Is toxic productivity hijacking your energy?
Continuing my behind-the-scenes series about how I’m actually running my business this year — what I’m changing, what I’m keeping, and why — so you can
Week one was about cash flow and money systems.
Week two was about showing up with ethical sales, even (especially) when it’s uncomfortable.
Week three was about bringing more joy and ease to your work, with naked baby on a horse vibes.
This week, I want to talk about something sneakier:
Toxic productivity.
Because when you get good at productivity — when you’re capable, efficient, organized, and reliable — you can start manufacturing work that doesn’t actually need to exist. (Sound like anyone you know?)
At some point, the question shifts from
“What actually needs to be done?”
to
“What else could I (should I) be doing?”
That’s the trap.
When I really unplugged over the holidays and deleted social media off of my phone what surprised me most was how much clarity flowed in as a result.
I realized just how much happier I am when I’m not reflexively checking, scrolling, responding, absorbing. How much mental space opened up when that low-grade stimulation disappeared.
And here’s the irony:
Social media is a helpful business tool.
It’s not essential, but it can be useful.
I like the connection opportunities.
I see the irony. I really do.
So instead of making it all-or-nothing, I finally did something I should have done a long time ago.
I handed the reins to my assistant, Charla.
She runs it now. I still weigh in. I still review. I’m still involved. But I’ve rigged my phone so that accessing Instagram is a genuine nuisance* — it requires conscious effort and choice, not muscle memory.
The result is so much more mental spaciousness.
Space to focus on what I actually do best: delivering coaching that creates real, lasting shifts as I support my clients to build the legacy businesses of their dreams.
That’s the distinction I’m playing with this year.
Not less care. Not less commitment. Of course not.
But less manufactured busy-ness.
So I’ll leave you with a few questions to sit with — no need to answer them all at once:
Where might productivity have turned into performance for you?
What are you doing simply because you’re good at carrying it? (Really look at this one, OK?)
What would feel downright luxurious to hand off or put down? (You don’t have to do this right away; I can help you build a plan to get there.)
Sometimes, escaping the trap is as simple as putting one thing down — and noticing what becomes possible in the space that opens.
*I don’t even remember exactly how I did it, but I think I deleted the app from my home screen and then made it password protected? So if I want to access Instagram, I have to go to the App store, search for it, click “Open” and then use my passcode to unlock it. It’s such welcome friction! You literally can’t do that many steps mindlessly.
