When your mind won't be quiet: what I learned at the end of every sprint

3 min read

Date: August 14, 2025

Author: Alexandro Trujillo

In my work as a software engineer, we live in sprints: short cycles where everything has to be done before the next one starts. Even though I consider myself good at what I do, there’s one moment that always tested my head: the end of the sprint.

On those days, the hours seem to go faster than ever. You have to coordinate tasks, solve last-minute problems and answer messages nonstop. And along with all that, something worse shows up: intrusive thoughts.

At my previous job I noticed that, right at the end of every sprint, stress worked against me. It didn’t just drain me mentally — I started making mistakes I wouldn’t have made at any other time. Over time I understood it wasn’t only the pace, but how I talked to myself, how hard I pushed myself and what I was thinking in those moments. The pressure pulled me into a loop of: “If I fail, this will go wrong”, “I won’t make it in time”, “If I fail again they’ll fire me”. And that kind of inner dialogue didn’t just make me feel worse, it also made my results worse.

Eventually, I left that job. It wasn’t only because of the stress, but it was one of the factors that led me to ask for help and take a step back to see things more clearly. In that process, I came across a simple exercise from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). The idea is simple: what you think affects what you feel, and what you feel affects what you do.

Since then, when my mind is overloaded, I write down three things:

1. What am I feeling? Naming the emotion helps me recognize it: anxiety, frustration, guilt?
2. What is causing it? Sometimes it’s obvious, sometimes it isn’t. But once it’s written down, it doesn’t weigh the same.
3. What can I do about it today? I’m not looking for a perfect solution. It can be delegating, asking for help — which is exactly what I used to avoid — or simply giving myself a break.

Before, at the end of the sprint, stress led me to make mistakes and feel worn out. Now, when I notice I’m slipping into that mode, I write. I also take a moment to remember everything I’ve done well and what I’ve achieved. Today I rely on systems and habits that help me work better, but it all started with changing how I talk to myself and what I think in those critical moments.

If you ever feel like your mind won’t be quiet, try this exercise. It doesn’t have to be perfect, just yours. You might find that changing what you think can change how you feel… and even better -> what you do.

💬 I’d love to hear your take:

• Have you tried something similar when your mind won’t stop?
• Does writing work for you, or do you use another method?

Tell me in the comments or send me a message on social media.

📲 Instagram: @byalexandro__

🌐 More reflections and exercises: https://byalexandro.com/en/posts