When doing more makes things worse

March 23, 20261 min read

When doing more makes things worse

When something is not improving, the instinct is to add more.

More effort. More routines. More solutions.

It feels logical.

And sometimes it works.

But sometimes, it has the opposite effect.


Every action has a cost

Everything you do adds some level of load.

Even helpful actions.

Exercise. New routines. Extra focus.

If your system already has limited capacity, adding more can push it further.


Why people get stuck

This creates a frustrating situation.

You are trying.

You are doing the right kinds of things.

But you are not improving.

Because the total load has not been reduced.


A shift in thinking

The Load vs Capacity model suggests a different question.

Instead of asking:

“What else should I add?”

You begin to ask:

“What is already adding load?”
“What can be reduced or removed?”


Creating space

Often, progress comes from creating space rather than filling it.

Reducing pressure allows capacity to return.

And when capacity increases, the same actions become easier.


Read the full model: https://loadandcapacity.com/load-vs-capacity
Explore more insights: https://loadandcapacity.com/insights

Back to Blog