Better Work Better Life Blog
Ellen Faye’s productivity and leadership blog offers practical ideas for better work, better decisions, intentional productivity, and a better life.
productivity and leadership blog, productivity blog, leadership blog, productivity coach, leadership coach, business productivity, workplace productivity, time management, organization, productivity strategies, better work, better life, Ellen Faye
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Better Work Better Life Blog

01 Jul

Posted at 21:58h in Leadership, Organize to Thrive, Productivity, Tech & Digital Clutter

Last week I worked with a client who had just received a well-deserved promotion. His new manager voiced one concern: she was worried he might miss something important in his email. He was smart, capable, and willing to work hard. But years of accumulated email made it difficult to distinguish what actually required his attention.

For years, my recommendation would have been straightforward: reduce the noise first. Archive older email that no longer requires action. Remove newsletters, completed projects, duplicate conversations, and information that belongs in a reference folder. Then work through what’s left and decide whether each email should be filed, deleted, or kept as an action item.

That process still works. But something has changed. Today, AI can help with routine sorting and review. Instead of manually combing through thousands of messages, AI can identify newsletters, group similar conversations, summarize long email threads, highlight messages that appear to require a response, and even suggest rules or filters to keep your inbox cleaner going forward.

Notice what AI isn’t doing. It isn’t deciding what matters. You are.

AI Changes the Work, Not the Principles.

I still believe the biggest reason people feel controlled by email, rather than in control of it, is that they keep too much in their inbox. The result? Stress increases, important emails get buried, and managers begin to worry that something important will slip through the cracks.

Here’s the core methodology: every email should fall into one of three classifications.

Classification Explanation Action
Trash I don’t need it anymore Delete it on the spot
Reference I might need it later File it in a folder (Outlook) or label (Gmail)
Action I need to do something with it soon Leave it in your inbox and organize it by priority (more on this later)

 Step 1: Clear obsolete emails from your inbox.

  • Email search has improved dramatically. You can usually find an old message when you need it, but keeping every searchable email in your inbox creates clutter and makes the inbox harder to manage. Instead, create one folder or label for older emails and move them there. The name does not matter; the goal is to give yourself one place to search later.
    • What to call it? It doesn’t matter. Call it what works for your brain: Old Inbox, Past Inbox, Past Emails, Reference…
    • How many old emails to move? For most people, anything more than a month or two old is no longer actionable. If two months feels safer to you, that’s perfectly fine. The goal isn’t to be perfect, it’s to get your inbox back to a manageable size. You’ll want to move a block of emails from your inbox into your Reference folder.
  • The goal is to clear the clutter as quickly as possible to give yourself a fighting chance to get your inbox under control. The more emails you leave in your inbox the more decisions you’ll have to make. Remember, you’re just moving where you search, it’s a waste of time to worry about processing them – we’re moving forward!
  • Move old emails in blocks. If you try to move too many at once, your computer may slow down or freeze, so try 100 or 200 at a time. To select a group, click one email, hold Shift, click another email, and then drag the selected block into your new Reference folder.
  • Sometimes Gmail may leave messages in your inbox if they still have the Inbox label. If that happens, ask AI how to remove the Inbox label after moving or archiving messages. The point is to clear your inbox, not just copy messages somewhere else.

Can AI help with this? Not much. This part is mostly mechanical: selecting older emails and moving them into one reference folder. The good news is that there is very little thinking involved. Put something not too compelling on TV, move emails in manageable batches, and remember: this is a once-and-done task.

Step 2: Processing what’s left in your inbox

Before AI:

  • Sort by sender and file or delete what’s no longer actionable.
  • Sort by subject and clean up duplicate or outdated threads.
  • Set up rules for recurring emails you need to keep but don’t need to see regularly, such as newsletters, shipping notifications, and receipts.
  • Organize what remains by priority.

With AI: Let AI become your assistant.  These AI prompts do not ask AI to make decisions for you. They ask AI to show you the landscape so you can decide faster.

  • Show me every newsletter I’ve never opened (then you decide: do you unsubscribe or make a rule to move it automatically out of your inbox into a folder.)
  • Group similar emails – instead of having to read and process 50 emails you can read 2 or 3 and decide on the action.
  • Find emails that require responses – let AI help you identify what’s actionable
  • Identify duplicate threads
  • Summarize long conversations
  • Suggest rules
  • Find commitments
  • Identify emails I’ve already answered that no longer require any action.
  • What kind of emails do I have left in my inbox? A few minutes later it returns this:
    • 212 newsletters
    • 43 receipts
    • 18 travel confirmations
    • 5 legal documents
    • 9 unanswered client emails
    • 7 commitments
    • 11 invoices awaiting payment

Instead of spending 90 minutes figuring out what’s in your inbox, you can spend those 90 minutes deciding what actually deserves your attention. Now you’re talking about priorities. That’s a huge shift.

Step 3: Respond in a timely manner

Stay on top of your emails daily and respond promptly to emails that need to be addressed today.

Before AI:

    • We’re going to sort your emails by priority (I love using categories for this, more details here, and if you love this idea, buy my book and read chapter 12) so you are working on the most important emails first.
    • Then you are going to take it one email at a time and respond… and respond…and respond

With AI:

    • I still love sorting by categories, so I know what to do first
    • Let AI help you draft a response. Instead of reading, thinking, and writing from scratch, give AI three key points you want to communicate and ask it to “write a concise response.”

Things I would never let AI do:

    • I would never let AI permanently decide about Delete – File – Action. Those are judgment decisions. You could, however, ask for recommendations.
      • AI suggests
      • Human decides

Other Things to consider:

    • When should you trust AI? Always verify.
    • How do you avoid becoming lazy? Let AI be your collaborator and editor.
    • Don’t ask it to think for you, ask it to think with you.
    • How do you keep your authentic voice? Over time AI will learn your style, however if something is important discipline yourself to write from scratch. Allow it to help you think… but then start a fresh document and start writing.

Connecting AI to your email

  • ChatGPT can now connect directly to supported email accounts for eligible plans. Claude is moving in this direction as well, and there are also dedicated AI email assistants. But whether someone can connect depends heavily on whether it’s a personal account or a company-managed account.
  • Personal Gmail or Outlook
    • This is the easiest.
    • A user goes into ChatGPT Settings → Connectors (or Apps, depending on the interface), signs into Gmail or Outlook, grants permission, and then ChatGPT can search, summarize, and reference their mailbox when asked. It can also work with calendars and contacts if those connectors are enabled.
    • For example, someone could ask:
      • “What emails require a reply?”
      • “Summarize everything from Susan over the last two weeks.”
      • “Find invoices I haven’t responded to.”
      • “What commitments did I make yesterday?”
    • That’s a very different experience than copying and pasting emails into ChatGPT.
  • Corporate Accounts
    • Many companies don’t allow employees to simply connect AI to corporate email. But those companies do have corporate AI tools that are integrated and approved. If your company uses ChatGPT Enterprise, you can connect through that. If your company uses Microsoft Copilot, you can connect through that. If your company uses Google Gemini, you can connect through that.  Ask your IT department which AI tools are approved in your organization, then ask that AI assistant how to connect to your email.

AI is changing how we work, but it isn’t changing the fundamentals of productivity.

Your inbox still needs a trusted system. Your priorities still require judgment. Your relationships still deserve thoughtful responses.

Let AI handle more of the organizing so you can spend more time making good decisions.

Want to Build an Email System That Actually Works?

AI is changing how we process information, but it doesn’t replace the need for a trusted productivity system. In Productivity for How You’re Wired, I walk you through the complete email methodology—including how to reduce inbox clutter, organize actionable email, create sustainable systems, and build productivity habits that fit how you’re wired. The technology will continue to evolve. The principles won’t. If you’re ready to create a calmer, more intentional way of working, you’ll find practical strategies you can use immediately. Available wherever books are sold, including Amazon in print, eBook, and audio.

17 Jun

Posted at 16:25h in Leadership, Productivity, Productivity for Leaders, Time Management

how to find a productivity coach in the age of ai

Finding a productivity coach used to be relatively straightforward. You searched online, looked at a few websites, and contacted someone who seemed like a good fit. Today, it’s surprisingly harder. For years, if you searched for a productivity coach, you generally found productivity coaches. Today, you might find a directory, a training school, a software company, a YouTube channel, a bestselling author, or an AI-generated list of experts—many of whom aren’t available for coaching. That’s not necessarily wrong, but it does make it harder for someone seeking actual coaching to find the help they’re looking for.

Having worked in the productivity field since 2001, I’ve watched the search landscape change dramatically. What concerns me isn’t technology itself. What concerns me is whether people looking for help can actually find it. The challenge is no longer finding information. The challenge is finding the right information. And when it comes to coaching, finding the right person matters. If you’re overwhelmed, stuck, or struggling to create a more productive work life, here are a few things to consider when looking for a coach.

Decide Whether Professional Coach Training Matters to You: Anyone can call themselves a coach today. There are no licensing requirements and no universal standards. That doesn’t mean every coach needs a credential, but it does mean you should understand what you’re getting. If professional coaching skills are important to you, look for someone who has completed a recognized coaching program and earned a credential through an organization such as the International Coaching Federation (ICF). Training and certification don’t guarantee a great coach, but they do demonstrate a commitment to learning, competency, ongoing development, and adherence to an established code of ethics.

Look for Expertise in the Areas Where You Need Help: Productivity is a broad term. Some coaches focus on time management. Others specialize in leadership, ADHD, business growth, organization, executive effectiveness, work-life integration, or team productivity. Before you start your search, spend a little time identifying what kind of support you’re actually seeking. Then look for coaches whose experience and expertise align with those needs. A coach may be excellent, but if they primarily work with college students and you’re leading a growing business, the fit may not be right.

Make Sure Their Approach Matches What You’re Looking For: Not every productivity offering is coaching. Some programs are structured courses. Some are accountability programs. Some are consulting engagements. Some are true one-on-one coaching relationships. None of these approaches are inherently better than the others. The question is whether the format matches what you need. If you’re looking for personalized support, individual coaching may be the best fit. If you’re primarily seeking education and tools, a course might serve you well.

Find Out Whether They Actually Coach: Many of the most visible names in productivity are authors, speakers, trainers, or content creators. They may have brilliant ideas and excellent books, but they don’t necessarily work directly with clients. If your goal is to have a thinking partner who helps you navigate challenges, create sustainable systems, and make meaningful changes, verify that the person you’re considering actively coaches clients. A coach who teaches a system helps you implement their methodology. A coach who coaches a person helps you build a way of working that fits your strengths, challenges, goals, and circumstances. Neither approach is wrong. They are simply different.

Look Beyond the First Results: Search engines and AI tools don’t always prioritize actual coaches. Your search results may include coaching directories, coach training programs, articles about coaching, podcasts, software tools, sponsored advertisements, or bestselling authors who have written about what worked for them, but whose expertise may be different from helping someone else discover what works best for them. Those resources can be valuable, but they may not help you find a coach you can actually hire. As you search, try to distinguish between information about coaching and the coaches themselves. You may even want to skip past sponsored results and directory listings to explore the websites of individual coaches.

Talk With More Than One Coach: If coaching is a significant investment for you, talk with more than one coach. Compare their approach, experience, personality, and philosophy. Read their websites. Look for client success stories. Pay attention to whether they clearly explain who they help and how they help them. The goal isn’t to find the “best” coach. The goal is to find the coach who is the best fit for you.

Trust the Conversation: After all the research, credentials, testimonials, and AI searches, most people ultimately decide based on the conversation. Ask yourself:

  • Do I feel understood?
  • Do I trust this person?
  • Can I imagine talking openly with them when things get difficult?
  • Do I leave the conversation feeling clearer, more hopeful, or more energized?

The answers to those questions often tell you more than a list of certifications.

Is Ellen Faye the Right Coach for You?

If you’ve read this far, you may be wondering whether I’m the right coach for you. The truth is, I’m not the right coach for everyone. My clients are typically professionals, business owners, nonprofit leaders, and emerging or established leaders who are successful by most measures but know they’re capable of more. They may be overwhelmed, struggling to manage competing priorities, facing leadership challenges, building a business, navigating change, or simply trying to create a more sustainable way of working.

What makes my approach different is that I don’t separate productivity from leadership, business, or life. Your calendar affects your leadership. Your leadership affects your team. Your business affects your time. And all of it affects your quality of life. As a Professional Certified Coach (PCC), Certified Productivity Leadership Coach (CPLC), and Certified Professional Organizer (CPO®), I’ve spent more than two decades helping clients turn ideas, goals, and good intentions into meaningful results. Some clients come to me because they want better systems, improved focus, and greater productivity. Others are looking for support as leaders, business owners, or decision-makers. Many discover that the real solution lies in addressing all of those areas together.

If you’re considering coaching, I encourage you to explore my client success stories, learn more about my approach, and compare me to other coaches you’re considering. The right coach isn’t necessarily the most famous or the easiest to find online. It’s the person whose skills, experience, approach, and personality align with what you need right now. In an age when AI can generate hundreds of recommendations in seconds, the human connection still matters. Perhaps now more than ever.

Ready to Create a More Sustainable Way of Working?

Whether you decide to hire a coach or go it alone, the goal is the same: creating a way of working that helps you succeed without sacrificing your well-being. My book, Productivity for How You’re Wired, offers a practical roadmap for designing routines, systems, and habits that fit your strengths, preferences, and real life. Instead of forcing yourself into someone else’s productivity system, you’ll learn how to create an approach that works for you. Because productivity shouldn’t leave you exhausted. It should help you create a better life. Available on Amazon in print, eBook, and audio.

15 May

Posted at 16:25h in Focus and Prioritize, Intentional Productivity, Productivity for Leaders, Stress Management, Time Management

By the time summer rolls around, many people are running on fumes. The year started with energy, optimism, and ambitious plans. You set goals. You committed to new habits. You promised yourself this would be the year you finally got ahead.

And then real life happened. Work expanded to fill every available space. Responsibilities multiplied. Personal commitments piled on. The pace accelerated. Somewhere along the way, productivity quietly shifted from purposeful to relentless.

So this is your reminder — especially if no one else is saying it: Work hard. But don’t kill yourself doing it.

An occasional sprint is normal. A season of extra effort may even be necessary at times. But exhaustion should not become your baseline. Working seven days a week, staying up until midnight every night, and sacrificing your health, relationships, and peace of mind is not sustainable productivity. It’s survival mode disguised as ambition. And the hard truth is that most workplaces won’t stop you. Organizations are often focused on immediate needs: this quarter’s numbers, today’s deadlines, the next problem to solve. They are not thinking about your future self — the version of you who wants energy left for family, friendships, creativity, health, and joy. They are not thinking about the weekends you spend recovering because you pushed yourself too hard all week. Or the family dinners you missed. Or the slow accumulation of stress that eventually catches up with your body and mind.

And if you work for yourself, this conversation becomes even more important.

  • Why are you pushing so hard?
  • What are you trying to prove?
  • And to whom?

So many high-achieving professionals operate from an unspoken belief that their worth is tied to output. If they work harder, stay later, achieve more, and carry more, then maybe they will finally feel successful enough, valuable enough, safe enough.

But worthiness is not earned through exhaustion. You do not have to destroy your quality of life to demonstrate that you are intelligent, capable, committed, or deserving of success. This is one of the reasons I believe so strongly in intentional productivity. Real productivity is not about squeezing every ounce of energy from yourself. It’s about creating a way of working and leading that is sustainable — one that supports both effectiveness and quality of life. That’s why mid-year is such a valuable time to pause and reset. Not to abandon your goals, but to reevaluate them honestly. Ask yourself:

  • What is working well right now?
  • What is draining more energy than it’s worth?
  • Which goals still matter — and which were based on unrealistic expectations?
  • Where have I overcommitted?
  • What would make work feel more sustainable?
  • What do I need more of to feel like myself again?

For many people, the answer is not “work harder.” It’s clearer priorities, more realistic planning, and systems that actually fit how they are wired.

  • Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is let go of a goal that no longer aligns with reality.
  • Sometimes it’s reducing the number of priorities competing for your attention.
  • Sometimes it’s accepting that your calendar should reflect not only your responsibilities, but also your humanity.

Because here’s what I’ve learned after years of coaching leaders and professionals:

  • You can build a successful career and still have a life.
  • You can care deeply about your work without sacrificing your health.
  • You can be ambitious without living in a constant state of depletion.
  • And ironically, people often become more effective when they stop operating at an unsustainable pace. Clear thinking improves. Decision fatigue decreases. Creativity returns. Relationships strengthen. Leadership becomes steadier and more grounded.

Better work really does support a better life. So before summer fully arrives, give yourself permission to reset intentionally. Not because you’re failing. Not because you aren’t doing enough. But because sustainable success requires recalibration along the way.

Your future self will thank you for it.

Ready to create a more sustainable way of working?

If you’re ready to figure out how to work better and live better, my book, Productivity for How You’re Wired, offers a practical roadmap for designing work, routines, and systems that fit how you’re wired—so success doesn’t come at the expense of your well-being. Because productivity shouldn’t leave you depleted. It should help you create a better life.

Available on Amazon in print, eBook, and audio.

09 Apr

Posted at 19:36h in Envision Possibilities, Intentional Productivity, Tips for Easier Living

Friction Points: How to Spot Them—and Solve Them: Small changes that make life easier.

You know those little annoyances that quietly follow you around? The thing that’s just inconvenient enough to bug you—but not urgent enough to fix. So it lingers. Day after day. Slightly draining your energy. Taking more effort than it should. Living rent-free in your life.

That’s a friction point.

And here’s the thing: most friction points are completely fixable. We just don’t stop long enough to do something about it. Instead, we work around them. We tolerate them. We tell ourselves, “It’s fine.” But what if it didn’t have to be?

How to Spot (and Solve) a Friction Point

If something has been mildly frustrating you for a while, it’s worth paying attention to. A small fix can create a surprisingly big shift. Here’s a simple process to work through it:

1) Notice the issue: What’s been bothering you—even just a little? If it’s recurring, it’s worth your attention.

2) Identify the problem: Why is this bothering you? What’s actually not working?

3) Consider solutions: You can go structured (pros/cons, ranking options)… Or intuitive (pick something that feels like it might work). Either is fine—this is about movement, not perfection.

4) Implement: Try something. Not the perfect thing. Just a thing.

5) Assess (and tweak if needed): Did it help? If yes—great. If not—adjust and try again.

Example #1: Recycling

1) Notice the issue: For a long time, I noticed that getting my recycling to the garage in my condo building was a hassle—but I didn’t stop to really think about it.

2) Identify the problem: The issue wasn’t recycling itself—it was that I didn’t have an efficient way to store and transport it. I was making multiple trips, dropping things, and dealing with clutter in my space.

3) Consider solutions: I tried using a grocery cart, which helped a bit. But what I really needed was a larger, contained space to hold bulky recycling—something that wouldn’t require constant trips downstairs.

4) Implement: I bought a Hulkie—a large rolling bin—and started keeping it in my guest room. Now I toss all bulky recycling into it as it accumulates.

5) Assess: It works beautifully. I only need to take the bulk recycling down once every week or two, and it’s easy. It’s become an autopilot system—and something I no longer think about. And…it no longer frustrates me!

Example #2: This Blog

I’ve been blogging since 2008. That’s a long time—and if I’m being honest, I’ve gotten bored with the process.  So sometime’s it’s hard to stay on my schedule. But I still believe it matters. So instead of stopping, I asked: Is there a way to make this easier?

1) Notice the issue: I knew I wasn’t blogging consistently—even though it’s something I care about.

2) Identify the problem: The issue wasn’t ideas or skill. It was motivation. I needed more than “I should do this” to get started.

3) Consider solutions: I tried batching posts—didn’t work. I tried putting it on my task list—too easy to ignore. I realized I needed a stronger cue and some external accountability.

4) Implement: I asked my virtual assistant to email me at the beginning of each month asking for my blog post.

5) Assess: It works. That email sitting in my inbox is just enough of a nudge to get me to write. I do the writing, and she handles the rest. The system supports consistency without forcing it. And…you get a post every month!

The Bigger Point

Friction points aren’t just annoyances. They’re opportunities. Each one is a place where your life could be easier, smoother, and more aligned with how you actually want to work and live.

But only if you pause long enough to notice—and choose to do something about it.

You don’t need to overhaul everything. Just start with one thing. One small friction point. Fix it. And then notice how much lighter everything feels.

Your Turn

Now I’m curious about you… What’s a friction point in your life that you’ve been quietly tolerating?

Something small. Something recurring. Something that’s just annoying enough to drain your energy—but not urgent enough that you’ve fixed it.

Now that you’ve noticed it, what might your solution be?

Drop it in the comments—your friction point and one possible fix. You don’t need a perfect answer. Just a starting point. Because once you name it and give it a little attention, it’s often much easier to solve than you think.

Ready to make work easier?

If this idea of reducing friction resonates with you, my book Productivity for How You’re Wired, goes deeper into how to design systems, routines, and workflows that actually work for you—not against you. Because when your work fits how you’re wired, everything gets easier. You can find it on Amazon in print, eBook, and audio.

18 Mar

Posted at 11:27h in Attention Managment, Focus and Prioritize, Organize to Thrive, Tips for Easier Living

While I don’t consider myself an ADHD coach, over the years in my work as a professional organizer, coach, and productivity trainer I’ve had a great deal of training and learned a lot about supporting clients who live with ADHD and other executive function challenges. Although I haven’t worked hands-on in clients’ physical spaces since before the pandemic — hard to believe that’s now six years ago — I spent two decades organizing homes and offices after launching my business in 2001. I added coaching to my practice in 2008 and began fully integrating organizing and coaching work in 2011.

Recently, a colleague invited me to present on organizing at the International ADHD Virtual Conference. Preparing for that session reminded me that many of the principles I’ve taught for years are especially helpful for people whose brains process decisions, structure, and follow-through differently.

Here are a few highlights — ideas that can help anyone create systems that make life easier.

  • When people think about getting organized, they often imagine labeled bins, color-coded planners, or picture-perfect spaces. But real organization — the kind that truly supports your life — isn’t about aesthetics. It’s about reducing friction.
  • Being organized is not a personality trait or a moral virtue. It’s a quality-of-life strategy. It reduces stress, saves time, and prevents unnecessary frustration so you can direct your energy toward what matters most. Small systems make a big difference. Something as simple as consistently putting your keys in the same place can eliminate daily stress. These practical habits reduce frition and create calm and reliability in otherwise busy lives.
  • When you make a decision to do something, pause and ask yourself “how am I going to remember to remember?”  It could be to put the box in front of the front door so you see it when you leave, or to set an alarm, or to put a note in your chair that you have to pick up to sit down.  But it has to be something! Your brain works off of cues, and if there is no cue to remember it’s just not going to happen.
  • A major reason organizing systems fail is that they don’t match how people are naturally wired. Each of us has a different structure preference — the amount of order and routine we need to function well. Some thrive with highly structured systems; others feel overwhelmed by too many rules. Many do best with moderate structure: enough clarity to support action, but not so much that it creates resistance. Understanding your structure preference helps you design systems that work with your behavior rather than against it. The goal is not perfection. The goal is usability.
  • This is why I often say: If it’s not easy, it’s too hard. Systems that require excessive decisions, effort, or maintenance rarely last. Simplifying processes — and limiting choices — conserves mental energy and improves follow-through.
  • A great example of this is underestimating how long tasks take. We tend to think only about the active portion — the meeting, the errand, the project work — and overlook preparation and cleanup. Planning for the full arc of a task reduces stress and creates more realistic expectations…and reduces friction because we anticipate more realistically.

Ultimately, organizing is not just about managing physical space. It is a foundational element of personal and professional productivity. When your environment supports your workflow, decision-making becomes easier, priorities become clearer, and momentum becomes more sustainable. Whether at home or at work, thoughtful organizing creates the conditions for better focus, stronger execution, and more intentional use of time and energy.

Where Can You Reduce Friction?

If you’d like more specific ideas, my book , Productivity for How You’re Wired, offers practical tools and insights to help you design systems that support the way you think, work, and live. Available on Amazon in print, eBook, and audio.

19 Feb

Posted at 18:40h in Attention Managment, Focus and Prioritize, Intentional Productivity, Productivity for Leaders, Stress Management

 

If the things that matter most keep getting pushed aside, the problem may not be time — it may be what’s competing for your attention.

Sorting through five days of mail after being out of town, I heard myself say – out loud – “I’m never subscribing to another magazine again.” It wasn’t really about the magazines. For years, when I’ve spoken about managing paper, we’ve talked about that subtle sense of obligation — the feeling that if something comes into our home or office, we should read it. We should give it our attention. And there I was, doing the very same thing.

My Harvard Business Review and Nutrition Action Health letter — the ones I actually value — were barely being opened. Meanwhile, I was spending my limited casual reading time on grocery store flyers, unsolicited catalogs, and local magazines I never asked for in the first place.

That’s when it hit me: I wasn’t just mismanaging my reading. I was misdirecting my attention. And attention is one of our most precious resources.

A focus problem disguised as a paper problem

Overwhelm rarely comes from having too much that matters. It comes from too much that doesn’t competing for our attention. Every item we keep creates tiny decisions:

  • Should I read this?
  • When will I get to it?
  • Do I need this?

Those micro-decisions create mental clutter – and mental clutter makes focus harder. Today, this shows up far beyond paper. It’s the movie you’ve genuinely wanted to watch for months – the one you intentionally chose – competing with 60 TikTok’s you never meant to open. Same time spent. Very different result. One leaves you restored or inspired. The other leaves you wondering where the evening went. The issue isn’t time. It’s attention drift.

A better-aligned system

I needed a system that worked with my real life — not the life I imagined I should be living. So I made a few small changes:

  • I moved my priority reading to where I naturally sit — the kitchen island and family room.
  • I (ruthlessly) recycle unwanted material immediately.
  • I spend my reading time on what I intentionally chose, not what simply arrived.

Same 15 minutes. Completely different outcome.

Designing for how you actually live

Here’s another truth: most of my reading now happens on my computer or phone. My Substack and LinkedIn feeds bring thoughtful, relevant content aligned with my interests and work. So this isn’t about eliminating magazines — or streaming, or social media. It’s about being honest about what you value, how you naturally operate, and designing systems that support both. Because productivity isn’t about forcing yourself to work the “right” way. It’s about making it easier to do what matters.

The leadership connection

This same dynamic shows up at work every day. Leaders don’t struggle because they lack priorities. They struggle because too many non-priorities are allowed to compete with them.

  • Unread reports
  • Unnecessary meetings
  • Low-value requests
  • Constant digital noise

When everything asks for attention, the truly important work quietly loses. Productivity — for individuals and leaders alike — isn’t about doing more. It’s about protecting attention so the right work gets done.

The bigger picture

This small shift is about far more than reading material. It’s about:

  • Choosing intentionally instead of reacting automatically
  • Removing what competes for your attention
  • Making space for what matters most

When you do that, focus gets easier. Decisions get lighter. And overwhelm begins to fade. So if the things that matter to you aren’t getting your attention, don’t ask: “What’s wrong with me?”

Ask instead: “How can I make the important things easier to reach — and the unimportant things easier to let go?” That’s where thriving begins.  And it’s how work – and life – start to work better.

Protect What Matters Most

Attention is at the heart of productivity. In my book, Productivity for How You’re Wired, I help readers understand their unique productivity style and build systems that support focus, clarity, and meaningful progress — without forcing themselves into someone else’s method.

Available on Amazon in print, eBook, and audio.