January 2026

Owner, Photographer, Deisgner

Joshua W Lolling

Broad professional audience — content relevant across many roles and functions.

Tuesdays: learn why + design your experiment. Fridays: report back + adjust. Built around your real work, not added on top of it.

Neurodivergent Leadership Consultant

Becca Block, PhD

Neurodivergent leader who bridges the gap between research + practice

Spicy Brains Get Stuff Done 

Springboard Collaborative

The Future Project

Daytona State

University of Louisville

Rebecca Block, PhD

Business owner, researcher, multiply neurodivergent human, former NPO exec, former professor

<h3>Why I enrolled</h3>
I wrote out some goals on a notepad, but they were not concrete, measurable and defined. So to keep me from moving the goalpost, I used AI to help me get specific and have everything defined. I took my sticky note of goals and asked ChatGPT to help me refine them using the SMARTER Goal framework. I tweaked what it gave me and edited it for errors. Here is what I've come up with. I keep a weekly journal and will measure progress in my habit tracker section of my journal to track how I do. BIG PICTURE GOALS: By the end of Spicy Brains: Get Stuff Done, success looks like:<ul class="list-disc ml-8"><li>I trust myself to make decisions and recover from mistakes faster.</li><li>Interruptions no longer ruin entire days.</li><li>I finish weeks with visible progress and lower decision fatigue, even when things don’t go perfectly.</li></ul>GOAL 1: Increase Confidence in Decision-MakingSpecific Build trust in my ability to make decisions without spiraling into self-criticism or analysis paralysis.Measurable<ul class="list-disc ml-8"><li>Make at least 3 time-bound decisions per workday using a defined decision rule (e.g., 10-minute limit, “good enough” standard).</li><li>Track weekly decision reflections (1–2 sentences each), noting what worked, what didn’t, without judgment.</li></ul>Achievable Use course tools and lessons to replace “perfect decisions” with fast, reversible decisions.Relevant Decision fatigue is a primary drain on my energy and productivity.Time-bound By Feb 24, 2026, I will:<ul class="list-disc ml-8"><li>Reduce post-decision rumination to under 10 minutes for at least 70% of decisions.</li><li>Identify 2 decision-making frameworks that reliably help me move forward.</li></ul>Evaluate Weekly check-in:<ul class="list-disc ml-8"><li>Did I delay fewer decisions than the prior week?</li><li>Did I recover faster when something didn’t work?</li></ul>Refine Adjust decision rules (time limits, checklists, templates) based on what consistently lowers stress.GOAL 2: Improve Task Switching &amp; Interruption RecoverySpecific Develop reliable strategies to transition between tasks and recover quickly when my routine is disrupted.Measurable<ul class="list-disc ml-8"><li>Create and test 3 interruption recovery protocols (e.g., “10-minute reset,” “triage list,” “parking lot note”).</li><li>Practice intentional task switching at least 2 times per day using a defined method.</li></ul>Achievable Focus on regulation first, productivity second.Relevant Unexpected interruptions and task switching currently derail my entire workday.Time-bound By Feb 24, 2026, I will:<ul class="list-disc ml-8"><li>Reduce recovery time after interruptions to 15-30 Minutes (NO MORE THAN 1 HOUR), down from hours or full-day derailment.</li><li>Identify 1–2 task-switching strategies that consistently work for me.</li></ul>Evaluate Weekly reflection:<ul class="list-disc ml-8"><li>How long did it take me to re-engage after being thrown off?</li><li>Which tools helped me regain focus fastest?</li></ul>Refine Eliminate strategies that increase pressure or rigidity; double down on those that restore calm.GOAL 3: Balance Deep Work and Light Admin Without BurnoutSpecific Create a weekly rhythm that allows both deep creative work and necessary admin tasks to coexist sustainably.Measurable<ul class="list-disc ml-8"><li>Establish a weekly work structure that includes:<ul class="list-disc ml-8"><li>3–4 deep work blocks (90–120 minutes)</li><li>3–5 light admin blocks (20–45 minutes)</li></ul></li><li>Clear at least 80% of “quick-response” tasks (emails, short follow-ups) within 24 hours.</li></ul>Achievable Use batching, timeboxing, and energy-based scheduling rather than willpower.Relevant Avoiding admin and todos creates a backlog, leading to increased stress and reputational risk—yet forcing it causes shutdown from burnout. Time-bound By Feb 24, 2026, I will:<ul class="list-disc ml-8"><li>Finish at least 4 full weeks feeling “appropriately tired” rather than depleted.</li><li>Complete at least one multi-step project (e.g., brand update, website section, or system setup) without abandoning it due to fatigue.</li></ul>Evaluate Weekly questions:<ul class="list-disc ml-8"><li>Did I make progress on both deep and light tasks?</li><li>Did the admin feel manageable or overwhelming?</li></ul>Refine Adjust task size, frequency, and timing to better match energy patterns.



<h3>What I’ll apply</h3>
The experiment mindset and all the experiments I have been trying.

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