Choosing Joy Over Autopilot: What Happens When You Stop Chasing Productivity
Weekly Dose of Work Recovery Vol. 10.1.25
“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” — Anais Nin
This summer I chose intentionality over autopilot.
In one potent week, I disconnected from the grind, spent beautiful time with my boys at a family cabin, and grieved the unexpected passing of my uncle and godfather. It rattled the carefully constructed armor I built around chasing productivity and online metrics in order to stay busy.
My uncle's death wasn’t the result of something chronic or long-term. He had taken a trip in early May with his beloved, and just four weeks later, he succumbed to complications from pneumonia and RSV contracted while traveling. If life can truly turn on a dime, why aren’t we living as though any day could be our last?
That question forced me to reflect. How, if at all, were my daily actions aligned with my soul goals? I had no real answer. So I pumped the brakes to get a clearer sense of what actually matters to me and my growth.
In July, I asked myself a different question: What would happen—on the inside—if I disconnected from productivity? For as long as I can remember, crossing things off a to-do list has been my quiet, constant drive. But what if I just said, f*ck it, and stopped doing the things I thought I “should”?
For the entire third quarter—July through October 1—I didn’t record a podcast. I didn’t send a newsletter or an email. I didn’t write a blog or a page for my book-in-progress.
I got quiet. I got curious. And I witnessed what happened when I released my grip on the illusion of control by staying in constant motion. Every day became an effort to let go a little more—to be present and available to love what was right in front of me.
By August, I wanted to take the challenge further, so I deleted all social media apps. No Instagram. No Facebook. No Snapchat. Nothing. Cold turkey. Ciao for now.
It was glorious.
And what I learned may serve you as you consider your own work.
Job hugging began trending while I was running this personal experiment and the juxtaposition of millions clinging to their jobs while I was walking away from large swaths of my work was not lost on me. If you’re not familiar with job hugging, it's the new phrase for people who are increasingly staying in jobs they despise due to fear of a shaky job market. The result? Fewer openings and less movement in the labor market than usual.
But here’s the truth: the quality of your life isn’t determined by whether you stay or go in any given role or job (with obvious exceptions—if you’re in a toxic environment, it’s time to leave). It’s determined by the quality of the questions you ask yourself.
So maybe “Should I stay or should I go?” isn’t the best question.
A better one is: How can I reclaim joy, regardless of whether I stay or go?
Joy for me this summer looked like a silent breakup with productivity and summer's to do list. Joy was saying yes to lingering in contentedness rather than hustle. It was listening to the birds, basking in sunshine without guilt, and deepening relationships rather than vanity metrics online.
I didn't have to burn anything down. And I didn't have to fully burn out either. Instead, I listened to the feeling inside that I was fried and tired of all the “doing”.
Breaking out of “should” cycles
This summer wasn’t about stepping away from work forever. It was about breaking the grip of autopilot and asking better questions. Life is too short to keep clinging—whether to productivity metrics or to a job that doesn’t fit.
Job hugging thrives on fear: fear of change, fear of lack, fear of what happens if we let go. But my pause showed me the more nuanced choice isn’t simply whether to stay or go. It’s whether we’ll reclaim joy, presence, and agency—right where we are.
So here’s my challenge to you: instead of asking Should I stay or should I go?, ask instead: What makes me feel most alive? Then build your days, your work, and your life around that answer.
— Bree
P.S. If you don't know where to start to connect to more joy, reply to this email and let me know what's been on your mind. I’ll personally reply and offer a resource or reflection to support your work to reclaim joy on your own terms.
This Week's Did You Know? It's not you. It may be your “pointless job”…
A writer I admire - Lawrence Yeo - frames work's biggest question well – is it money (extrinsic incentives) or better, more meaningful work (intrinsic incentives) that drives more positive outcomes? He argues that many high paying jobs are in fact nearly “pointless", lacking intrinsic meaning, making external motivators like salary ineffective at generating true satisfaction. While financial security prevents misery, intrinsic motivators—challenge, growth, contribution—take a job from tolerable to fulfilling. Finding meaning outside of work may be the best action we can take to feel better in our work…
Source: Lawrence Yeo, The Riddle of Well Paying, Pointless Jobs
Links & Resources We Love Right Now
A listen: Good Morning, Monster is a beautiful audiobook I listened to this summer about five heroes among us who endured trauma and rose from the ashes through hard and painful work in therapy. It's a reminder that everyone is going through something we know nothing about and to be kind, always.
A learn: You get what you give. I radically focused on giving more love this summer, having conversations by leading with lovingkindness no matter how mad or upset I was, and saw the power of leading with compassion. It led to better outcomes too – I guess it's true that you catch more flies with honey than vinegar…
A shoutout: Strong Ground by Brene Brown is a book that amplifies all that I've learned in my work with countless clients and in more than 15 organizations with Executive Unschool. It's unlearning autopilot and bad work habits and cycles that will save work and organizations' bottom lines simultaneously.
Something I love: How my life became exponentially more interesting when I obliterated my addiction to other people's lives by deleting social media. Cold turkey = transformation to see more of what matters the most. A beautiful pivot.
