Why Deep Work Feels Hard—And How to Support Your Team

Genie Love • June 2, 2025

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IWe live in a culture that embraces busyness. We want our people to look like they’re working. As long as we’re answering emails, attending meetings, taking thorough notes, and keeping up with messages, we feel productive. But what happens when the appearance of busyness gets in the way of the deep work that needs to be done?



For most of us, shifting into deep work can feel like an uphill battle. According to Andrew Huberman, this resistance is something most of us experience and we need to work through. But for employees with executive function challenges, this resistance can be significantly more intense. The initial inertia to get started can feel like a mountain of effort.



This is real. And it really is due to the way their brain works.


Externally, this might look like:


  • Procrastination
  • Laziness
  • A lack of motivation or work ethic
  • Someone keeping up with emails and meetings but not making progress on deep work



How Managers Can Help


Fortunately, there are strategies to support employees who experience this kind of resistance to deep work. Here are a few:



  1. Provide a quiet, reliable space to work. Having a consistent, distraction-free environment makes it significantly easier to transition into focus mode.

  2. Help them develop an “opening” routine. This is a deliberate, mindful process of setting up the workspace and minimizing distractions. Encourage them to say “I’m ready to start this task.” (I actually will say this out loud.) This can help signal to the brain that it’s time to focus.

  3. Support structured transitions between tasks. When moving from one task to another, reverse the opening routine. "Close" the previous task before "opening" the next. A short movement break between tasks can also help reset focus.

  4. Be explicit about which meetings are required. Employees with executive function challenges may default to attending every meeting because it’s not always clear which are essential. Too many meetings can create unnecessary workflow disruptions for someone who already struggles with this.


If you’re interested in better understanding executive functions and how they impact your employees, check out this week’s Neurodiversity Insights in 20 recording. I also dive into how sensory overwhelm affects productivity and what you can do to help.

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Re-understand Yourself

By Genie Love • June 25, 2025
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Summer Schedules, Chaos, and Mid-Year Resolutions

By Genie Love • May 29, 2025
Am I the only parent who feels like summers are a bit (or a lot!) more chaotic? Maybe it’s because I work from home and now there’s another human around who needs my attention. I feel this constant pressure to balance work, be available, be present with work and with my daughter, to limit screen time. It’s like an emotional tug-of-war. It feels a little out of control. Each year, I try to mentally prepare for the seismic shift that is having a kid out of school. But it still gets me. Whatever age your kids are, if they spend 9 months out of the year at school outside of your house, having them home is a big adjustment . Whether you’re: juggling daycare pickups and drop-offs, organizing summer camps, helping them navigate their first job, trying to limit tech use, or squeezing in lake trips and pool days... It’s a lot. And all of that is on top of the regular household responsibilities you manage and the work you do outside (or inside) your home. If this sounds a bit like your world, here’s a thought: Let’s pause for mid-year resolutions . Or, more specifically, summer resolutions . I’ve been doing this quietly for a few years now without really realizing it, and I think it helps. I take a little time to re-prioritize. Ask myself: What do I want from this summer? What do I want more of? And maybe more importantly, what can I let go of? Because if you're like me, the days may be longer, but the time somehow feels shorter. For me, this summer’s resolutions look like: Simpler dinners (I love to cook, but good, healthy food does not need to be complicated) A messier house (so I won't be hosting, sorry...) Starting work earlier in the morning (I’m a morning person and lucky to have a flexible schedule) Prioritizing screen-free fun with my daughter in the afternoons Active family weekends So, if you're heading into a wild summer too, take a pause and try writing your own summer resolutions. And, please share, what are you choosing to let go of? We need to support each other. Want to learn more about my work? LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/genie-love-beyond-coaching/ YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCt_ciMlkbqElTXqRZLLWWGg
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