If you've ever thought:

“My calendar says I’m doing everything right… so why do I still feel exhausted?”

This episode is for you.

(Baby, I'm baaaack)

So you’ve ditched the 5am alarms, found your boundaries, lit your candle - but you're still oh, so very tired.

Same.

After another round of burnout (and a side of glandular fever to top it off), I finally realised something about the way I’d been “managing” myself.

In this episode:

• My repeat burnout cycles and why soft productivity might not be the hustle antidote we think it is

• why your screen time doesn't really matter - it's what you're not doing while you're scrolling that does

• how hobbies, chaos, and aliveness became my new 'productivity' system

Follow me @theproductivityproject_ and DM me 'SERIES' to get the 10 part series I talk about in this episode:

The 2026 Life-Work Reset: How women are rewriting peace, productivity and progress

Find me on Substack: https://productivitykat.substack.com/

Do The 10 Week Year with me and bring a goal to life before the end of 2025: https://stan.store/theproductivityproject_/p/the-10-week-year-minimap

This week we’re talking about overthinking (hi, it’s me). If you’ve been calling it “procrastination” but your brain feels like a browser with 57 tabs open... it's probably actually overthinking. And it's costing you.

In this episode, we get into:

• five sneaky signs you’re overthinking without realising (including the one that looks like “being productive”)
• why millennial women are uniquely wired to ruminate (perfection culture, comparison, and that never-ending mental load)
• the moments I catch myself spiralling — and what I do next
• how to give your brain a safer outlet than doom-scrolling or rebranding your Canva file… again
• the tiny decision shift that moves you forward without needing more “discipline”

I also share the five simple strategies I've been implementing to reduce overthinking and double my mental energy. You can try these this week!

—

If this episode helped, hit Follow/Subscribe so new eps land in your ears each week.

Come say hi on Instagram @theproductivityproject_ and tell me which strategy you’re trying first.

__

If you’d like to explore more resources on overthinking, check these out:

Working Hard by Grace Beverley: How I Stopped Overthinking: The Theory That Changed My Life.

University of Michigan: Most Women Overthink Too Much, Overthinkers Often Drink Too Much

Harvard Business Review: 3 Types of Overthinking and How to Overcome Them

Welcome to the very first episode of Tuesday 10!

Every Tuesday I’ll be sharing a short + practical episode (under 10 minutes… okay, sometimes 12 😅) sharing one practical thing that’s actually worked for me as a solo business owner to reduce mental load, shift my mindset, or just make life a little bit easier.

This week I'm sharing 5 things I did over the last two weeks to consistently create content without wanting to mentally die.

In this episode:

• The surprising thing I stopped doing before I posted (and why it gave me my brain back)

• Why starting with the format you love most makes everything else easier

• The sneaky mindset shift that made follower counts irrelevant

• Why posting and ghosting is your ticket to increased mental energy

• The very business-led reason you don't actually need huge views or follower counts

If you’ve ever wanted to create consistently without it draining every ounce of your energy — this one’s for you.

Follow me @theproductivityproject_Hit Subscribe wherever your listening for new episodes every week!

Here for the IG reel-novella “I started a biz and now I work 4 hours a week from a sun-drenched balcony” story?

Well, this is the other story. The one where a hypothetical mum of two (okay, fine, it’s me) left her corporate hellmouth thinking it would be easier, discovered it was… not, and spent three years trying to make maths, meaning, and motherhood all play nicely together.

This episode does not contain 7-figure screenshots, or 5 steps you can follow to create your own Kardashian empire. This is the episode where I share the real story - real numbers, real hours, real mess - of my first three years as a solo business owner.

In this episode:

• Exactly how much I earned each of the last 3 years

• How many hours I actually worked

• Where the money went: coaches, courses, software, childcare, tax, and the line item I call “coffee, obvs.”

• The sneaky costs no one mentions (context switching, illness, downtime, switching business models… twice)

• How my nervous system coped (sleep, anxiety, focus… and why “be more disciplined” wasn’t the answer)

• What productivity did to me vs. for me, and the moment I realised I didn’t need more willpower

DM me @theproductivityproject_ or find me on Substack (search Kat Hunter or The Mess).

Okay, so this one has strong voice note energy because I recorded it after one of those mornings (1am wakeup, coughing kids, feelings galore, cold coffee - I mean, what a vibe).

And fittingly, in today’s episode, we’re talking about what happens when you STOP trying to be more disciplined… and start asking:

“Who does she think she is?”

We’re talking big goals, weird productivity pressure, women doing the most, and what might happen if you started prioritising how you feel in your workday over what your calendar says. Plus a few personal stories from my corporate days (hi 2017 Trevor, yes, you and your “work from boat” vibes made the cut).

I also let you in on how I’m designing my new program — There She Goals — to feel more like a creative support system and less like another business course you sign up to and forget about.

If you’re feeling stuck, over-scheduled, or like you used to be creative and now you’re just… tired - this one’s for you.

In this ep, I talk about:

– What “being more disciplined” actually gets us in our post-kids, post-corporate, solo-business era– The 3 types of audacity I’m playing with in my work– What we can learn from that weird corporate partner who used to answer all his emails with “yes”– The ONE question that changed everything about my to-do list– And the reason your planner might be giving main character sabotage

Bring Your Goals To Life in 10 Weeks

Want to be first in line when There She Goals opens? Head to productivitykat.substack.com — it’s free to subscribe, and you’ll get early access before I open spots publicly.

This week's episode looks a little different, love. I'm going full voice note - reading out my latest Substack essay, plus sharing some off-the-cuff reflections you won’t find in the written version.

Today we're talking about why standard productivity hacks leave us exhausted, overwhelmed, and still miles from the version of life we actually want.

If you've moved from corporate to cafe and you're running a business, solo, you might be wondering why you're still pulling 8-hour (minimum) workdays (even though you really don't want to be).

If you’ve been spinning your wheels, craving more ease and creativity, and wondering why the systems everyone else swears by just don’t work for you — this is the episode to hit play on.

In this episode, I share:

- The half marathon metaphor that will change how you approach your goal

- The hidden mental model keeping women stuck in “busy but not moving”

- Why joyful productivity matters more than perfect systems

- What actually gets you traction (and it’s not another colour-coded planner)

Aaaaaand... a juicy sneak peek at what I’m building inside There She Goals (hint: it's gonna be hosted on Substack).

Okay, so last week I told you why the 10-week year might be the framework you didn't know you needed when it comes to finally getting that big thing on your list done.

This week? I'm telling you how to use it to bring your big goals to life.

Forget 12 months. What if it only took 10 weeks?

If you’ve been craving a clear (realistic, mum-friendly, actually-sustainable) framework to bring your goals to life without needing to wake up at 5am, overhaul your entire business, or “sTaY cOnSisTeNt - this episode is your step-by-step.

I’m walking you through:

- How to create a vision that’s actually aligned with your life - not just a Pinterest board of vibes

- Why you only need one or two goals to make massive progress- How to set weekly actions you can actually control (and track without wanting to throw your planner in the bin)

- What you need to put in place to support your energy and avoid crashing 3 weeks in

- The crucial step nearly everyone forgets (and it's surprisingly simple)

I'm also sharing a peek inside There She Goals, my new 10-week program for women who want to stop rolling the same goal over year after year, and start bringing it to life (without breaking themselves in the process). Follow me on IG @theproductivityproject_ and DM me CLOSE FRIENDS to join the waitlist.

Ever look at that same big goal that’s been on your list since 2019 and think, “Why can’t I just DO the thing?”

Sames.

In this episode, we're looking at why that might not be a you problem – and why it’s definitely a timeline problem.

I walk you through:
✨ Why the traditional year-long goal setting process is secretly sabotaging your motivation
✨ Why your brain is actually wired to lose steam quickly (spoiler: it’s not your fault)
✨ Why compressing your timelines might be the secret to actually finishing what you start
✨ The surprisingly sustainable reason I’m now working in 10-week years
✨ What your coffee habit might say about your dopamine cycles (yep, it’s relevant and no - you don't have to give it up)

This episode's for you if:

• You’ve had the same goal rolling over for years

• You’ve ever berated yourself or wondered if you're just “not disciplined enough” for not following through (hint: it's got nothing to do with your discipline)

• You’re ready to try a way of working that actually works with your life

  
  

And hey – we get into deer hunting, dopamine, and school terms too. Obviously.

Listen now and don't forget to hit subscribe - this is a two-part episode, and I want you to get both episodes when the second one drops!

Yes, you're right. You can’t concentrate like you used to. And it’s not because you’re lazy, or inherently flawed, or because you need a colour-coded planner.

But it could be your dopamine.

In this week's episode, I'm breaking down:

• What dopamine actually does for your brain (hint: it’s not just about feeling good)

• Why your phone is draining your brain juice

• Why your morning scroll tanks your ability to focus later (it's not why you think)

• Why you can’t just “discipline” your way out of feeling foggy

• And how understanding dopamine can help you work better without doing a total business overhaul or becoming a Pomodoro monk.

There’s a lemon analogy. There’s a deer-hunting metaphor. There’s unqualified science chat.

This one’s for you if:
✨ You keep asking “Why can’t I just do the thing?”
✨ You’ve noticed your brain feels foggier, more distracted, and weirdly resistant
✨ You want your focus (and motivation) back—without needing a digital detox retreat in the Alps

🎧 Hit play and don’t squeeze your lemons too hard.

Come DM me what you thought @theproductivityproject_ or join the dope chat (yes she did) in my stories.

Welcome to the very first episode of my new podcast series: Unsolicited Productivity Advice You Didn’t Ask For — aka me sliding (ew) uninvited into your ears with chaotic voice note energy and helpful strategies for navigating the season of life you’re in.

This week’s question came from a mum of two small kids, running a 1:1 client business, trying to build a group program, sleeping approximately four hours a night, and trying her little heart out to make her one big goal happen.

Here’s what we get into:

⏳ Traditional productivity advice and why it fails mums, creatives, and actual humans with actual lives
💡 Why reframing your year into 10-week blocks could be your burnout-proof business breakthrough
🌿 How to stop managing your time and start managing your energy🧠 The ONE question that can shift you from “maybe I’m not cut out for this” to “maybe I’m just chasing a goal that doesn’t fit my season”
🎨 And why you need to do one gloriously unmonetised, joyfully useless thing every week (and no, it’s not Canva)

If you’ve been feeling like your dreams are one nap-time away from extinction, this ep is a cosy, compassionate reminder that the problem isn’t you — it’s the expectations you’re trying to meet in a life that doesn’t fit them.

This week, I’m coming to you post-school-holidays, post-unplanned time off, post-realisation-that-I-mighta'-been-chasing-some-goals-I-don’t-actually-want.

So if you've ever:

• Rolled your big dream over from one year to the next (and next…)

• Found yourself burning out - not from working too hard - but from chasing a version of success that doesn’t even feel like yours

• Wondered if the problem is actually you (spoiler: it’s usually not)

…then this episode is for you, petal.

Listen and I'll voice note you:

✨ What happens when you stop forcing your life to fit your to-do list✨ How taking unplanned time off gave me the permission slip I didn’t know I needed✨ The difference between not having what it takes vs not wanting what it takes✨ The sneaky corporate productivity patterns that keep us stuck at our desks even when we know better, aaaand...✨ A few juicy questions to ask if your goals are starting to feel like a trap

🧠 Listen now, then head to my Substack for the more personal (and slightly chaotic) story behind all of this.

If you’ve ever whispered “I just need one good week”… this one’s for you.

✨ One clear calendar✨ All the childcare magically aligns✨ No one vomits, screams for longer than 30 minutes, or needs a snack✨ You finally get it together

And yet… even when you get that week, you still feel stuck.

Why?

Because more time doesn’t always mean more progress — especially when your goals aren’t designed to be brought to life in a way that aligns with your real life.

In this episode, I’m walking you through 5 steps to make meaningful progress on your biggest goals (even if you’ve got zero childcare, 12 tabs open, and exactly 1.5 functional hours a day).

This is about building momentum without entering full monk mode.

In this episode:

• Why “just one good week” has never actually worked for you when it comes to making your goals happen

• The first (wildly underrated) step most people skip when goal-setting

• How to write a “day in your life” that exposes whether your goal is even aligned with the life you want

• What to do before you define your actions — and how to make sure those actions don’t lead straight to burnout

🎧 Listen now if you're:

• A creative business owner with too many tabs and not enough time

• Someone who’s done with setting goals that don’t stick

• Curious about how to finally get momentum without burning everything down

  
  

P.S. Want a sneak peek inside the There She Goals™ beta?
Follow @theproductivityproject_ and tap my stories to be added to the Close Friends circle (name pending, "Unhinged CEOs" is in the running). You’ll get early access to BTS, Notion templates, and how to join before enrolments open in May.

This week, I’m sharing 5 totally unhinged but genuinely powerful habits that’ll help creative women in business actually get things done — minus the cycle of burnout, action paralysis and motivational guilt spirals.

These are the habits I’m building into the core of There She Goals — my upcoming program for women who want to bring big, meaningful goals to life in 10-week blocks, without the masculine “crush it at 5am” energy. (No one's up that early unless they're under 5).

Inside this episode:
✔️ Why burnout isn’t a scheduling problem — it’s a soul one
✔️ How to use momentum (not motivation) to move your goals forward
✔️ The future self journaling exercise that will call BS on your “dream” goal real quick
✔️ Why it’s time to create completely useless things every week (yes, really)
✔️ The simple habit that helps you course-correct without spiralling into a shame hole

This episode is raw, a bit rogue, and designed to help you find a better rhythm — especially if you’re tired of trying to do business like a bro.

P.S. Want to get the BTS of my new program, There She Goals? I’m sharing sneak peeks, wild experiments, and soft-launch goodies with my Close Friends on IG. Head to @theproductivityproject_ and DM me “CF” to get in on the circle.

If your business currently relies on you to do all the things, all the time—and you’re craving a more peaceful, sustainable way of working that actually aligns with school hours (and real life)... this one’s for you. 💛

In this episode, we go to deep into the raw behind-the-scenes of how I’m transitioning my business toward a school-terms-only model—without ditching all my 1:1 clients, torching my income, or spontaneously moving to a remote village in Italy to make pottery and avoid emails. (Tempting.)

We’ll chat about:

✔️ Why I’m ditching the annual plan and working in 10-week blocks
✔️ The (very real) burnout that led to this shift
✔️ What I’m doing right now to move toward school-hours-only work
✔️ How I’m plugging income gaps while making space to build my core offer
✔️ Why the "just create a Canva ebook and rake in the cash" narrative is kinda broken for women who want to create a sustainable business
✔️ How I’m tracking it all and keeping myself accountable without imploding

This episode is part of the BTS of me launching my new offer There She Goals—and you’ll hear me living out the framework in real time.

So if you’re a mum in business dreaming of more space, more ease, and more time, press play on this one. 🎧

Loved this episode? Or hated it? Either way, (politely) slide into my DMs @theproductivityproject_ and tell me your big dreamy business vision. I’d love to hear it.

Every few months over the last few years, I would go through the same cycle:

- Look at the goals I set at the start of the year.

- Sigh dramatically.

- Contemplate setting everything on fire.
-Maybe Google flights to Italy.

Because when things feel stuck, the internet will tell you the answer is a big change. Quit your job! Burn your business model down! Move to a tiny European village where you somehow become fluent in Italian overnight!

Buuuut here’s the thing - when you're a Mum with a business:

→ You actually can’t disappear for three months to “reinvent yourself.”
→ You can’t just torch your entire business overnight.
→ You still need to generate revenue… like, now.

So what do you do when you’re feeling stuck, restless, or like 2025 is already slipping away—but you also can’t just pack up and move to Bali?

You reset. Strategically. Sustainably. And without the meltdown.

In this episode, I’m sharing:
✔️ Why massive pivots don’t actually work for most Mums in business
✔️ A step-by-step, nervous-system-friendly way to bring your goals to life—without torching everything first
✔️ How I’m using this exact framework over the next 6 weeks to make my own big shift (in real time)

If you’ve been feeling behind, stuck, or like your business goals are forever on hold because life, this episode is your permission slip to do it differently.

This week, I'm in a bit of a pickle. This episode is all about why I’m kinda over traditional productivity hacks - because let’s be honest - we just don’t need another system to squeeze more out of ourselves.

What we do need aka crave? A brain that actually gets a second to breathe.

In this episode, I’m sharing seven tiny things I’ve been doing lately that have nothing to do with productivity (but have actually made me way more productive anyway).

In this episode:

✔️ Why your brain never stops spinning (and why it’s not because you need a better planner)

✔️ The sneaky ways solo business life messes with your focus and energy

✔️ Tiny shifts that actually help you feel clearer, calmer, and like yourself again

If you ever feel like you’re always on but never really on top of things, this episode is for you.

P.S. Found this one helpful? Read my latest post on Substack. You'll find me here: https://productivitykat.substack.com/

The 3 f's of solo business life: freedom, flexibility, fun… right?

So why does your nervous system reality feel more like fight, flight or freeze? (Or copious amounts of fries, depending on your coping snack of choice).

In this episode, I'm sharing why I'm secretly over trying to “do more in less time.”

A bit of a productivity pivot, if you will - and why obsessing over being productive and feverishly managing your time is really not the answer when it comes to what's really keeping you stuck.

Instead, I’m exploring the real reasons behind why you feel burnt out, overwhelmed, and permanently behind as a solo business owner or solopreneur. (Spoiler: it’s not because you’re bad at time management or naturally unproductive)

In this episode, we'll talk:

✔️ The hidden mental toll of solo business life (and why it's actually got nothing to do with how well you manage your time)

✔️ The cycle of “sprint → burnout → repeat” that’s quietly wreaking havoc on your focus and energy

✔️ The shocking mental health stats for solopreneurs (seriously, this one blew my mind)
✔️ 5 tiny, game-changing shifts to support your headspace and mental health as a solo business owner

If you’ve ever felt like you’re constantly “on” but never on top of things, this episode is your permission slip to step off the productivity hamster wheel and start supporting yourself instead.

DM me on Instagram (@theproductivityproject_) if this episode has brought anything up for you - I'd seriously love to hear from you.

What really happens in the daily life of a solo business owner with two kids under five?

Is is organised chaos? Is it mostly being a snack bitch? How do I focus? And why does my list keep growing and include items like 'bananas' and 'duct tape for sunglass case'?

In this episode, I’m taking you behind the scenes of my actual day - and all the little tiny productivity hacks (that aren't actually hacks) that help me survive it all.

We’re chatting:
✅ The reality of balancing a full client portfolio with parenting (& still sleeping at night)
✅ The exact morning routine that keeps me sane in this season (hint: it doesn't involve yoga or meditating)
✅ Why breaks are my actual ride or die when it comes to getting things done (even when I ‘should’ be working)
✅ The tricks I use to avoid doom-scrolling
✅ How I plan my days around my energy—not just my to-do list

If you wanna snoop someone else’s daily chaos for inspo (or validation), this is the ep for you.

🎧 Subscribe and Listen now

Cycle Syncing Cheat Sheet https://theproductivityproject.com.au/cycle

Service Provider's Survival Kit DM me on Instagram @theproductivityproject_ to get it

Ever feel like your brain is constantly buffering at like, 34%?

Have you ever wondered why you find deciding what to have for dinner when 5pm rolls around every night?

That’s decision fatigue, friend. And it’s quietly draining your mental energy every single day.

In today’s episode, I’m diving into:

✅What decision fatigue isand how it impacts your mental energy every single day

✅Why traditional productivity hacks don’t always help when you feel like you’re carrying a mental load the size of Everest.

✅5 simple decisions you can make in advance toinstantly reduce decision fatigue, free up brain space, and feel more in control of your day.

✅The time I completely ignored my own advice in 2024 and ended up with pneumonia—and what I’m doing differently this year to get my time and energy back on track.

If you’re constantly juggling work, clients, life admin, anda million little choices every day—this episode will help you reclaim your long-lost mental bandwidth and move through your day with morespace.

✨Want to create a weekly schedule that actually supports your life & business?Join Poolside Planning Playbook
📲Follow me on Instagram:@theproductivityproject
💌Get weekly productivity tips straight to your inbox:Subscribe to the Newsletter
🎧Loved this episode? Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review & follow the show so you never miss an episode!

I didn’t choose to learn EVERYTHING I could possibly learn about productivity because I wanted to help women in business work more.
I chose it because I felt pretty damn frustrated (and, let’s be honest, still do) that despite more women working than ever, our society STILL places the brunt of time stress on-
Women.
Outdated social expectations around childcare, family, and household responsibilities are STILL leaving us stretched too thin - and feeling like there’s never enough time to actually LIVE.
Throw running your own business and supporting a full client portfolio into the mix?
No WONDER you’re procrastinating. No WONDER you feel like you can't focus when you want to.
2025 has started a little bit differently. There’s a different energy in the air. Some of us are all up in here starting strong but some of us? 🎈
Well, we’re feeling a little bit side-swiped by the overload that was 2024. And we’re wondering how we’re going to do it all again in 2025. 🫠
If this is you, I see you. I was you. I still AM you.
This episode, I'm sharing the most sustainable way to stop procrastination (especially if you're a booked out service provider).
I’m kicking off the beta round of my mini-course, Poolside Planning Playbook next week - the complete framework to help service providers and solo business owners create a dream weekly schedule, align your time with values and goals and FINALLY feel in control of your week. 🏖️
Comment ‘POOLSIDE’ to save your spot - FREE. ⬇️