The Strategy for 2026: Reduce the Invisible Load

Why reducing mental load - not increasing output - might be the most profitable move you make this year.

What if our strategy for 2026 wasn’t growth…
What if it was reducing invisible load?

We talk a lot about the invisible load as parents - the mental tabs constantly open in the background.

And if you’re a parent, I won’t even bore you with the list (you already know).
If you’re not… I won’t scare you!

But I’ve been thinking about the invisible load of business too.

Staff. Product. Inventory. Marketing. Socials. Quotes. Customer service. Decisions. Website. Emails. Cashflow. The never-ending to do list. The constant feeling that you should be doing more.

No wonder we get paralysed by what to do next.

And no wonder we end up outsourcing the wrong things - or hiring the wrong skills - or paying for “help” that actually creates more work (briefing, managing, reviewing, redoing).

And it’s interesting… because lately everyone is talking about ADHD / ADD, attention spans, distraction, dopamine, burnout.

And honestly, it does feel like we’re all carrying some version of it now - not because something is wrong with us, but because the world is loud.

But what if the real relief isn’t another productivity hack…

What if it’s knowing what to focus on?

Knowing what matters.
Knowing what to ignore.
Knowing how to divide your week so you get to the important, not just the urgent.

Because urgency comes with stress. And stress is a sure-fire way to make everything take a thousand times longer.

The irony is… reducing the invisible load leads to clarity.
And clarity leads to better decisions.

Slowing down. Pausing. Creating space.

The exact same things a Harvard study found can actually increase profitability.

But so often we try to stack more on top of an already full plate, and call it ambition… when really it’s just overwhelm.

If we can trust in abundance (not scarcity), and trust that clarity creates momentum, then maybe the real question is:

How do we reduce the invisible load?

I’ve been thinking about a simple filter:

Is this helping reduce my mental load?
If yes - go for it.

If no - is it absolutely necessary to achieve my goal over the next 6-12 months?

If not… maybe it’s not a “now” thing.
Maybe it’s a “later” thing.
Or maybe it’s a “never” thing.

Because strategy isn’t about doing more.
It’s about having the confidence to say no.