Maximize Your Productivity To ENJOY LIFE More
In the year 820 CE, a Muslim mathematician named Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi sat in Baghdad’s House of Wisdom and figured out something that would change the world. He didn’t invent a fancy system. He didn’t create a complicated method. He simply wrote down that complex problems could be solved step by step.
The word “algorithm” comes directly from his name. Which means every time you open a productivity app, you’re basically using software named after a 9th century Muslim scholar. We act like productivity is this modern invention. Like some tech bro discovered it in a garage somewhere. But al-Khwarizmi understood it 1,200 years ago: you don’t tackle the mountain all at once. You carry away small stones.
So why does it still feel so hard?
I. The Rushing Trap
People come to me exhausted. I see it constantly. They’ve tried every app. Every system. That morning routine some influencer swore would change everything. And they’re still drowning.
The problem isn’t their systems.
When you approach your to-do list from a place of anxiety – that frantic “I’m behind, I should be doing more, everyone else seems to have it figured out” feeling – you’re creating from what I call Unconscious Dark manifestation. You’re generating results from fear without even realizing it. And look, fear might get things done. But it’s exhausting. And the work usually suffers.
There’s an East African proverb in Swahili that I think about a lot:
“Haraka haraka haina baraka.” – Hurry hurry has no blessing.
— East African (Swahili) Proverb
Rushing doesn’t get you there faster. It just makes you miserable on the way. And half the time you have to redo the work anyway because you missed something obvious.
II. What Productivity Actually Is
Real productivity isn’t about doing more. I really need you to sit with that for a second. It’s about alignment – doing the right things, in the right order, from the right energy.
Think about the Emotional Guidance Scale. When you’re operating from overwhelm or frustration – somewhere around levels 10 or 11 – your brain literally cannot access its full capacity. The prefrontal cortex, where all your good decision-making happens, goes partially offline when you’re stressed. This isn’t a character flaw. It’s just biology.
But when you’re feeling hopeful, even just content – levels 5, 6, or 7 – suddenly you can see clearly. The right task becomes obvious. Solutions appear that you couldn’t see before.
This is why prioritization isn’t just about making lists. It’s about getting yourself into a state where you can actually see what matters.
The Four Ways People Create Their Work Life
In my book, I talk about four types of manifestation. They show up so clearly in how people approach their work:
Unconscious Dark: Grinding through tasks from anxiety and overwhelm without realizing that’s what you’re doing. Everything feels heavy. You’re exhausted by 2pm and you don’t know why. This was me for years in corporate. Had no idea.
Conscious Dark: Deliberately pushing yourself from a “prove your worth” mindset. You know you’re stressed, but you think that’s just what success requires. It’s not. I mean, this path does lead somewhere. Just not anywhere good.
Unconscious Light: Those flow states where work just happens and time disappears. Wonderful. But accidental. You can’t count on them showing up.
Conscious Light: Intentionally choosing your tasks from clarity and alignment. Feel good first, then act. This is sustainable. This is what we’re building toward.
Want to understand all four types? Grab the free eBook – it walks through them with real examples.
III. The VM Method for Productivity
Everything I teach comes back to three steps: Ground, Discover, Embody. Here’s what that looks like for getting things done.
Ground: Arrive First
You can’t be productive from a frantic state. You just can’t. So the first step is always to land in your body before you try to do anything else.
This doesn’t take long. Thirty seconds of conscious breathing. Feeling your feet on the floor. Noticing you’re here, now, in this room.
I used to skip this constantly. Seemed like a waste of time when I had so much to do. What I learned is that those thirty seconds saved me hours of spinning in the wrong direction. Going fast in the wrong direction is still wrong.
Mindfulness isn’t separate from productivity. It’s the foundation.
Discover: What Actually Matters
Once you’re grounded, you can ask a real question: What actually needs my attention today? Not what someone else thinks is important. Not what your anxiety is screaming about. What genuinely matters?
This is where purposeful action comes from. Not from endless to-do lists. From clarity.
Most of us have never really asked ourselves this. We inherited someone else’s priorities – a boss, a parent, a culture – and we’ve been running on their programming ever since. No wonder we’re tired.
Embody: Become the Person Who Does This Naturally
This part changes everything. Instead of forcing yourself to be productive, you become someone for whom aligned action is just… natural.
What does that person feel like? Not some superhuman robot. The version of you who handles work with ease. Who knows what matters. Who doesn’t get caught up in drama or spin out in doubt.
That version exists. You don’t have to wait to become them. You can start embodying that energy now. Today.
This connects to what I teach about building habits – real change isn’t about willpower. It’s about identity.
IV. What Gets in the Way
Okay, so you know the theory. That doesn’t always translate into doing it. Let’s talk about what actually blocks people.
Procrastination Isn’t Laziness
Procrastination is almost never about being lazy. It’s emotional avoidance. You’re putting off a task because some part of you associates it with a feeling you don’t want to have. Fear of failure. Perfectionism. Overwhelm. Sometimes just boredom.
The solution isn’t more discipline. The solution is to address the underlying feeling. Move yourself up just one notch on the Emotional Guidance Scale, and suddenly the task doesn’t seem so impossible.
The Phone Problem
I know. We all have it.
That constant pull toward the device in your pocket. The notifications. The scrolling. An hour gone and you can’t even remember what you looked at.
What helped me was recognizing that phone checking is usually a regulation strategy. You’re reaching for it because you’re trying to escape a feeling. Boredom. Anxiety. The discomfort of being alone with your own thoughts for five minutes.
You’re not broken for doing this. But there are better ways to regulate. That’s part of why I created the Morning Momentum meditation – to give people something that actually helps them feel ready for their day.
The Hustle Culture Thing
Can I just say something? Hustle culture is mostly marketing. It sells courses. Coffee mugs. It makes people who are already struggling feel worse about themselves.
The most productive people I know – genuinely productive, doing meaningful work – they’re not grinding 80-hour weeks. They’re clear about priorities. They rest. They understand that work-life balance isn’t weakness.
Wanting a life alongside your work doesn’t make you lazy.
V. What This Actually Looks Like
So. In practice.
Start with your state. Ground yourself for even 30 seconds before diving in.
Ask what actually matters. Not everything on your list deserves your best energy. Some of it doesn’t need to happen at all.
Choose your tasks from alignment, not anxiety. Notice which activities you’re approaching from Conscious Light versus Unconscious Dark. The difference is everything.
Al-Khwarizmi figured this out over a thousand years ago. Complex problems, one step at a time.
The joy in your work isn’t something you earn after everything is finished. You can access it now. In how you approach what’s in front of you.
💧 Dip In: The Two-Minute Alignment Check
Time: 2 minutes
What you’ll need: Just yourself
Before you start your next task – any task – try this. It sounds almost too simple. It works anyway.
Try this:
- Pause. Stop moving toward the task for a second.
- Take one breath. Actually notice the air coming in.
- Ask yourself: “Am I approaching this from rushing or from clarity?”
- If rushing: “What would it feel like to do this calmly?”
- Let yourself feel even a hint of that before you begin.
That’s it. The task will still be there in thirty seconds. You’ll just approach it differently.
🌊 Embody It: The Morning Momentum Practice
Time: 15 minutes
What you’ll need: A quiet space before your day starts
This is what I wish someone had taught me twenty years ago. Would have saved so much wasted effort.
The Practice:
- Ground (3 minutes): Sit comfortably. Close your eyes. Feel your body in the chair. Take some slow breaths. Let the rushing energy settle. You’re not going anywhere yet.
- Discover (5 minutes): Eyes still closed. Ask: “What actually matters today?” Not your whole to-do list. Just the one or two things that would make today feel meaningful. Let answers come up. Sometimes the real priority surprises you.
- Embody (5 minutes): Imagine the version of you who will move through this day with clarity. How does that person sit? Breathe? Make decisions? Feel what they feel. This isn’t fantasy. It’s pre-paving. You’re creating the template.
- Transition (2 minutes): Open your eyes slowly. Before grabbing your phone, write down those one or two priorities. Keep it visible.
For a guided version, try Morning Momentum: Energize Your Workday on YouTube.
Ready to Go Deeper?
Want to understand the four types of manifestation first?
Common Questions About Productivity
Getting things done from a place of alignment
Procrastination is rarely about laziness - it's usually about emotional avoidance. Some part of you associates the task with a feeling you'd rather not experience: fear of failure, perfectionism, or overwhelm. Instead of forcing yourself through willpower, try addressing the underlying feeling first. Move yourself up just one notch on the Emotional Guidance Scale - from overwhelm to frustration, or from frustration to boredom. That small shift often makes the task feel manageable. Then break it into the smallest possible first step and just do that one thing.
Focus starts with your state, not your strategies. When you're anxious or overwhelmed, your prefrontal cortex - where concentration lives - literally goes partially offline. So the first step is to ground yourself: a few conscious breaths, feeling your feet on the floor. Then, single-task. Your brain doesn't actually multitask; it just switches between tasks poorly. Work on one thing for a set time, even just 25 minutes. And address the phone habit honestly - most phone-checking is an attempt to escape discomfort, not genuine need for information.
This fluctuation makes perfect sense when you understand vibration. On your productive days, you're operating from a higher emotional state - hopefulness, contentment, maybe even enthusiasm. You can see clearly, make decisions easily, and tasks feel manageable. On stuck days, you've dropped into lower states - overwhelm, doubt, frustration - and your brain genuinely cannot access its full capacity from there. The solution isn't to push harder on stuck days. It's to acknowledge the state you're in and take small steps to feel slightly better before trying to work.
Phone-checking is usually a regulation strategy - you're reaching for the device because you're trying to escape a feeling, whether that's boredom, anxiety, or the discomfort of focused work. Physical distance helps: put the phone in another room. But deeper change comes from finding better ways to regulate. When you feel the urge to check, pause and ask what feeling you're trying to avoid. Then address that feeling directly - maybe with a few breaths, a short walk, or just acknowledging the discomfort without acting on it. Over time, the compulsion weakens.
You're not lazy. Hustle culture is mostly marketing - it sells courses and makes already-struggling people feel worse about themselves. The most genuinely productive people aren't grinding 80-hour weeks. They're clear about their priorities, they rest properly, and they understand that sustainable output requires balance. Creating from exhaustion and anxiety is what I call Unconscious Dark manifestation - you might produce results, but they cost you more than they're worth. Real productivity comes from alignment, not from pushing yourself into burnout.
