Why Presence > Productivity (and how to start living like it)

Some of my favorite memories aren’t about getting things done. They’re about being fully present.

Like wandering through the tarot and crystal shop with my youngest granddaughter, watching her light up as she picks her next stone like it holds a secret meant just for her.

Or stopping for decaf coffee at Aroma Joe’s with my oldest, then browsing TJ Maxx or Dollar Tree as she keeps me honest, eyeballing each item I pick up and asking, “Is that on your list?” (She might be the only person who can get me to stick to a shopping budget.)

It’s in those moments—where no one’s rushing, and nothing has to be “accomplished”—that I feel most like myself. And the more I pay attention, the more I realize:

my legacy isn’t in what I get done. It’s in how I show up.

But that truth doesn’t always sit well with the part of me that believes I have to earn rest. That part wants to squeeze in one more task, polish one more page, “finish just one more thing” before I’m allowed to exhale.

The problem is… the list never ends.

And when we measure our worth by how much we do—especially in our businesses or jobs—we start building a legacy of burnout.

Not impact.

Not connection.

Just exhaustion.

When Doing Becomes a Distraction

Let’s be honest: sometimes our obsession with productivity isn’t about ambition, it’s about avoidance.

It’s easier to throw ourselves into work than face the truth that it no longer fits.

Easier to chase client requests, inbox zero, or one more polished deliverable than admit we're no longer lit up by the work we’re doing.

Easier to tick boxes than ask, Is this still what I want?

But that kind of busy is just a mask.

And at some point, the mask gets heavy.

The joy fades. The spark dulls.

We find ourselves caught in a cycle of “doing” without ever really being.

Presence, especially in how we approach our work, is where the real answers live.

It’s where we reconnect with the parts of our business or career that still feel alive.

And where we can finally spot what we’ve outgrown.

Your work should support your life.

Not consume it.

Not override it.

Not hollow it out.

And your legacy?

It isn’t your most productive week.

It’s how you made people feel, your clients, your collaborators, and yes, your family, when you stopped doing and started being.

Try this instead of your usual to-do list:

🌀 The Daily Three

Each morning, write down:

1. One thing you must do
2. One thing that brings you joy
3. One way you’ll connect—with yourself or someone else

This tiny ritual keeps your days intentional, not just efficient.

It helps you move from autopilot to alignment—without blowing up your calendar.

Want to go deeper?

Try this prompt in ChatGPT (or tuck it in your journal):

Prompt: “Act as a reflective journaling coach. Ask me three deep questions to help me explore the difference between how I spend my time and how I want to be remembered in my work.”

We don’t need more perfectly optimized calendars. What we really need are more moments where we feel like ourselves. Where we’re not hustling to keep up or checking off a dozen tiny tasks just to feel worthy. Where our work actually feedsus instead of constantly taking.

So if your to-do list has been running the show lately, consider this your invitation to pause. Not forever... just long enough to remember who you are without the pressure to perform. Long enough to ask, “What do I want to leave behind?” and “What do I want to live?”

☑︎ Because you’re more than your task list,

📎 P.S. If this landed for you, you’ll love the collection of posts and ideas I’ve pulled together here: Success Without Burnout. It’s part blog, part permission slip—and a reminder that you don’t have to earn your worth through exhaustion.

💼 Ready to Realign Your Work?

Work That Loves You Back isn’t your typical career guide. It’s a gentle, practical roadmap for untangling the pressure, the people-pleasing, and the productivity spiral… so you can build work that actually supports your life.

Whether you’re running your own business or daydreaming about something new, this guide helps you stop performing and start choosing.

Price: Just $77

Format: Instant download, self-paced

Vibe: Judgment-free. Guilt-free. Actually useful.

🌀 Grab the guide here.

📨 Pass it on.

If this one tugged at something real, share it with someone who needs the reminder.

That friend who’s always “just trying to get through the week.”

The colleague who never stops moving long enough to ask if any of it still fits.

The one who’s wondering if maybe… there’s more to work than just keeping up.

Let’s start normalizing presence over productivity.

One shared inbox nudge at a time.

✉️ Why You’re Getting This

At some point, you signed up to hear from me—maybe through a workshop, a digital product, or just a gut feeling that I might get where you’re coming from.

These notes are where I talk about the stuff under the surface, the quiet realizations, the truth behind the to-do lists, and what it actually takes to build work that feels good to live inside.

If that’s no longer your thing, I get it. You can unsubscribe or update your preferences below.

But if it is? I’m glad you’re here. Let’s keep pulling the thread.