Discover the psychology-backed productivity tactic top achievers use to feel in control no matter how busy you get.
Have you ever stared down at a long to-do list or imposing project with a sinking feeling in your stomach?
Maybe you’ve scrolled through your crowded calendar and just felt overwhelmed by everything demanding your time and attention.
If any of that sounds familiar, you’re not alone — feelings of being overwhelmed are something we’ve all struggled with at some point.
I’m going to share with you a simple strategy I’ve used successfully to regain a sense of control over even my largest and most daunting tasks.
Through applying the principles of “chunking,” you’ll learn how to reframe massive assignments as achievable by breaking them into small, manageable steps.
By the time you finish reading, my hope is that you’ll feel inspired and empowered to apply this technique to any overwhelming workload or goal facing you.
It’s time to stop feeling paralysed by big tasks and instead start making steady progress through the power of chunking.
Taking Control Through Chunking
Just the other day, I found myself staring blankly at a to-do list that seemed to stretch on forever.
Meeting deadlines, organising a huge project at work, planning a move — it all blended into one big, amorphous blob of stress.
Nothing felt achievable or even tractable. I slumped back in my chair, feeling utterly defeated before I’d even started.
It wasn’t the first time I’d felt this way, either.
Who among us hasn’t struggled with an assignment, task or goal that loomed like an impassable mountain?
We look up at the peak and are in awe of how much work is necessary. Yep…
“Where do you even begin?”
Our minds start spinning potential disasters, convinced we’ll never summit such an immense challenge.
Recognising Our Brain’s Defensive Mechanisms
As it turns out, there’s a good evolutionary reason why this happens.
When our ancestors faced life-threatening predators or stressful situations, a flooded brain with stress hormones helped mobilise their bodies to either fight or take flight.
These hormones still serve us well in emergencies. However, they aren’t so helpful when it comes to staying productive!
When we perceive tasks as overwhelming, our brains fall back on defence mechanisms designed for real threats — releasing cortisol and adrenaline that interfere with focus and motivation.
It’s hard to be proactive when our biology wants to preserve energy reserves.
No wonder things start to feel impossible!
Reframing Goals as Manageable Mini-Goals
Fortunately, there’s a simple strategy we can use to avoid the brain’s paralysing stress responses: chunking.
By breaking gigantic tasks into a structured series of smaller, actionable steps, we regain a feeling of control.
Our minds stop seeing assignments as indefinable beasts and start seeing them as achievable through chunking.
This was a revelation for me after years of struggling.
When facing that endless to-do list, I took a breath and remembered chunking could help.
I grabbed a notepad and wrote out the major sections of each task, then broke those into specific action items with reasonable deadlines.
Instead of one looming mass of assignments, I now had a map towards completion.
A Tale of Chunking in Action
For example, when planning a big move last year, everything from renting a truck to sorting boxes felt like one overwhelming, single job.
Using chunking, I was able to divide the large undertaking into discrete phases:
- Packing: List items, sort keeps or donations, box up room by room
- Logistics: Rent truck, schedule moving company, change addresses
- Cleaning: Deep clean current place before leaving keys
- Unloading: Unpack each box at new home, set up furniture
Suddenly, tackling the move didn’t seem so impossible.
I could focus fully on boxing up the kitchen on a Saturday, then schedule my truck rental the following week.
Bit by bit, the move came together through these mini-goals and milestones.
Getting Started With Your First Chunked Task
Now it’s time for you to apply chunking to your own overwhelming task.
Let’s break down the process:
1. Choose your task. Select something you’ve been procrastinating on due to scale.
2. Map the sections. On paper, note the natural divisions or stages.
3. Detail the steps. Under each section, list specific things to be done.
4. Set deadlines. Put clear dates besides each step to stay accountable.
5. Focus on the first step. Commit to doing just that one bit each session.
I hope chunking helps you face overwhelm with new courage, accomplishing more through these bite-sized mini-goals.
Try it—you’ve got this!
Thanks for reading…
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