One of the biggest mistakes I see people make is this:
They assume overwhelm just happens to them.
As if it drops out of nowhere.
As if it’s bad luck.
That illusion cracked for me today
when I opened my inbox.
1,294 unread emails.
Newsletters I don’t remember signing up for.
Updates I never asked for.
Threads that stopped mattering months ago.
And yet…
they’re still there.
Quiet.
Persistent.
Tugging at my attention every time I open my screen.
That’s when it clicked.
Mental clutter is often self-created.
Not because you’re careless.
Not because you’re bad at focus.
But because you keep allowing things to stay
long after they’ve stopped serving you.
Old commitments.
Outdated expectations.
Information you don’t need.
Conversations you’ve already outgrown.
Just like an inbox,
they don’t clear themselves.
Here’s the part most people avoid.
Clarity doesn’t come from organizing everything.
It comes from deciding what no longer belongs.
Less input.
Less noise.
Less mental drag.
You don’t need more discipline.
You need fewer open loops.
So let me ask you something,
What’s one thing you could “unsubscribe” from in your life right now?
Not forever.
Just enough to breathe again.
Reply and tell me.
Sometimes relief starts with a single click.
– Maxim
Reach Your Next LVL
Find out why 100K+ engineers read The Code twice a week.
That engineer who always knows what's next? This is their secret.
Here's how you can get ahead too:
Sign up for The Code - tech newsletter read by 100K+ engineers
Get latest tech news, top research papers & resources
Become 10X more valuable

