weather’s been slightly cooler in the mornings and warmer by afternoon, which affects my energy more than I admit. I’ve switched to lighter lunches again and warm drinks earlier in the day. Heavy food plus constant task switching usually leaves me drained, so this combination helped me stay steady.

By the end of the week, I noticed something small but important: I finished tasks without that lingering feeling of “I should still be doing something else.” That mental relief mattered more than speed.

This trend didn’t make me ultra-productive. It just reduced friction. And that’s often enough. You don’t always need new tools or big changes. Sometimes you just need fewer open tabs — on your screen and in your head.