The #1 reason you feel behind…
It’s not a productivity problem. It’s an emotional avoidance problem.
The #1 reason you feel behind…
…is because you don’t want to feel the disappointment you would feel…
…if you made a realistic plan.
Most people don’t think of “feeling behind” as a disappointment avoidance problem.
Most people think of it as a productivity problem or an energy problem or an organization problem.
They think…
If I could just get more done in less time…
If I was just less tired…
If I just had the right tools and hacks and systems…
Then I would finally be on top of things!
But the reality is that…
If you could just get more done in less time — you’d already be doing it.
If you could just have more energy — you’d already have it.
If you just needed the right tools and hack and systems — one of the dozens you’ve already tried would have worked.
The reason you feel behind is because you are fighting against gravity.
You are not being realistic about the actual amount of time, energy, and bandwidth you have in a given day.
You are not being realistic about what can actually get DONE with that limited time, energy, and bandwidth.
And then you’re beating yourself up for failing to execute a plan that was never possible to begin with.
Unrealistic plans have a weird seductive power.
They’re like the sirens singing to sailors in Greek mythology.
“Just come this way,” they sing enchantingly, “and all your desires will be fulfilled…”
But if you follow the tantalizing sound of their voice…
Your day (and your self-esteem) will end up dashed on a rocky shore.
So snap yourself out of it, sailor ⛵️
Because what sounds better?
A few minutes of disappointment upfront — followed by ease, momentum, and feeling on top of things for the rest of the day?
Or a hit of elation and dopamine upfront — followed by anxiety, urgency, and feeling behind for the rest of the day?
If I told you…
“I have a magic serum that can put you into a state of flow for your entire workday.
Here’s the thing, though. For the first 20 minutes after I inject you with the serum, you’re going to feel a feeling of disappointment.
Then that will wear off, and you’ll have flow for eight hours with no other side effects.”
Would you want me to inject you with that serum?
I think everyone in the world probably would.
I think it would basically be the Ozempic of productivity and fulfillment 😂
Well, guess what, you CAN inject yourself with that serum — right now, today.
No syringes required.
All you have to do is make a realistic plan :)
And if you want some help talking through your plan and thinking through the tradeoffs…
Come talk to me, and let me help.
Don’t think it’s “too small” — this is a regular topic I bring to my own coach.
You might be surprised how resistant your brain is to doing this (mine always is).
And you might be surprised how much a calm, friendly external voice can help :)
You can drop by anytime for a no-strings-attached coffee chat ☕️
It’s not a sales pitch.
It’s just an opportunity for us to discuss whatever’s on your mind…
And I’ll give you some one-off coaching about your situation.
Or you can book a consult call, and we can map out a full coaching engagement.
So you can “inject yourself with the magic flow serum” not just once…
But learn the skill of doing so again and again until you’ve fully mastered it, and it’s locked in for life.
What my clients have to say…
“Some weeks, I have a very specific thing that is troubling me, and I'm excited to talk about it.
And there are other times where I came in and I didn't quite know what I wanted to talk about, and those were the sessions where Pooja was able to help me unpack something that I didn't even know was there.
It surprised me that I didn't have to do all the work in advance to come in with the agenda of what I needed to talk about, and that there are nuggets and insights to get, no matter how clearly I even see the problem coming in."
—Client | Early-Stage Tech Startup Director turned Design Consultant
I help high achievers build their careers around flow.
This requires…
Internally, learning how to access your flow no matter what’s going on around you
Externally, designing a career strategy that angles your flow at a high-priority problem that someone will pay you good money to solve
Tactically, navigating the transition from the role you’re in to the role you want
Today’s article focused on #1.
For more writing on all 3 of these, check out my table of contents.
You can also support this publication (and make my day!) by subscribing and sharing it with anyone you think would find it helpful. Thank you for being here :)
💻 Website | 📸 Instagram | 👩🏻💻LinkedIn | 🎧 Podcast | 💌 Newsletter | 👋🏽 Free resources