Have you ever felt like you’re carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders—juggling work, family, relationships, and personal goals—yet still feel like it’s never enough? If so, you’re not alone. I firmly believe women today have a major productivity problem! We’re running our homes, holding down one (or two) jobs, managing endless responsibilities, and still find ourselves feeling guilty, overwhelmed, and stressed that we haven’t done more.
And here’s the kicker: We’re already the most productive people on the planet. Between raising children, caring for loved ones, tending our homes, volunteering in the community, and excelling at our careers, we often end up sacrificing our own well-being to meet endless external expectations. The result? Exhaustion, self-doubt, and a nagging sense that we’re failing—when in truth, we just need a new perspective on productivity.
Yes, planning can help, but much of the advice out there sends us down the wrong path, glorifying busy schedules and 4am hustle mindsets. Stickers and washi tape won’t fix overwhelm if we don’t address the deeper issues behind our never-ending to-do lists. We need to shift our focus away from doing “all the things” and learn to set meaningful boundaries, honor our priorities, and create balance on our own terms.
In this post, we’re going to challenge the notion that productivity is about cramming more into your day. Instead, we’ll explore how real balance emerges when you get honest about what truly matters, stop measuring your worth against external “shoulds,” and channel your energy into the tasks, goals, and aspirations that light you up. Let’s dig in and discover how to get more done in 2025—without losing yourself in the process.
Why Women Feel Overwhelmed
Let’s talk about why we, as women, feel so overwhelmed by our obligations—because let’s face it, we wear a lot of hats. We’ve never had so much power, freedom, and opportunity in history, but we’re also facing more expectations than ever before. Women are still expected to be the primary caregivers: raising children, caring for a spouse or aging family, tending the home, and volunteering in the community. And at the same time, many of us work one (or even two) full-time jobs, with more women now serving as head of household or the primary breadwinner.
So, here we are—quite literally running the world—yet we’re still plagued by the sense that we’re failing. We feel like we’re not doing enough, and that constant stress leads us to continue sacrificing our personal energy everywhere else while ignoring our own well-being. That’s precisely where the overwhelm and guilt start to creep in, and why we end up feeling burnt out or resentful.
Adding fuel to the fire is the fact that society often glamorizes “busy” as if it’s a badge of honor. We’re told we should be able to juggle it all—perfect home, perfect job, perfect family life—without ever slowing down. But here’s the truth: none of us can run nonstop without consequences. We end up drained, anxious, and unsure of how to catch up, and the pressure to “do it all” only perpetuates the cycle.
The real problem is that we aren’t just not doing enough—we’re often doing too much of the wrong things, or at least too many things that don’t serve our genuine priorities. This leaves little room for self-care, rest, or joy. That’s why it’s so important to pause, reflect on what really matters, and cut out the tasks, expectations, and obligations that are keeping us in a perpetual state of overwhelm.
The Misconceptions of Hustle Culture
We’ve all heard it: “Eat, sleep, hustle, repeat!” or “The secret to my success is my 4am morning routine.” or my personal favorite, “You can sleep when you’re dead; the bags under my eyes are Chanel!” It’s all around us—this skewed advice that if we just pushed ourselves harder, managed our time better, and sacrificed more of our peace, we’d magically become super-productive.
But here’s the thing: this hustle culture is not sustainable, and it’s not even aligned with what truly drives productivity. Hustle culture glorifies busyness, and for many women, it becomes a never-ending treadmill of feeling like we need to do more—often to our own detriment. We end up comparing ourselves to those who proudly proclaim they work non-stop, which only leads us to burn out faster.
Yes, I’ve bought into these stereotypes before—and even perpetuated them at times—but not anymore. The truth is, women are already doing so much, and the hustle mindset only piles on additional stress and unrealistic expectations. We end up exhausted, questioning our worth, and wondering why we can’t keep up with this mythical ideal of “doing it all.”
Instead of subscribing to a 24/7 hustle, we need to focus on the results we want to achieve rather than ticking off endless tasks we think we “should” be doing. We have to stop should’ing ourselves to death—because that’s what hustle culture demands: an endless “should” list that never acknowledges our real capacity, needs, or well-being.
By letting go of the hustle mindset, we make space to prioritize, plan effectively, and set boundaries that safeguard our energy. After all, if we’re already working so hard, shouldn’t we ensure that our efforts align with what truly matters to us? Hustle culture doesn’t teach us that—we need to learn it for ourselves.
The Truth About Finding Balance
Let’s set the record straight: balance doesn’t mean you give equal time and energy to every area of your life. True balance comes from clarity on your priorities and the willingness to make intentional decisions about what you’ll focus on—and what you won’t. It means making space for the work and personal tasks that matter most, rather than running yourself ragged trying to be all things to all people.
The reality is, you don’t need to do everything by yourself. You don’t need to chase every new project or say “yes” to every request that lands on your plate. In fact, trying to play superhero usually results in more stress, less joy, and missed opportunities to do the things that truly fulfill you. It’s easy to get caught up in external pressures and the ever-present fear of letting someone down, but if you never pause to consider your own goals and well-being, you’ll never find that elusive sense of “balance.”
A big piece of this puzzle is self-reflection—taking the time to understand what makes you happy, which tasks are aligned with your authentic values, and where your energy is best spent. That process isn’t always easy, especially if you’ve spent years chasing someone else’s definition of success. But once you recognize that your life is yours to shape, you unlock a powerful truth: you already have permission to prioritize what matters most to you.
Remember: balance doesn’t mean perfection. It doesn’t mean your schedule will always run like clockwork or that you’ll never feel pulled in different directions again. It means you have a compass guiding your decisions, and you can confidently say “no” to demands that don’t serve you. When you learn to stop should’ing yourself and start getting clear on who you are and what you want, real balance becomes a natural outcome—one that empowers you to get more done without sacrificing your well-being in the process.
Shifting Your Mindset to Embrace Your Worth
One of the biggest roadblocks women face on the path to productivity is not believing we’re enough. We tend to measure our worth by how many tasks we accomplish, how perfectly we juggle roles, or how consistently we meet everyone else’s expectations. But here’s the truth: you are already incredibly productive and capable, and no to-do list will ever define your value.
It’s time to give yourself credit for all that you do. You’ve been comparing yourself to others who might have different priorities, resources, or even support systems—yet you never stop to acknowledge the magnitude of what you alone handle every single day. When you’re constantly looking around and thinking “I should be doing more,” you undermine the great work you’re already doing.
Remember, your worth isn’t tied to how many checkmarks appear on your to-do list or how flawlessly you schedule your time. Your worth is inherent. It comes from who you are, not how perfectly you perform. That’s why it’s so essential to stop ‘should’ing yourself to death and start acknowledging that you’re already a strong, capable person who can make your own choices about what truly matters.
One powerful way to shift your mindset is to use daily affirmations—simple, intentional statements that reinforce positive beliefs about yourself. For instance:
> “I am a Smart, Strong, Capable Woman, and I’m Prepared to Get Shit Done!”
Repeating affirmations like this can help rewire your perspective so that, instead of feeling you’re behind or inadequate, you recognize that your productivity and potential are already within you. By embracing your self-worth, you’ll find it easier to filter out unhelpful external expectations, prioritize what genuinely matters, and finally make room for the balanced, fulfilling life you deserve.
Redefining “Getting More Done” in 2025
It’s time to throw out the idea that “getting more done” means adding endless tasks to your day. True productivity isn’t about checking off boxes just to say you did; it’s about aligning your work with what matters most in your life. That’s why I teach a system of defining “Priorities” (with a capital P)—the people, places, and institutions that deserve your focused energy because they help shape the life you truly want to live.
In my system, you limit yourself to 5 Priorities. Why five? Because you can only meaningfully devote yourself to a handful of areas without sacrificing your well-being. And here’s the rule: you must be Priority 1. Think of the airline analogy—if you don’t secure your own oxygen mask first, you can’t effectively help anyone else. It might feel strange to put yourself at the top of the list, but trust me, when you are taken care of, everything else you manage thrives, too.
Your other four Priorities can be anything that genuinely matters to you: your partner, children, job, home, community, religious institution—whatever resonates. But make sure each Priority is something you want to establish, increase, or maintain to a specific standard. The beauty of this approach is that it clarifies where to channel your energy each day. Instead of juggling a million random tasks, you filter your choices based on which Priorities they serve.
Once you have your five, the next step is to set up to three goals per Priority. These goals are tangible benchmarks or outcomes you want to achieve. If “Your Home” is a Priority, maybe one of your goals is to upgrade your living space by decluttering or renovating a particular room. If “Your Business” is a Priority, a goal might be to launch a new product or grow your audience by a certain number.
By defining—and limiting—your Priorities, you’ll see a dramatic shift in how you plan and execute your tasks. You’ll spend less time on meaningless busywork and more time on what truly deserves your attention. That’s how you get more done in 2025: by focusing on the things that deeply matter and giving yourself permission to let the rest go.
Practical Strategies to Bring More Balance
So, how do we take all these insights—about your worth, about redefining “getting more done,” and about setting 5 clear Priorities—and actually put them into practice? The truth is, it starts with getting a handle on the tasks that occupy your days. Here’s a simple yet powerful exercise to guide you toward living in alignment with your true Priorities rather than letting overwhelm rule your life:
1. Identify Your Top 5 Priorities
Write them down in order, with you as Priority 1. (Remember, you can’t show up for others if you aren’t showing up for yourself!)
2. Brain Dump Your Tasks
Under each Priority, list out every task or responsibility you’re managing—or would like to manage—to establish, increase, or maintain that area of your life. Don’t hold back; get it all on paper. This could be anything from scheduling doctor’s appointments for yourself to brainstorming a new marketing campaign for your business.
3. Apply the Eisenhower Matrix
Now, review each task and decide which quadrant of the Eisenhower Matrix it falls into:
– Important + Urgent: These tasks go on your to-do list right away; they matter to your Priority and need timely action.
– Important + Not Urgent: Schedule these tasks for a later date. They still matter, but there’s no immediate deadline or crisis.
– Not Important + Urgent: Delegate these tasks to someone else or find a system to handle them automatically. If it’s urgent to someone else but not significant to your Priority, it’s better not to let it derail your day.
– Not Important + Not Urgent: Delete or defer these tasks guilt-free. If they don’t move the needle for you, they’re just cluttering your schedule.
4. Delegate and Delete with Confidence
One of the biggest challenges women face is the guilt of handing off or ignoring tasks. But when you see, in black and white, that a task isn’t serving your Priority (or maybe anyone’s priority), it becomes much easier to let it go. The goal is to free up precious time and energy for the tasks that really matter to you.
5. Plan Your Next Moves
Finally, reorganize your “Important and Urgent” tasks into your planner or calendar to ensure you’re giving them the attention they deserve. For the “Important but Not Urgent” ones, set realistic deadlines or time blocks in your planner so you can chip away at them without panic.
By following this exercise—especially the Eisenhower Matrix step—you’ll be shocked at how many tasks you’ve been carrying around that don’t truly align with your 5 Priorities. Suddenly, you have permission to delegate, delete, or defer those tasks that aren’t pushing you closer to your goals. And that’s the key to genuine balance: focusing on the few activities that genuinely matter while confidently releasing the clutter that’s been weighing you down.
Finding genuine balance in your life isn’t about pushing yourself to do more. It’s about realigning your mindset around what truly matters, giving yourself permission to focus on fewer things—the right things—and confidently letting go of everything else. You already are a highly productive and capable individual; it’s simply a matter of recognizing your worth, honoring your 5 Priorities, and planning in a way that respects your time and energy.
If you need a quick reminder of just how powerful you are, repeat this affirmation:
> “I am a Smart, Strong, Capable Woman, and I’m Prepared to Get Shit Done!”
Let it guide you as you cultivate new habits, establish better boundaries, and set meaningful goals that push your life forward without burning you out.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
Join My How to Plan for a Balanced and Successful Life Workshop
If you’d like deeper, hands-on instruction for balancing personal items, work tasks, and everything in between, I invite you to sign up for my training workshop, How to Plan for a Balanced and Successful Life. In this workshop, you’ll learn:
– Practical methods for combining personal and professional priorities in your planner
– Step-by-step strategies for creating plans that accommodate all areas of your life
– Techniques to ensure you’re focusing on your most meaningful goals rather than getting lost in busywork
xoxo,
