#93. The Productivity Traps Holding You Back (and What to Do About Them)
Ever finish your workday feeling completely drained… but also unsure of what you actually got done?
You’re not alone — especially if you’re an SLP with a neurodivergent brain.
Whether you’ve been diagnosed with ADHD or just suspect your brain doesn’t operate in a straight line, you know that staying productive isn’t about “trying harder.” You’re not lazy. You’re not bad at your job. You’re not falling behind because you don’t care enough.
But you might be falling into a few sneaky productivity traps that are costing you serious time and energy.
And that’s what we’re tackling in this post — three of the biggest productivity killers I see (and coach my clients through all the time), plus how to start shifting out of them.
1. Overcommitting: Why You’re Always Saying Yes (Even When You Don’t Want To)
If your mouth says “Sure, I can do that!” before your brain has time to weigh in… this one’s for you.
SLPs are natural helpers — and the ADHD brain often loves new tasks, fast decisions, and saying yes before thinking it through.
But every yes costs you something. And often, we don’t pause long enough to ask: What will I be saying no to in order to say yes to this?
Try this: Practice the power of the pause. Give yourself permission to say, “Let me think about that and get back to you.” Ask, “Will I regret this later?” And don’t forget to reflect after the fact — what worked? What didn’t? How do you want to handle it next time?
2. Task Hopping & Avoidance: The Illusion of Productivity
You sit down to write a report… but first you check your email. Then you respond to a text. Then you half-plan tomorrow’s therapy session. And suddenly, 40 minutes have passed, and the report? Still untouched.
Sound familiar?
Task hopping and avoidance are major time sucks. They often show up when we’re avoiding something hard, unclear, or just plain boring. And while it can feel like you’re being productive, what’s really happening is a lot of starting and very little finishing.
Try this: Set a timer for 10 minutes. Pick one task. Do just that task until the timer goes off. You’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish (and how often you actually want to keep going once you’ve started).
3. All-or-Nothing Thinking: The Productivity Killer in Disguise
If you’ve ever thought, “I don’t have time to finish this, so I won’t even start,” you’ve met the all-or-nothing mindset.
This one shows up hard for perfectionists and folks with ADHD. You want a full chunk of time to tackle the whole thing start to finish — so you end up doing nothing instead.
Try this: Shift to progress over perfection. Five messy minutes on a task is better than zero. One session note done is better than none. One small step matters — and it’s how real progress is made.
You’re Not Broken — But Your Systems Might Be
If any of this hits home, I want you to hear this loud and clear:
You’re not the problem. But you do have the power to change the way you work.
These patterns aren’t personal failures. They’re just habits — and habits can be changed. Especially with the right support.
I recently went live inside the SLP Support Group on Facebook to dig even deeper into these patterns and share more strategies for working with your brain, not against it. If you missed the live, don’t worry — you can still catch the replay inside the group.
👉 Click here to join the group and catch the replay.
Want Personalized Help?
This is exactly the kind of work I do with my 1:1 coaching clients. We create systems that are actually sustainable — especially for busy, brilliant, neurodivergent SLPs.
If you’re ready to stop spinning your wheels and start making real change, let’s talk.
Click here to book a free consult.
Let’s find a better way — together.
Progress over perfection. Always. 🤟🏼