common sense isn’t always common action. - Chris Bailey

We have to work with intention as much as possible — this is especially true when we have more to do than time within which to do it. Intention enables us to prioritize so we don’t overload our attentional space.

When we waste time, we’re procrastinating. When we can’t manage our attention well, we’re distracted. And when we don’t cultivate our energy levels, we’re tired, or “burned out.

Compounding this is the fact that the brain’s prefrontal cortex — the large part of the forebrain that lets us plan, think logically, and get work done — has a built-in “novelty bias.” Whenever we switch between tasks, it rewards us with dopamine — that amazing pleasure chemical that rushes through our brain whenever we devour a medium-sized pizza, accomplish something awesome, or have a drink or two after work.