Hey {{ first name | there }}! Welcome back to The Flow by Flocus. If you’re new around here, welcome! 👋 You can catch up on our previous editions right here.
This week: A fresh Flocus Original! We’re exploring the Stack Problem — all those half-done things in your life, how they’re bogging you down, and 5 ways to fix it. Let’s jump in!
🤹♀️ What’s the Stack Problem?
The Stack Problem refers to any collection of half-done things taking up space in your brain or environment:
Goals that quietly faded out
Partially read books
Clothes you’ve bought but don’t wear
Half-done craft projects
Online courses you started but never finished
By nature, each stack is heavy and takes up a lot of space — in your physical environment, your mental headspace, or both.
The more stacks you have, the more weighed down you’ll be.
Your ability to carry your stacks might change by the day, or even the hour, depending on your circumstances. Plus, some stacks are entirely outside of your control and influence.
Even if you don’t realize it, your stacks use a lot of brainpower in the background (kinda like how lots of open tabs slow down your browser).
If you’re like most of us, you’ve probably battled this issue before. Maybe you’re battling it right now. Either way, don’t fret — we’ve got you covered with some signs of stack overload, plus 5 ways to reduce the weight you’re carrying.
🤹 How Stack Overload Can Sabotage Your Life
Apart from the space they take up, too many stacks can also disrupt your life through:
🫠 Guilt and imposter syndrome — You can only carry so much, which means you’ll have to set down a stack at some point. This can lead to feelings of failure, inadequacy, and regret, which will only hold you back even more in other areas.
❤️🔥 Overload and burnout — The human brain isn’t designed to maintain hundreds of close friendships, or process thousands of news headlines a day. If you feel like you’re falling behind, it’s not because you’re incapable — it’s because you’re a human being with limits.
👀 Diverted focus — Ever sat down to work, only to get distracted or stressed out by something totally irrelevant? It’s bound to happen when you’re juggling lots of stacks.
Now that you know which signs to watch out for, read on to learn how to lighten your load in 5 steps.
✂️ How to Declutter Your Stacks in 5 Steps
👋 1. Apply a 2-minute “recommit or release” rule
Skim the book, scroll through the course, try on the clothes — if you’re not excited to keep going after 2 minutes, release it guilt-free.
💿 2. Reframe ‘giving up’ as ‘curating’
Letting go doesn’t mean you failed — letting go is a form of editing your life.
It’s okay to release goals, items, and relationships that no longer resonate with you or benefit your life.
And “letting go” doesn’t have to mean forever, which leads us to the next step.
⏸️ 3. Learn the art of pausing and archiving projects
Make space for paused and archived projects. This lets you offload the mental weight of low-priority ideas without fully abandoning or forgetting them.
Consider creating a physical or digital archive for anything that’s paused or on the backburner. Like the archive folder of your email inbox, this space keeps all your “somedays” and “should-dos” accessible and within easy reach, while also keeping them out of sight and mind.
📋 4. Take stock and keep lists
Once you know which stacks you’re giving up and which ones you’re pausing or archiving, you can organize your stacks quickly and effectively in a way that works for you.
We recommend getting all your stacks out of your head and into lists. This gives you clarity on just how many stacks you’re carrying, which helps you be more intentional with your time and plans.
From here, you can focus on the stacks you’d like to take action on in the near future. To stay accountable, try these tips:
Use timeblocking or reminders to remember to engage with your stacks
Make step-by-step lists for low-energy days
Design your environment to inspire action
🪩 5. Start with the “fun” stacks
The news cycle out there is rough right now, and taking time for joy is just as important as staying informed.
If you could use a break, spend some time chipping away at a stack of things you enjoy — books, activities, art projects. (If it feels hard, try the 2-minute recommit or release rule from Step 1.)
Whichever stack you choose, starting with something fun will give you the confidence and inspiration you need to make headway on other stacks!
🪅 Flocus Picks
A curated list of things worth sharing.
How to Free Up Space in Your Brain (The Flow Archives) — Your thoughts, feelings, and impulses can affect your willingness and ability to work on your stacks. For a deeper dive into decluttering your mind, check out this send!
lofi covers of popular songs (Playlist) — In the mood to do some decluttering? Throw on this 19-hour playlist and hum along to mellow versions of top pop tunes while you work.
Organizing Your Life with Categories (Article) — If you don’t jibe with traditional to-do lists, here’s a behind-the-scenes look at how to organize your stacks in a way that makes sense for your brain.
✨ Flocus: Your Personal Productivity Dashboard
Your stacks aren’t going to sort themselves — but Flocus can help you stay on top of what matters most without the overwhelm. Use Flocus tackle your active stacks one by one, and carve out space to think clearly with ambient scenes and soundscapes that help you feel calm and focused.
🗳️ POLL: What’s your relationship with your stacks right now?
The goal isn’t to eliminate all your stacks — new ones pop up all the time, and priorities can shift at a moment’s notice.
Hopefully this week’s newsletter gave you some ideas for tackling them effectively and releasing some of your stress.
What do you think about the Stack Problem? Let us know in the replies!
Until next Sunday,
Flocus Team
