Good morning, task conqueror

You're not here to be overwhelmed,
to be crushed by life's boulders.

You're here to smash them into pieces.
You're here to divide and conquer.

Today's Mindset

Not everything must be done at once or by you alone. Trust that steady progress and clear priorities lead you forward, even when the path seems daunting.

Today's Challenge: Practice the dividing mindset

Step 1: Pick a Small Task
Choose something simple yet annoying—like tidying a cluttered desk, sorting laundry, or clearing out your email inbox.

Step 2: Find the beginning
Focus on the items. Long deep breaths, clear your mind, enter a flow state.

What is the current state of the task? Where are the items currently?

Step 3: Find the end
Focus on the destinations.

If your task is to organize, where do the items need to end up? Is the destination ready to receive?

Step 4: Visualize the middle
Do you need to organize each individual item or can you carry them in a basket? Do you need to review each email individual or can you create a search or filter to find the related ones?

Step 5: Done
Identifying the beginning, middle, and end means you’ve successfully divided the task. You’ve shown yourself it can be done. Next comes conquering it by completing it.

Quote for Today

“The mind, that broods o’er hopeless plans, Must split the whole to grasp the span.”
- Paraphrased from "The Task" by William Cowper

Story Time: Laura the Conqueror
Laura faced a daunting apartment move.

Boxes everywhere,
Chaos all around.

Overwhelmed, she listed every tiny task on sticky notes:

Empty the fridge,
Pack books,
Sort toiletries.

Focusing on one job at a time, she moved completed notes to a “finished” pile. Each small victory made the work lighter. By weekend’s end, her move was manageable and far less scary.

The science behind it

Breaking big tasks into smaller steps reduces stress—less cortisol, more calm.

Checking off tiny wins gives your brain quick dopamine rewards and builds momentum.

Harvard research proves visible progress (even small) keeps you motivated and makes hard work manageable.

“Divide and conquer” isn’t just a productivity hack—it’s smart neuroscience at work.

What Overwhelm Takes From You

😵 Clarity
🤹‍♂️ Focus
🏆 Progress
🌱 Motivation

Quick Ways to Beat Overwhelm

📝 Make a “mini-list”—write down just the very next step, not the whole task
⏲️ Set a short timer (5–10 min) and focus on just one piece of the job
🚫 Put distractions (like your phone) on pause until that piece is done
✅ Celebrate finishing even the tiniest part—check it off or move a sticky note
🧠 Ask: “What’s the smallest action I can take right now to move forward?”

Daily Self-Check:
What’s one big task I can break down today—and what’s the very first small step I can take right now?

Tip of the Day:
If the first chunk feels too big, make it even smaller. Tiny steps—no matter how small—move you forward. Progress beats perfection every time.

With you in every breath,
— Vital Core

P.S. What’s a big task you’ve recently conquered—or one you’re ready to tackle using the “divide and conquer” approach? Hit reply and share your list, a before-and-after photo, or even a simple small win. Your breakthrough could inspire someone else!

Book of the Month

Manage Your Day-to-Day:
Build Your Routine, Find Your Focus, and Sharpen Your Creative Mind
By Jocelyn K. Glei

This book is a series of short stories from more than 20 professionals in which they share tips, tricks, and wisdom on productivity based on their own real-world experience. The short story format makes it easy to digest, easy to split into multiple sittings, and can be read in any sequence. Find the chapter that resonates with you in the moment and jump to it, adapt the book to your schedule instead of the other way around. We especially recommend it for people in creative roles.

Find it on Amazon: Paperback | Kindle Unlimited
*We receive a commission for using this link, which will go towards our goal of creating original content. It has no impact on our review or thoughts about the quality of the book.