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Why You Never Feel Productive Enough

Welcome to Effective Habits, a weekly newsletter where I share evidence-based strategies and tools to help you live a happy, healthy, and productive life.

Today at a Glance:

• What Are Irrational Thoughts & How Can I Manage Them?

• Improve Working Memory & Attention

• How To Stop Feeling Productivity Shame

What Are Irrational Thoughts & How Can I Manage Them?
Olivia Guy-Evans & Dr. Saul McLeod

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Irrational thoughts are those sudden, illogical ideas or mental images that can spark anxiety despite having little or no basis in reality, like convincing yourself you’ll fail a presentation even when you’re well-prepared, or assuming a friend is upset with you simply because they’re quiet. They often show up as cognitive distortions, like catastrophizing, all-or-nothing thinking, or personalization, that exaggerate danger, dismiss positives, or distort perspective. While everyone experiences them occasionally, they can become harmful when frequent or taken too seriously, fueling anxiety, depression, and self-doubt in a vicious cycle. These thoughts tend to thrive on “what ifs” and the brain’s desire for certainty, convincing us that something terrible is about to happen or that we’re at fault for events outside our control. Left unchecked, they shrink confidence, limit opportunities, and strain mental health. The good news? Recognizing these distorted patterns is the first step to loosening their grip, questioning their validity, and breaking the loop that keeps them alive.

🎬Action!

1. Catch, Check, Change

   1. Catch it: Notice and label the irrational thought as it arises. Ask yourself, “What thought just went through my mind?”

   2. Check it: Challenge the thought by questioning its truth. Ask, “What evidence supports this? What evidence contradicts it? Are there alternative explanations?”

   3. Change it: Replace the thought with a more balanced and realistic one. Focus on accuracy and helpfulness, not blind positivity.

2. Keep a Thought Record. Writing things down makes the process of challenging irrational thoughts concrete. Record the situation, the thought you had, and the emotions it triggered. Then, weigh the evidence for and against the thought, and finish with a more balanced conclusion. This practice helps weaken fear and trains your mind to look at situations more logically.

3. Practice Mindfulness and Grounding. Mindfulness and grounding techniques keep you anchored in the present, which disrupts the “what if” loop of irrational thoughts. Whether through meditation, deep breathing, or simply describing your immediate surroundings, these practices teach you to observe thoughts without attaching to them and redirect your focus back to reality.

4. Shift Into Problem-Solving Mode. When the thought relates to a real, solvable issue, move from worry to action. Make a plan, prepare, or seek support so your brain feels reassured that you’re addressing the situation. For the parts you can’t control, remind yourself you’ve done what you can and consciously let go of the rest.

5. Reduce Reassurance-Seeking and Google Searches. Constantly asking others for validation or scouring the internet for worst-case scenarios only strengthens irrational thoughts. Instead, practice tolerating uncertainty a little longer before seeking reassurance. Often the initial spike of anxiety fades on its own once you stop feeding the cycle.

6. Talk It Out. Sharing irrational thoughts with a trusted person can bring relief and perspective. Simply saying the thought out loud often makes it sound less likely, and others can offer gentle reminders of what’s real. If irrational thoughts are significantly disrupting your life, consider professional therapy, where proven techniques like CBT can be tailored to your needs.

Improve Working Memory & Attention
Dr. Andrew Huberman

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Working memory is like your brain’s temporary notepad—the mental space where you hold onto just enough information to get a task done, like remembering a phone number long enough to dial it or keeping directions in mind while walking to a new place. Once the task is complete, that space clears so you can focus on something else. This flexible system depends heavily on attention and the brain chemical dopamine, making it a critical player in how well you switch between tasks, stay productive, and maintain focus throughout your day.

🎬Action!

1. Test Your Working Memory. Start by measuring your baseline working memory with two quick tests.

   1. Test One: Try a digit-span task online. The longest sequence you can accurately recall indicates whether you fall into the low, moderate, or high working memory group.

   2. Test Two: Listen to six sentences and recall one target word from each at the end. If you remember 0–2 words, you’re in the low group; 3–4 words is average; 5–6 is high.

   3. Your results reflect not only working memory capacity but also your baseline dopamine levels, since studies show higher working memory correlates with more dopamine in the prefrontal cortex. Don’t worry if your results are low—there are many tools you can use to strengthen working memory.

2. Use Behavioral Tools to Boost Working Memory.

   1. Practice NSDR (Non-Sleep Deep Rest): Do 10–20 minutes of NSDR or yoga nidra 2–3 times per week using a guided script. These practices relax the body, increase dopamine by up to 60% in key brain regions, and improve cognitive performance.

   2. Incorporate Deliberate Cold Exposure: Take a cold shower or cold plunge for 1–3 minutes, submerging up to your neck, ideally in water between 40–50°F (adjust as needed for safety). Use this 30–60 minutes before tasks that require strong focus—it boosts dopamine and leaves you alert yet calm for hours afterward. (Note: Beware that it also suppresses workout adaptations and should ideally be done several hours after.)

   3. Try Binaural Beats: Experiment with listening to 13–30 Hz binaural beats before or during study/work sessions. Some studies show they improve working memory performance, especially in those with lower baseline dopamine. Use YouTube or apps that provide binaural beat tracks.

3. Consider Supplements and Prescriptions (With Medical Guidance). Always prioritize behavioral tools first. If you choose to explore supplements, consult your doctor before making changes.

   1. L-tyrosine: Start with about 5 mg per kg (2.2 lbs) body weight, and adjust to find your minimal effective dose. This amino acid is a precursor to dopamine and can support working memory.

   2. Mucuna pruriens: Begin cautiously with 250–500 mg (discuss with your doctor first). This supplement contains L-dopa, a direct dopamine precursor, but can cause a “crash” when effects wear off.

   3. Prescription medications (like Adderall, Ritalin, Vyvanse, modafinil, or bromocriptine) can also enhance working memory and attention but should only be used under professional medical supervision.

How To Stop Feeling Productivity Shame
Jory MacKay

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Productivity shame is the nagging sense that no matter how much you get done, it’s never enough—a mindset rooted in outdated notions of output and fueled by modern, open-ended workdays filled with emails, meetings, and endless to-dos. Unlike factory work, knowledge work rarely has clear stopping points, yet many still equate value with how much gets crossed off a list, leading to busywork, blurred boundaries, and guilt for resting or doing anything “unproductive.” This cycle of unrealistic expectations and constant self-pressure erodes well-being, creativity, and satisfaction, leaving people exhausted but unfulfilled. Breaking free means redefining what “enough” looks like—setting realistic goals, recognizing the limits of daily output, and learning that satisfaction doesn’t come from doing everything, but from doing the right things and allowing space to stop.

🎬Action!

1. Redefine what productivity means. Stop equating busyness with productivity. Instead of chasing emails, meetings, and endless tasks, focus on doing the right things. Ask yourself regularly: Is this task meaningful and worth my energy? Prioritize quality over sheer quantity, and protect time for deep focus where real progress happens

2. Break big goals into smaller wins. Recognize that most people only have about 12–15 hours of truly focused, productive time each week—not the 40+ hours we imagine. If you plan as though you have unlimited time, you’ll almost always feel behind and sink into productivity shame. Instead, break ambitious goals into smaller, realistic steps that fit into the time you actually have. Track these wins daily to build momentum and reinforce progress, even when you can’t do it all.

3. Build systems that support you. Don’t rely on motivation alone. Set up tools and frameworks that keep you moving when your energy dips. Time trackers help you see where hours go, while digital to-do lists keep priorities visible. A simple system like Getting Things Done (GTD) can be a game-changer:

   1. Capture everything that comes your way (tasks, ideas, commitments) in one trusted place.

   2. Clarify what each item means and break it into the next actionable step.

   3. Organize items into categories (e.g., “Next Actions,” “Waiting For,” “Projects”).

   4. Reflect with a quick weekly review to clean up and refocus.

   5. Engage by working on the next most important action instead of juggling everything in your head.

4. Disconnect deliberately. Create an end-of-day ritual to signal to your brain that work is done. Step away from your workspace, relax with a non-work activity, engage in hobbies that build mastery, and set boundaries that give you control. This separation restores energy and prevents the feeling that you should always be “on.”

5. Define what “enough” looks like. Set realistic thresholds for success rather than impossible standards. One way to do this is through Objectives and Key Results (OKRs). Start by writing down an Objective (a clear, ambitious goal) and then add 2–3 Key Results (measurable outcomes that indicate progress). For example: Objective: Improve client satisfaction. Key Results: Increase survey scores from 70% to 85%, reduce support ticket time from 48h to 24h. Crucially, set your “success threshold” around 60–70% achievement—enough to stretch yourself but not so high that you always feel like you’re failing.

TOOL TIP

Blip: An app available for Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and Linux that allows you to send any size file right from your desktop. Blip is not just another file-sharing site like WeTransfer which requires you to upload files and share them through public links. With Blip you get to enjoy a lightweight app that integrates seamlessly with your devices and drives, so you can send files instantly and directly to the recipient. And unlike websites, you can handle files and folders of any size with Blip, no need to worry about size limits or zipping.

FUN FACT

Your brain is constantly eating itself. This process is called phagocytosis, where cells envelop and consume smaller cells or molecules to remove them from the system. Don’t worry! Phagocytosis isn't harmful, but actually helps preserve your grey matter.

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Disclaimer: The information provided in this newsletter is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult a medical professional for advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We are not liable for any risks or issues that may arise from using this information.