I was leading a corporate workshop this week on building capacity in challenging times.

When I asked what causes people to lose capacity, one answer stood out:

“The expectation of instantaneous responses.”

And you could feel the room agree.

We’ve created a culture where we are always available.

Always on.

Always contactable.

A message comes in… and there’s an immediate pull to respond.

Not because it’s urgent.

But because it’s the norm.

Email.

Slack.

WhatsApp groups.

Notifications that don’t stop.

It becomes a constant stream of open loops in our mind.

Always chasing to close them.

Never feeling like everything is complete.

This background pressure and constant task switching is exhausting for our poor brains.

And over time, that pressure turns into something else:

Mental fatigue or overwhelm

Less patience.

That feeling of being slightly behind… all the time.

This is what being at capacity often looks like.

Not one big thing.

But hundreds of small demands, all asking for you now.

I don’t want instant.

I want space to think.

To respond rather than react.

To stay connected to myself, not just everything coming at me.

It’s the difference between instant coffee and a barista-made one.

One is fast and functional.

The other has depth, care, and presence.

Of course, some things are urgent.

But not everything is.

Somewhere along the way, we stopped making that distinction.

So where do you start?

Pause and decide -  is this actually urgent?

Most things aren’t.

They’re important.

Or they feel pressing.

But they don’t require an immediate response.

And when everything is treated as urgent,

you lose your ability to prioritise what truly is.

One small shift to try:

Create a response rhythm instead of reacting in real time.

Check and respond to messages at set points in the day.

Let people wait (if not urgent).

Let yourself finish what you’re doing before switching (helping you to reduce your cognitive load).

Then notice what comes up when you don’t respond immediately.

That pull to check.

The shoulds and the pull to reply.

We are conditioned to be instant but there is a cost to this response over time.

Capacity isn’t just about how much you take on.

It’s about how often you allow yourself to be pulled away from yourself.

Love to hear if this resonates with you and if you are feeling the call to resist instant!

Simone

P.S. I’m increasingly speaking and facilitating workshops on building capacity in high-pressure environments. If this feels relevant for your workplace or team, hit reply and I will share more.