If your calendar is full but your life feels empty… read this.
We praise efficiency like it’s self-worth. But no amount of planning apps or Sunday resets will fix what’s really wrong: misalignment between your time and your truth.
I remember when I started my PhD program in 2018. My kids were my oldest was 3 and our twins were 8 months old.
As you can imagine, I was overwhelmed all the time. And I NEVER felt like I was doing enough. 😔
My mental health was trash. I felt wholly inadequate when working on my endless to-do list–tasks related to teaching, graduate school, and being a married mom to young children.
Eventually I realized that there was one main reason I was misaligned…
I needed to give myself the time and space for creative expression.
That’s when I decided to finally start the personal development podcast that I’d always wanted to create (presently known as the Her Guided Evolution® Podcast).
Working on my podcast and giving myself the space to be creative was so grounding!
The joy I felt from being creative and intentionally putting tasks on my to-do list that I WANTED to do made all the difference for my morale and motivation.
So, in my experience, when you feel overwhelmed, “off”, exhausted, and like your life is one big obligation…
Here’s what’s actually going on:
⏳ The Productivity Trap
- You’re managing time but ignoring energy.
You arrange your day solely based on deadlines or the things that you “have” to do. Your peak creative hours? Gone to meetings and errands. This is fueling a cycle of overwhelm and burnout.
- You’re stuck in someone else’s priorities
Your to-do list may reflect what other people think is important (e.g., your boss, your spouse). How often do you stop and consider, “What on this to-do list is something I genuinely want to do?”
- You’re avoiding emotional clutter
Sometimes we stay “busy” to avoid the bigger decisions. I know for me, I procrastinated on starting my podcast for SO long because of fear. It was easier to fill my to-do list with school, assistantship, and home life tasks than it was to follow through on my dreams and the work that felt most aligned.
💡 Realignment > Productivity
I’m a firm believer that being aligned is more beneficial for our holistic health in the long run. What good is being productive if the work makes you miserable or you don’t have the time and space to enjoy your life. Next time youre feeling overwhelmed and exhausted…
Try these steps instead:
- Identify what season of life you’re in (maybe you’re going through a period where you need stillness and self-compassion instead of productivity and self-criticism).
- Declutter your time blocks with radical honesty and intention (what do you actually WANT to do?).
- Redefine success through values, not productivity.
🎯 Need support here?
My 1:1 coaching program helps you reclaim your time and your sense of self, especially in life transitions. Start with a clarity session or grab the Reset Kit.
📌 Pin this post if you’re ready to stop managing time and start honoring your rhythm
