For years, I thought productivity was about finishing more tasks. That I had to manage my time better so that I could deliver more in less time.
And I tried, oh how did I try…
But all I managed to do was burn myself out.
Nothing worked…
Until one day.
We had a corporate event, my boss was speaking on stage. A great leader. Somehow, he managed to make us overdeliver continuously. And he always spotted when someone is about to burn out, and immediately sent them home.
He is always working on self-improvement, even tapping into the intuition and spiritual stuff. That’s why I admire him.
I love to have people who aim to grow beyond their limits.
Because you can only grow when you’re surrounded by the right people.
So he was on stage talking about productivity. And there’s the thing he said:
Stress is a function of the amount of your tasks and the level of your energy.
We’re both analytical people, so I immediately got what he meant.
That was a huge eye-opener for me.
I realized: it’s not about the tasks. Or the time. It’s about the energy you bring to them.
Let me break it down:
Energy > Tasks → boredom. You’ve got gas in the tank, but nothing worth driving to. That’s where you’re bored.
Energy = Tasks → flow. That sweet spot where time feels endless and you feel unstoppable. That’s creative flow.
Energy < Tasks → challenge. Not easy, but doable. You stretch, but you make it. That’s where you grow.
Energy << Tasks → stress. Now you’re drowning, even if the list isn’t that long. The smallest thing is irritating you. That’s where you start falling behind.
Energy <<< Tasks → burnout. You don’t want to be here. It happens when you don’t cut the above process.
Do you see the pattern? Maybe not yet.
Let me make it more specific:
100 x Energy > 10 x Tasks → boredom.
10 Energy = 10 Tasks → flow.
7 Energy < 10 Tasks → challenge.
5 Energy << 10 Tasks → stress.
1 Energy <<< 10 Tasks → burnout.
The workload doesn’t change. The energy does.
So if you want to stay productive long-term, stop obsessing over your to-do list.
Prioritize your energy.
When your energy is high, you can deliver anything. On time.
Things that increase energy:
High-quality sleep (alcohol ruins the quality of your sleep - I saw it my sleep tracker)
Feed your guts (not your eyes or your taste)
Move your body (your brain works better)
Breathe, here’s the best technique I know, works like meditation (I also know it from him)
And say no to the tasks that don’t deserve even a tiny piece of your energy.
One thing you can try with your tasks today:
Look at your list. Don’t ask, “What needs to be done?”
Ask, “What’s my energy level right now, and what matches it best?”
That’s my “secret”. That’s how I started delivering more in less time - by just taking care of myself.
You can do it too.
And remember to have a GUT time in the process.
Yana