Ten years. It’s a milestone that feels both like a lifetime and a blink of an eye.
When I first launched Positively Productive Systems, I had a simple goal: I wanted to help people feel less overwhelmed. I knew I cared deeply about organizing, simplifying, and protecting our energy. But more than that, I knew that the traditional productivity advice, the kind that prioritizes “grind culture,” simply didn’t fit real life. It certainly didn’t fit the lives of the caregivers and creatives I felt called to serve.
Nearly 300 podcast episodes and thousands of client conversations later, I’ve realized that I didn’t just teach people how to be productive; I grew alongside them. I’ve learned that productivity isn’t about doing more; it’s about supporting yourself through the life you’re actually living.
To celebrate a decade of this journey, I’m sharing the 10 core lessons that have shaped my philosophy and my business. Whether you’re a long-time listener of the Positively Living® Podcast or you’re just finding your way here, I hope these lessons offer you the same reassurance and inspiration they’ve given me.
1. Productivity Is Personal, Not Universal
The productivity industry loves a “one-size-fits-all” solution. But if a system doesn’t work for you, it’s rarely a failure of will—it’s usually a failure of fit. Different brains, bodies, and life seasons require different approaches. When you stop chasing someone else’s version of “working better” and start listening to your own rhythm, that’s when the magic happens.
2. Fluctuating Energy Is Normal (Plan for It!)
We’ve been conditioned to believe that consistency means doing the same amount of work at the same intensity every single day. For caregivers and neurodivergent creatives, that’s a recipe for burnout. Energy fluctuates. Capacity changes. Instead of a rigid schedule, try a structured plan with flexibility. Working with your limits rather than fighting against them leads to far better results.
3. “Good Enough” Beats Perfect
Perfectionism is often just rigidity masquerading as high standards. When we set “perfect” as the baseline, any life interruption feels like a total failure, making it harder to get back on track. Good enough is sustainable. It allows for pauses, pivots, and the days when life just “lifes” you. It keeps you in motion, and over ten years, I’ve seen that it’s consistent motion that builds true momentum.
4. Decluttering Is a Whole-Life Practice
Early on, I was a professional organizer focused on physical spaces. But I quickly realized that clutter isn’t just the stuff in your junk drawer. As Peter Walsh says, clutter is anything that gets in the way of how you want to live.
- Physical clutter: Visual noise in your home.
- Mental clutter: The endless to-do list and “mental load.”
- Emotional clutter: Old stories and guilt. By removing what blocks your clarity, you create the space necessary for productivity to feel effortless rather than forced.
5. Rest Is a Requirement, Not a Reward
If there is one lesson I’ve learned the hard way through burnout, it’s this: You do not need to earn your rest. Rest is the fuel that makes the work possible. Without it, your focus suffers and your nervous system stays stuck in overdrive. Rest is an essential business strategy and a fundamental human need.
6. Joy Fuels Productivity
We often treat joy as a “bonus” for when the work is done. But for multi-passionate people, joy is a primary fuel source. It restores energy and increases motivation. When you make space for what lights you up, you aren’t distracting yourself from your work; you are priming yourself to do it better.
7. Shame Is a Terrible Motivator
If shame worked, we’d all be “perfect” by now. While a sense of guilt might kickstart a frantic burst of energy, it eventually leads to avoidance and procrastination. Real, sustainable change comes from compassion and curiosity. When a system fails, don’t ask “What is wrong with me?” Ask “What didn’t work here, and how can I adjust?”
8. Systems Should Be Simple
There’s no extra credit for having the most complicated Notion board or a color-coded planner that takes an hour a day to maintain. The best systems are the ones you can actually use on your hardest, lowest-energy days. If a system requires constant willpower to maintain, it’s not a system—it’s a chore. Keep it simple enough to be easy.
9. Let the Season Guide Your Choices
Life moves in seasons: seasons of growth, seasons of maintenance, seasons of caregiving, and seasons of recovery. In a “maintenance” season, trying to hit “growth” goals will only lead to frustration. When you align your expectations with the season you are actually in, you stop fighting against the current of your own life.
10. Start Where You Are, Grow as You Go
You don’t need a ten-year plan to start. You don’t even need total clarity. You just need a starting point. Every system I use today was built through trial, error, and small adjustments made over a decade. Movement creates clarity. Start with one small step, learn from it, and adjust as you go.
A Heartfelt Thank You
As I look back on these ten years, I am filled with gratitude for the caregivers and creatives who have allowed me into their lives. You are the most determined and kind people I know, and it is an honor to walk this path with you.
My hope for the next ten years isn’t that we all do more. My hope is that we all feel more supported in how we live and work.
I’d love to celebrate with you!
What are you celebrating right now? Big or small, personal or professional, I want to hear it so I can cheer you on!
Here’s to another decade of doing productivity differently—with heart, humor, and a whole lot of grace.
