You've Fallen So Far Behind You Don't Know Where to Start

Genie Love • October 3, 2025

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This one's for you if you're staring at a pile of things you've been meaning to do for weeks (or months). 



Personal stuff. Work stuff. That hobby you swore you'd get back to. Emails you should have responded to. The project that keeps getting pushed to next week. 



And now it feels so overwhelming you just..kind of ignore it?



Sound familiar?



I had a client recently who came to me kind of paralyzed. Tasks piled up, personal responsibilities ignored, a creative project gathering dust, and feeling bad about too much social media use.



We just had to find the time that's already there in their day, reallocate it, and better utilize it.



Here's what works...



Step 1: Get it all out of your head



Whatever those responsibilities are, whatever you're behind on, whatever your goals are - get them out on paper (or a digital note-taking app, wherever you work best).



All of it. Everything spinning around in your brain.



I know this feels counterintuitive when you're already overwhelmed. "If I write it all down, I'll see how much I'm failing at." But try this - you can't work with what you can't see.



Step 2: Look at your actual schedule



Not the schedule you wish you had. The one you actually have.



Here's what I see with my clients: there are holes in your day that you're missing. Time that's just...disappearing.



We mapped out my client's schedule and found a few available gaps of time:



  • Lunch break was longer than actually needed for eating
  • Gap between when work ended and dinner prep started
  • Chunk of time after dinner before the evening routine



When we added it all up? It was actually a pretty good amount of time.



Step 3: Fill the holes strategically



From that big list you made in Step 1, choose the top one or two things that are most important to you right now. Not everything. Just the things that are weighing on you the most.



Pencil those into the holes in your schedule.



Then just work at it for a few days until you get caught up.



Here's what I expect will happen next



You'll start noticing even more holes you didn't know were there. 



And that's when you can start filling in the other things from your list. The healthy habits. The hobby you've been wanting to work on. The stuff that actually matters to you.



But you can't get there if you're drowning in the guilt of everything you haven't done yet.



And one more thing - my clients often feel embarrassed because these changes are so small and almost silly how simple they are. Please, be gentle with yourself. They might seem simple but that doesn't mean they're easy for you.



So give it a try



I'd love to hear what you discover when you map out those holes in your schedule.



PS. I guess I'll schedule some time to organize my emails (thanks, Josh Wormser)



Want to learn more about my work?


Website: https://neuroautonomy.com/


YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCt_ciMlkbqElTXqRZLLWWGg


Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/genielove_coaching/

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Time Blocking Isn't Enough (Try Energy Blocking Too)

By Genie Love • November 5, 2025
This one's for you if you've time-blocked your day perfectly... and still feel like you're fighting against your brain. You've got the time chunks. You know when you're supposed to work on things. You've followed all the advice about blocking out 90-minute segments for hard tasks. But your brain doesn't cooperate. Sometimes you have the energy for deep work. Sometimes you don't. And you end up staring at your calendar, frustrated that you can't just power through like you're "supposed to." Here's what I've learned about working WITH your brain's natural rhythms If you have ADHD or autism, your brain likely doesn't work consistently throughout the day. Think of a car on cruise control - your brain probably doesn't do that. Your brain revs up higher in some parts of the day. It revs down much lower in other parts. Your whole body follows these energy fluctuations. It's very hard to be consistent in your energy all day long. And that's not a failure. That's just how some brains work. So here's what my clients like: Energy Blocking Once you've time-blocked your day - you have a chunk of time here, a chunk of time there, maybe some 90-minute blocks and some smaller blocks scattered throughout - you add another layer. You match your tasks to your actual energy levels. Here's how it works: Step 1: Create two running lists Make a list of tasks that are hard for you to do. Make a list of tasks that are easier for you to do. And here's the critical part: "Easy" and "hard" are completely personal to YOUR brain. For some people, making phone calls is easy. They love chatting with people. For others, that's incredibly hard. For some people, sending emails and organizing them is easy. For others, that's incredibly hard. For some people, it's incredibly easy to nerd out on data, dive in deep, and figure out where there are discrepancies and mistakes. For others, that's really hard. This is designed for you to decide what is easy and what is hard for YOUR specific brain. Step 2: Check in with your body When you come to a time block, check in with yourself. How are you feeling? Are you calm and ready to go? In a good, clear mental state? Or is your energy lower? Are you just not really with it today for whatever reason? Step 3: Choose from the appropriate list If you're feeling good and clear-headed, choose something from your hard tasks list. Dive into the challenging work that requires your best energy. If your energy is lower or you're just not feeling it, choose from your easier tasks list. Still productive. Still getting things done. Just matched to your actual capacity in that moment. What this looks like in real life For me, the end of the day means I'm losing steam. My daughter knows not to ask me for help with homework after 8:00. I’m spent. But I have clients with ADHD who actually rev up in the evening. They're ready to tackle their hardest work after dinner. Some people are sharp first thing in the morning. Others need a couple hours to fully wake up. Some people hit a wall after lunch. Others get a second wind in the afternoon. Your pattern is yours. Energy blocking lets you work with it instead of against it. Key Takeaway: Time blocking creates the structure. Energy blocking makes that structure actually work for your brain. You're not failing when you can't consistently perform at the same level all day. You're human. Your brain has natural rhythms and fluctuations. The key is having options. When you reach a time block and check in with yourself, you have a menu to choose from based on your actual state, not some ideal version of consistent productivity. Hard tasks when you have the energy. Easier tasks when you don't. Both are productive. Both move your work forward. One just acknowledges reality. Give it a try  What time of day is your brain at its best? And when does your energy tend to dip? What would change if you matched your hardest tasks to your highest energy times? Try energy blocking this week and let me know what you discover. Want to learn more about my work? Website: https://neuroautonomy.com/ YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCt_ciMlkbqElTXqRZLLWWGg Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/genielove_coaching/
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Please Don't Fill Every Gap in Your Schedule

By Genie Love • October 24, 2025
Discover why your brain needs real rest—not “productive breaks.” Learn how doing nothing for a few minutes can boost creativity, focus, and calm.
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