There’s a certain kind of productivity advice that sounds motivating on the surface but becomes incredibly harmful when you absorb it too literally.
“You have the same 24 hours as Beyoncé.” (or *insert whichever ultra-wealthy person here* – we’re not targeting Beyoncé as a person).
I understand the intention behind statements like that. They’re meant to encourage action, ownership, discipline, ambition. That real sense of ‘get going’-ness.
But functionally it’s just not true.
We do not all operate within the same circumstances, responsibilities, support systems, energy capacities, health realities, or cognitive demands. And pretending otherwise often leads people — particularly business owners and leaders — straight into burnout. (Hi, hello, ask me how I know).
When you believe you should be able to do it all, you stop questioning whether the pace you’re forcing yourself into is actually sustainable for you. You stop checking in with reality, and start holding yourself to a higher standard of ‘productivity’ that’s based on someone else’s entirely-supported ecosystem and not on your own reality.
Especially when you’re someone who cares deeply about your work.
I’ve spent the last two years navigating an incredibly full season of life. Completing my master’s degree. Writing a book. Running a business. Moving house. Surgery. Grief. Everyday life. The normal human maintenance tasks we all somehow need to keep doing while still attempting to function professionally.
And throughout all of it, I kept finding myself returning to the same question:
How do we actually do this well without completely overwhelming ourselves?
Not theoretically.
Not in a productivity-book way.
But genuinely.
What I’ve learnt is that most of us are trying to solve the wrong problem (I include myself in this, don’t you worry).
It’s not usually a time management issue. It’s an energy management issue.
You can technically have an entire free day available and still feel mentally paralysed, overwhelmed, or exhausted. You can also have a tightly structured day and feel completely depleted because every task requires a different kind of energy from you.
Some work drains you.
Some work energises you.
Some conversations leave you inspired.
Others leave you needing recovery time afterwards.
Understanding the impact of each of these and using that as information makes all the difference. Yet most people ignore it and continue forcing themselves into routines, schedules, or expectations that don’t actually support how they function best. (Also, this is exactly why I include a whole module on Energy Management Plans in my Embodied Leaders Academy training – because it’s RELEVANT and important to have a grasp on).
For me personally, I’ve learnt I need both structure and space. Too little structure and I struggle to focus. Too much structure and I feel immediately mentally drained keeping all those spinning plates in mind and task-switching too much for my brain. Understanding that has changed how I approach my workdays entirely.
And this isn’t about making excuses or avoiding responsibility either. It’s about becoming aware enough to work with yourself instead of constantly against yourself. Because your energy doesn’t only impact your output.
It impacts your leadership.
Your communication.
Your relationships.
Your team.
Your clients.
Your decision-making.
Your ability to stay connected to the work you care about.
If you’re constantly overwhelmed, resentful, exhausted, or operating without boundaries, that energy ripples outward whether you realise it or not. Which is why one of the most useful things you can do is start paying attention.
Audit your days.
Notice which tasks leave you feeling heavy versus fulfilled.
Notice which meetings drain you.
Notice what helps you focus.
Notice when you feel most creative.
Notice what happens when you overschedule yourself.
Notice what happens when you have no structure at all.
Not to judge yourself. Not to “fix” yourself. Just to understand yourself better.
Sustainable success is not built by squeezing productivity out of every possible second of the day. It’s built by understanding how to support the human being who is trying to lead, create, build, and contribute within it.
You can listen to an episode of the Get Jasched podcast that relates to this very topic here: Episode 205 – Energy Management, Burnout, and the Truth About Being Busy.
