How to get things done when you’re in a brain fog

Some days feel like walking through wet cement.

You sit down to work — and nothing flows.

Your brain feels like it’s buffering.

You can’t focus, you can’t finish anything, and every little task feels ten times harder than usual.

It’s not laziness.

It’s brain fog. And it’s real.

Maybe you didn’t sleep well.

Maybe your nervous system is fried.

Maybe life has been louder than usual and your creativity can’t catch its breath.

Whatever the reason — you still have things to do.

And even in the fog, you can make progress. Not perfectly, but forward.

Here’s how I get things done on the days I can’t think straight:

1. Lower the bar until it’s laughable

This is the first thing I do when brain fog takes over:

I lower the bar until I can’t fail.

If I planned to write an article, I settle for a sentence.

If I was meant to film a full video, I rehearse the intro out loud.

If I wanted to work for two hours, I set a timer for 10 minutes.

Why?

Because forward motion matters more than “doing it right.”

Small wins rebuild trust with yourself.

They remind you: You’re still capable — even now.

2. Choose one thing and forget the rest

Foggy brains don’t like long to-do lists.

So instead of trying to tackle ten things, I zoom in on one.

What’s the one thing that matters most today?

What’s the task that, even if it’s the only thing I complete, will make me feel like I showed up?

That’s where I start.

And nine times out of ten, doing that one thing is enough to crack through the fog — just a little.

3. Make it easy to slip in

On foggy days, I use what I call “slippery tools.”

Things that help me slide into work instead of forcing a sprint.

That might look like:

Recording a voice note instead of typing

Writing bullet points instead of full paragraphs

Doodling a rough outline instead of building a full plan

Speaking my ideas out loud while pacing around the room

The trick is to make the entry point so easy you don’t feel resistance.

Flow doesn’t always come from structure.

Sometimes it comes from softness.

4. Ditch perfection — seriously

Fog and perfectionism love to party together.

They whisper things like: “If it’s not your best work, don’t bother.”

Ignore them.

Your “foggy” output might not win awards, but it can still move the needle.

That email you almost deleted because it wasn’t polished? Send it.

That idea that feels half-baked? Sketch it out anyway.

That task you can only do halfway? Do it halfway.

Done is what gets you back in the game.

Perfect is what keeps you stuck.

5. Move your body, even briefly

You don’t need a full workout. You don’t even need to leave the house.

But brain fog lives in the body, too.

Stretch your arms.

Shake out your shoulders.

Step outside and breathe air that hasn’t been recycled through your living room.

Even three minutes of movement can reset your mental state.

When your body shifts, your mind starts to follow.

6. Create something — before you consume anything

It’s tempting to scroll for inspiration when your brain feels blocked.

But the more you consume, the foggier you get.

So here’s the rule I give myself:

Create one thing — anything — before I open anything.

Even if it’s one sentence. One messy idea. One note-to-self in a Google Doc.

That act of creation clears just enough space in your brain for clarity to sneak in.

Final words

Brain fog doesn’t mean you’re broken.

It means your mind is tired. Your body needs gentleness. Your creativity needs quiet.

And yes, even inside that fog, you can still do things.

Maybe not a lot. Maybe not perfectly.

But you can still show up.

You don’t have to wait for the fog to clear to start moving.

Start small.

Start soft.

Start where you are.

You’ve got this — even now.

— Edina ✨

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🧠Download the Brain Fog survival checklist to gain clarity and focus here.