How to be Super Productive (Without Losing Your Mind)

Hi there,

What’s the Story?

Hope you’re keeping well and enjoying the summer. Things are non-stop here, and I’m getting closer to finishing the book. Very excited about it.

I do hope you’ve been enjoying the clips we’ve dropped on my YouTube channel recently. You can watch the latest video here.

Today, let’s talk about something we all wrestle with: how to be super productive without losing our minds.

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How to be Super Productive (Without Losing Your Mind)

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes 26 seconds

What if I told you that productivity doesn’t start with your to-do list?

It starts with your beliefs about your to-do list.

Let’s start with three truths I call “honest productivity principles.”

They’re not sexy. But they are true.

You’ll never get everything done.
You’ll die with stuff still on your list.
Most of what you think matters… doesn’t.

That’s not me being pessimistic. That’s me being real. We live in a world that glorifies endless hustle. “Crush the day,” “Get after it,” “Eat the frog,” which can be helpful, sometimes.

Honest productivity is different. It starts by accepting that we’re not machines. We’re not algorithms. We’re humans with limited time, limited energy, and an unlimited list of things we could do.

That’s why the first skill of productivity isn’t time management. It’s perspective.

Because the point of productivity isn’t to win some imaginary competition of “who did the most.” It’s to free yourself up so you can spend more time on what matters most to you.

The Art of Being Beautifully Unproductive

This one might surprise you: some of the most productive people I know are brilliant at doing… nothing.

Let me say that again.

Some of the most productive people I know are brilliant at doing… nothing.

They know how to stop. They know how to rest. They know how to be what I call “beautifully unproductive.”

What does that mean?

It means permitting yourself to waste time, to play without purpose, to walk in nature, or sit on your couch and just be. It’s not laziness. It’s recovery. It’s nourishment for your nervous system. And it’s one of the biggest secrets to sustained high performance.

Because you can’t sprint forever.

Why Productivity Matters (When it Matters)

Okay, so we’ve talked about the why not. Now let’s talk about the why.

When you are productive, strategically, deliberately, and intentionally, it allows you to:

Make the moments that matter… matter more.
Create space for what actually lights you up.
Influence the world with your ideas and energy.
Save and earn back time you can invest in people you love.

But for that to work, you need to know the traps to avoid.

The Four Traps of Productivity

Overconfidence: You think you can do more than you actually can. You say yes to too much and underestimate how long things take.
Not Enough Hours: You blame time, but the truth is, Einstein, Edison, Da Vinci, and Beyoncé all had the same 24 hours. It’s not the hours. It’s the choices.
The World Hijacks Your Brain: Every ping, ding, and notification is a deliberate attempt to distract you. You need to defend your attention like it’s gold. Because it is.
The Dark Side of Time Savers: Email was supposed to save us time. Instead, it created a new kind of busyness. The faster we work, the more we try to squeeze in. That’s not saving time. That’s borrowing energy you don’t have.

The Keys to Real Productivity

Let me walk you through what actually works.

Radical Self-Honesty

Stop lying to yourself. Will you really do it? Will you really finish it by Friday? Say what you mean. Mean what you say.

Real-Time Prediction

Get honest about how long things take, not in theory, but in reality. Look at past behavior, not just ideal timelines.

Win the Game Against the World

The world is out to distract you. Set up your schedule and environment so you win by default.

Time is Money, Spend It Wisely

Time is your most valuable currency. Spend it, save it, and invest it like a boss.

The 12 Questions of Productive People

Next, here are 12 questions that can help you become much more productive and stay sane in the process.

Where is your time actually going?
What results do you want?
What tools or resources do you need?
What actions are you taking?
What actions are connected?
Which are critical?
Which are important?
Which are urgent?
What can you delegate or outsource?
What can you do faster?
What do you need to stop doing?
When will you take breaks?

That last one matters more than you think. Rest isn’t the opposite of productivity. It’s the foundation.

The Strategies that Actually Work

Finally, here are some cool strategies to dive into more so you can master a healthier form of productivity. The first three are strategies named after brilliant books of the same name that I highly recommend.

The One Thing

Ask yourself:

“What’s the ONE thing that, by doing it, everything else becomes easier or unnecessary?”

Deep Work

Protect blocks of time for distraction-free focus. Treat your brain like the elite asset it is.

Eat the Frog

Do the hardest task first. The one you’re dreading. After that, everything else is easier.

Then a few more:

Eat the Elephant

Not literally. Break big tasks into small, chewable chunks. One bite at a time.

Activation Energy

Struggling to start? Commit to just two minutes. Starting is the hardest part. Momentum does the rest.

Second Brain

Tools like Notion, Evernote, or Apple Notes can become your second brain. Use them to store ideas, track projects, and organize your world—so your real brain can focus on what matters most.

Use tech to clear your mind, not clutter it.

You’re never going to get it all done. And that’s okay.

The goal isn’t to do more.

It’s to do what matters.

The future belongs to the focused. And the focused are not frantic. They’re deliberate. Clear. Calm. Productive.

Not because they do more… But because they do what matters most.

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