What does productivity have to do with confidence?

This blog started life as an episode of my podcast, Unfrazzle. You can listen here if you prefer.

I've been helping solo business owners be more productive for years, and when I ask people what they've got out of working with me, you think they'd be shouting from the rooftops about all the amazing things that they've got done, wouldn't you?

That they'd be jumping up and down to tell me about the websites they've created, the books they've published, the offers they've launched, the workshops they've delivered, the speaking gigs they've booked.

But no, they don't say any of that.

Not because those things don't happen, they absolutely do.

But because even though they came to me because they wanted to get more things done, it turned out that the thing that shifted the most was not that at all.

It was how they felt about themselves. How they were talking to themselves. The stories they were telling themselves about what was and wasn't possible for them.

You see, when you've spent years feeling like you're behind, surrounded by half-finished projects and ideas that never see the light of day, when you feel disorganised, like you're wading through treacle and in a perpetual state of frazzlement, that really does mess with your confidence.

What changes when productivity finally clicks

If you spend all your time doing busy work, which means you're not progressing the things that would move you forward in your business, that can gradually erode your belief in yourself and what's possible for you.

And when you end every month feeling like you're no further forward than you were last month - and when that keeps on happening - it's no wonder that your self-confidence takes a nosedive.

That's why it can be so dramatic when you finally find a way of being more productive that's you-shaped, and that actually works.

When you start to notice the progress you're making, instead of eroding your confidence, you will gradually start rebuilding it.

With every finished blog post, podcast episode, email to your list, conversation with a potential collaborator, you'll start to see yourself as someone who can follow through and make things happen. And over time, all that compounds.

Until one day you've completely replaced those old stories about how useless you are with new ones that know you have what it takes.

A moment that stuck with me

Last year, I was hosting the final Q&A of Tame Your To do list, and one of the women who was part of the programme shared how profound the experience was for her.

On the surface, Tame Your To-Do List is a programme designed to help you get organised so all your to-dos are in one place, making it easier for you to do the right things at the right time. But although she appreciated the practical side of things, my client described it as “actually very, very deep”.

She said that the emphasis on not having to get it right first time, making things work for you, and coming at things without judgement was feeding into other parts of her life and was “very precious”. She was emotional as she shared that with the group. And it made me quite emotional too.

Because in all honesty, whilst it's great that when you find your groove with your productivity, you get to finish more of what you start and share more of your fabulousness with the world, the thing that excites me the most, and that gives me the most satisfaction, is seeing the change in people on a much deeper level.

When I was first starting out, I had no idea that that would be the case.

In fact, I used to wish that people would give me more tangible examples of the things they'd achieved when I asked for testimonials. But the fact that more often than not, people were leaning into the emotional changes they'd experienced, well, that told me everything I needed to know.

This whole ‘being more productive’ thing is not just about ticks in boxes, it's about changing how you feel about yourself, which in turn will set you up for even more greatness.

You’re in the right place

So if you're struggling with low self-belief right now because you're not getting the important things done, you're not alone and you are in the right place.

If you haven't already, go and take my free assessment that will help you understand what's getting in the way of your productivity. You can find that here.

I'm here to help you get things done in a way that feels more easeful for you, to help you find focus, to help you find clarity. That's what my podcast and this blog are for. You are in the right place, and if you’re ready to come and work with me, that’s wonderful! Check out Make It Happen Club and my 1:1 mentoring programme, In It Together.

But whether we work together or not, I hope being in my world helps you take those small steps towards being kinder to yourself and being more productive. And I look forward to seeing you again soon.