General · 2 min read

Why We Stop Solving Problems at Work (And How to Start Again)

July 22, 2026
Why We Stop Solving Problems at Work (And How to Start Again)

Why We Stop Solving Problems at Work (And How to Start Again)

By Ann Marvin | July 22, 2026

A cozy living room with an electric blanket still in its packaging sitting on a couch, and a robot vacuum mop in its charging dock on a hardwood floor that needs cleaning.
TL;DR: We stop solving problems not because we cannot, but because the solution was not ours, or we are waiting on someone else to go first. The way back starts with one question.

The Electric Blanket

My electric blanket is still in its packaging.

It sits on my couch, unopened, next to a stack of books I haven't read. Meanwhile, my robot vacuum mop sits in its charging dock, also mostly unused. I know exactly what I need to do. I need to unpack the blanket, plug it in, and figure out which outlet works best. I need to download the app for the vacuum, set up the Wi-Fi connection, and map out my apartment.

I know how to do these things. I am capable. And yet.

This is not about the blanket. The blanket is just the thing I see every day that reminds me: we stop solving problems all the time, even when we know exactly what to do.

The Gap Between Knowing and Doing

At work, this gap is even wider. We know the process is broken. We know the email system wastes time

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