Calm Under Chaos, A Habit Playbook

Today is not a productivity pep talk. It’s a containment plan.
When the system crashes, pings explode, and everyone wants answers, you don’t need more grit. You need a simple crisis routine. In this episode of Bad Day Excellence, Brian Walsh shares the CALM Loop he uses when everything is on fire: Clear the smoke with a 90-second reset, Assess and triage what actually matters, Limit work in progress to 3, and Message stakeholders with a tight 3-line update.

You’ll learn:

• How to stop the panic spiral and get your brain back online

• A triage method that separates “critical today” from “important this week”

• Why a WIP cap creates momentum and reduces rework

• A messaging script that buys you space without sounding defensive

Weekly challenge: build a one-page triage board with columns for Today Critical, This Week, Waiting, Done.
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