How to cure your Productivity Dysmorphia 👩🏽‍⚕️

Welcome!

I’ve started a ‘business book proposal challenge’ this week with my bestie Joy.

It’s a 10 day sprint, and by the end of it, I’ll have a finished book proposal ready to send off to publishers.

Which is exciting.

But mostly I’m using it to get clear on what the book is really about and who I’m writing it for.

Anyway..! on Friday we had to write our Author Biography.

Just 200 words explaining why we’re credible enough to write the book

I wrote it…

Then read it back…

And I was struggling to connect with it.

Everything I’ve done and achieved over the past 18 years - I was struggling to connect that with me.

And I realised I’m always too focused on what I haven’t done yet.

What was still unfinished.

Still ahead of me.

Still not good enough.

If you resonate with that, there’s actually a name for it.

Lets dig in 🚀 

‘Productivity Dysmorphia’

It’s the sneaky belief that no matter how much you do, it’s never enough.

You create to-do lists that are too long.

You start the day already behind on a minus 10 rather than Zero.

You end the day feeling guilty, not satisfied.

Even though you did a lot!!

And rather than doing more, you actually do less - because your energy gets siphoned into self-judgement.

It’s exhausting. And it doesn’t help.

So here’s what I’m focussed on in 2026.

At the end of every day, Im choosing my top 1,2 or 3 priorities for the next day.

Not a big list.

Just the things that move my quarterly goals forward.

I put them into a ‘Top Priorities’ section in my to-do list - where my EA Bex can see them.

She knows where to support.

I stay accountable.

My focus time is protected.

And I start the week (and every day) with clarity - not pressure.

In 2026, my goal isn’t to get everything done.

It’s to be ruthless about the few things that actually move the needle.

And to celebrate getting them done.

Feeling satisfied. Feeling productive.

Anything extra is a bonus.

Want to cure your productivity dysmorphia this week?

Pick no more than 3 to-do’s for Monday.

If you complete more - great.

But if you do only those 3, you’ve won the day and deserve a celebration every single day. 🎉

Write them down.

Say them out loud.

Send them to someone to stay accountable.

That’s how you win the week.

One clear, satisfying day at a time.

I’m always cheering you on

Em x

P.S. If you’re reading this thinking “I’d love someone to help me stay accountable, on track and take more off my plate”…
You can [book a quick chat here] to find out how our Executive Assistants do exactly that. 🤓

P.P.S 🎙️ Ever wondered what it takes to build something from scratch - with your whole family living in your in-laws’ garage? That’s where Neil Sweeney’s journey started 10 years ago - 2 Business Exits later - his story is one of doing whatever it takes. [You can listen to this weeks episode of Focus on the Fun Stuff here].