What feels productive isn't always useful
I used to feel productive almost every day. You know those days — open 10 tabs, reply to every message, scribble to-do lists, and still end the day weirdly tired and unsure what actually got done.
Turns out, I wasn’t being productive. I was just busy. Really busy. But not moving forward.
The Trap of Looking Busy
There’s a kind of productivity that feels good but leads nowhere. I used to spend hours tweaking apps, organizing folders, even making new productivity plans instead of actually doing the work.
What Fake Productivity Looked Like for Me
- Rewriting to-do lists over and over
- Jumping between apps pretending I’m planning
- Doing the easiest tasks first to feel accomplished
- Watching videos on how to be productive (yes, really)
What Actually Helped
- Each morning, I asked: “What am I avoiding today?” That question was hard but helpful.
- I stopped spending time planning and started doing. Even messy progress was better than no progress.
- I simplified my tools. No fancy apps. Just focus.
A Simple Night Practice
Each night, I write down one question: “What did I build today?”
If the answer is “nothing,” that’s a wake-up call. But even one real thing — a finished blog post, a tough email sent, one decision made — counts.
The Shift
Now, I don’t chase that fake sense of being busy. I look for real movement. Not 10 things done, just one thing that mattered.
You don’t need to appear productive. You just need to show up for what matters. That’s real progress.
Still learning. Still slipping. But at least now, I know the difference.
