How Clarity Turned One Leader’s Chaos into Calm

When we talk about “mental clarity,” it can sound like a luxury to aim for once the urgent work is done.

But for one senior leader I recently worked with, clarity wasn’t a luxury. It was the only way forward.

The Before: Running on Adrenaline

When we met, Mark was running a large team in a high-pressure corporate environment.

On paper, he was doing well, with promotions, recognition, and big projects.

But inside?

• He was checking emails at all hours of the day

• His calendar had zero white space

• His team avoided bringing him bad news because his stress was obvious

Mark described it as “having a storm in my head all the time.”

Decisions felt rushed. Conversations were short. He was always reacting.

Modern neuroscience has a name for this: chronic cognitive overload.

When your brain’s threat systems (amygdala) are constantly activated, your decision-making, empathy, and creativity all take a hit.

The Turning Point

One day, Mark missed a critical piece of information from a team member, not because it wasn’t shared, but because he didn’t have the mental space to process it. That oversight cost the company weeks of rework.

It was the wake-up call he needed.

Instead of doubling down on more hours and more effort, he committed to building mental space into his day.

The Reset Plan

We started with three simple but powerful changes:

1. Daily Morning Focus Question

Before opening his inbox, he asked himself: What’s the most important thing I need to show up for today?

This stopped his day from being hijacked by other people’s priorities.

2. Midday Pause

At 1pm every day, Mark closed his laptop, put his phone face-down, and took a five-minute breathing break.

He noticed he came back sharper and less likely to misinterpret people’s tone or intent.

3. Evening Reflection

Before leaving the office (or shutting down at home), he jotted down three things that went well that day.

This shifted his brain from “what’s still wrong” to “what’s working.”

The Science of Why It Worked

• Reduced stress hormones: Even short breaks lower cortisol, which improves mental clarity and patience.

• Prefrontal cortex re-engagement: Pausing interrupts the stress cycle, allowing for better reasoning and problem-solving.

• Positive feedback loop: Ending the day with “what went well” trains the brain to scan for solutions rather than problems.

These principles aren’t new, they’ve been practised for centuries. What’s changed is the science confirming why they’re so effective.

The After: Calm in the Chaos