Your inability to take action on that project? It’s draining your energy. We’ve all been there–you get an idea, it lights you up, you furiously scribble down your thoughts, make a to-do list, gather materials, and then…they sit there. In a pile. Or, as I will explain in this article, a DOOM pile. This DOOM pile saps your energy, taking up space in your consciousness. The only way to reclaim that energy is to take action, and while that might feel impossible right now, I’m going to show you how small steps can create considerable momentum.
Most people feel best about their work the week before their vacation, but it’s not because of the vacation itself. What do you do the last week before you leave on a big trip? You clean up, close up, clarify, and renegotiate all your agreements with yourself and others. I just suggest that you do this weekly instead of yearly.—David Allen
A Tale of DOOM
What began as a few things I kept putting off turned into a silent weight I carried every day.
A few months ago, on an early morning, I stood in my studio, staring at papers, files, and a long list of half-finished projects. None of it was urgent, yet all of it demanded a tiny piece of me.
The pile had become a mirror of hesitation, a monument to the choices and decisive action I had been avoiding.
Some refer to such a mound of misery as a DOOM pile—Didn’t Organize, Only Moved.
The acronym is particularly fitting, isn’t it?
It completely captures the loop pattern: We take a moment to look at a task/piece of paper and, for a variety of reasons (procrastination, fear, lack of clarity on or energy for the next steps), we choose not to take action other than perhaps moving the task to a new list, putting the paper into a different pile, or ignoring it entirely.
A DOOM pile is more than a stack of things left undone. It represents the energy we trap by postponing decisions. Each item holds a choice we have not made, and together they become larger than the sum of their parts.
I decided to face it, to take action. Not all at once, not with a grand plan, but with one small decision at a time.
I picked up a single envelope, opened it, and either acted on it or threw it out. Then I moved to the next item. And then the next task. With each choice, the weight on my chest loosened.
What surprised me most was not how quickly the pile and lists shrank, but how my energy soared. The DOOM pile was never just about the things—it was about reclaiming clarity, confidence, and momentum.
Clearing it wasn’t just organizing my space. It was proving to myself that I could take action and move forward, one decision at a time.
Why DOOM Piles Form
Our brains naturally resist activities that feel uncomfortable or unclear. Sorting through a stack of papers or tasks requires effort, focus, and decisions. It also demands we tolerate uncertainty in the moment when we don’t initially know how to approach the next step.
To conserve energy and avoid the anxiety of not knowing, we put it off, move it aside, or tell ourselves we will handle it later.
Avoidance creates a short burst of relief, and the brain rewards that feeling. The more we repeat this behavior, the more automatic it becomes. Meanwhile, the unfinished tasks grow in size and in the emotions we attach to them. Soon, what could have been a burst of brief action carries the weight of weeks or even months of hesitation.
Take Action and Clear the DOOM
Lasting change comes from steady, small shifts rather than one grand effort. The key is to break the cycle by creating new habits.
- Choose one item. Handle a single document, message, or object completely. Completing one small action builds momentum and amps up our energy.
- Create simple rituals. Tie clearing a few items to moments you already have: after making coffee, before closing your laptop, or during your end-of-the-week review and planning time.
- Act quickly on short tasks. As author David Allen advises, when something takes less than two minutes, finish it immediately. If we were to implement only this one rule for managing tasks, we would enjoy delicious momentum as well as more willingness and courage for tackling our larger, more complex projects.
When a DOOM pile is dismantled, the reward extends far beyond a clean desk or an empty inbox. What we gain is clarity, lightness, and renewed energy to focus on what matters most. Each cleared item is a signal to ourselves that we are capable, present, and moving forward.
So, I close by asking, what action can you take today?
