Aligned Leadership

by Derrick Kunsman

After a long Wisconsin winter, my garage was a disaster. Christmas boxes I never broke down. Salt and sand crusted into the floor. A random snow shovel. Broken kids’ toys. Junk piled in corners with the full intention of “dealing with it later.”

If you’ve ever stood in your garage, hands on your hips, not even sure where to begin, you know the feeling. It’s not just a mess, it’s mental weight.

And for me, until I deal with it, it nags. It distracts. It keeps me from fully focusing on anything else, because there’s always this background whisper: “You should clean the garage.”

The Same Is True at Work

That garage feeling? I get it when my email inbox is overflowing. When I’ve got stacks of paper on my desk. Half-finished to-do lists. Sticky notes with ideas I haven’t revisited in weeks.

Even if I sit down with every intention of doing important, strategic, meaningful work, my brain won’t fully settle until I clear the clutter.

Why the Clean Slate Matters

Think about a surgeon. Before making a single move, the table is sterile. The tools are clean. Everything has its place. Why? Because focus is sacred when the work matters.

And, your work matters. You lead people. You make decisions. You influence culture. But if your mental “workbench” is covered in piles, distractions, and disorganization, how can you give the most important things your best energy?

From Garage to Leadership

Cleaning my garage wasn’t glamorous. It wasn’t a transformational Instagram moment.
It was gritty. Embarrassing, even. I let it pile up longer than I should have. But once I finally made time to get it back to a blank slate, everything changed:

• I could breathe a little easier.
• I wasn’t distracted walking in and out.
• I had the margin to focus on what actually needed to be done.

It made me ask, where else do I need to do this? At work? In my calendar?
In my conversations?

A Simple Challenge for You

Take 30 minutes this week. Clean your desk. Clear your inbox.
Make a list of the nagging tasks that are stealing your mental energy. Then, give them a place on your calendar. Schedule time to knock that nagging task out, make it an appointment. 

Don’t do it to “be productive.” Do it to make space for what matters most.

Aligned leadership isn’t about being perfect or always in control. It’s about being intentional. About showing up with clarity. And, about recognizing that sometimes, clearing the garage is the most important first step to doing meaningful work.

If this hits home for you, I’d love to hear where your “garage” is right now. What are you clearing? What do you want more space for?

—
Aligned Leadership | Lead With Purpose. Live With Alignment.