Let me start with a simple confession: I keep my keys in the exact same spot. Every. Single. Day.

Sounds mundane, right? But on the rare occasions when my wife borrows my car and the keys aren’t returned to their usual spot, let’s just say… words are said. (In my head, of course—because I value my life.)

Why am I telling you this? Because this small habit—keeping my keys in the same place—isn’t just about convenience. It’s about control. It’s one less decision I have to make, one less piece of chaos to manage.

And that brings us to today’s question:

Are you controlling your day, or is your day controlling you?

The Chaos Conundrum

Life is chaotic. Work is chaotic. The world is chaotic.

But here’s the kicker: we all get the same 24 hours.

You, me, CEOs, presidents, each person on the planet—we’re all playing with the same time budget. The difference isn’t the hours we have; it’s how we manage the chaos within them.

The secret?

Control what you can control.

Obvious, right? But here’s the problem: most of us don’t actually do it.

We wait for life to “calm down.” We hope tomorrow will be less hectic. We tell ourselves we’ll get organized after the next deadline, the next meeting, the next crisis. But chaos doesn’t wait. It doesn’t care about your schedule.

So, how do we stay in control? By managing the small stuff before it manages us.

The Overflowing Plate Problem

Picture this: You’re at an all-you-can-eat buffet. You load your plate with mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, turkey, stuffing—pile it high because, well, it’s a buffet. Then you get to the dessert section… and there’s no room left.

What do you do? Balance cheesecake on top of the turkey? Hope it doesn’t slide off?

That’s what happens when we don’t manage our day.

We fill our mental plate with so much “stuff” that when real chaos shows up—surprise meetings, urgent emails, unexpected life events—we have no space left to deal with it.

Control Isn’t About Big Changes

We tend to look for silver bullets—one big change that’ll magically make life easier. But that’s not how it works.

Control comes from small, seemingly insignificant habits:

• Putting your keys in the same place
• Automating bill payments
• Setting calendar reminders for appointments months in advance
• Creating checklists, even for simple tasks

These tiny systems free up mental space. And when your brain isn’t overloaded with the small stuff, you’re better equipped to handle the big stuff.

It’s like the old cliché:

“How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.”

(Side note: Who’s eating elephants? But you get the point.)

The Myth of “Perfect Control”

Now, let’s be clear—I’m not saying you’ll magically control 100% of your day. Life doesn’t work like that.

Unexpected things will happen. Chaos will find you.

But when it does, the question is:

• Do you have the capacity to respond, or are you already maxed out?
• Is your mental plate so full that even a small disruption feels overwhelming?

When you create space—mentally, emotionally, even physically—you gain the ability to adapt. You don’t just react to chaos; you manage it. You learn from it. And over time, you reduce its impact.

Control Is a Practice, Not a Destination

Here’s the reality:

• Some habits you try won’t work.
• Some systems will break down.
• Some days will still feel overwhelming.

And that’s okay.

Control isn’t about perfection—it’s about progress. Every time you find a way to reclaim five minutes, automate a task, or simplify a process, you’re winning. You’re creating space for what matters. You’re building resilience for when chaos inevitably knocks on your door.

So, the choice is yours:

• Let your day control you—exhausting, reactive, always playing catch-up.
• Or take small, intentional steps to control your day—freeing up space, reducing stress, and actually enjoying the work (and life) you’ve built.

Because at the end of the day, control isn’t about eliminating chaos.

It’s about making sure chaos doesn’t eliminate you.

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