Instagram is a Lie
Sorry, was that subtle? Let’s try again.
Instagram is a BIG FAT LIE
Let’s be honest: Instagram is a highlight reel dressed up as reality. Those influencers telling you to “wake up at 5am, drink green sludge, journal, meditate, run 10k, and learn Mandarin before sunrise”? Most of them aren’t living that life — they’re filming it under a ring light, editing it until it looks aspirational. That’s content creation, not discipline.
Here’s what matters: there is no universal productivity formula. Science is clear — your circadian rhythm, your genetics, your culture, even the food you grew up eating all shape your energy and focus. Which means a morning routine that works wonders for someone else might crash and burn for you.
So stop treating somebody else’s ritual as gospel. It’s not enlightenment — it’s entertainment.
What Productivity Really Is
If you are happy in your life, doing your thing, feeling fulfilled? Babe, you’re already productive. Don’t let anyone trick you into believing otherwise. Happiness is the ultimate output — because if that’s not the end goal, then what is?
But here’s the nuance: sometimes we slip into autopilot. The days blur. You’re doing the chores, answering emails, paying bills… but your brain feels flatlined. That’s when productivity comes in — not as punishment, but as stimulation. Productivity should fire up your brain, release those happy hormones, and pull you out of the mundane cycle.
So yes, break the rhythm. But don’t torture yourself into a new one. Waking at 5am and living four lifetimes in a single day? That’s not productivity — that’s masochism in activewear.
The ABCs of Realistic Productivity
Think of this like learning your ABCs. Before writing sentences, you need the basics. Don’t overwhelm yourself with a laundry list of rituals. Start small, keep it mindful.
1. The 2-Minute Rule
If something takes less than two minutes, do it now. Science backs this: it reduces cognitive load — meaning your brain isn’t carrying the weight of tiny undone tasks all day. You’re not built to juggle open tabs forever. Clearing micro-tasks instantly creates mental space.
Example? Reply to that “yes/no” email. Rinse your coffee mug instead of letting it pile up. Put your sneakers back instead of tripping on them later. These little wins stack up. By the end of the day, your brain feels lighter because it’s not holding on to a list of micro-annoyances.
2. The “Big 3” List
Instead of a monster to-do list, pick three priorities a day. Research in cognitive psychology shows our working memory maxes out around 3–5 chunks of information. More than that, and you’re just setting yourself up to fail.
For example:
- ✅ Finish client presentation
- ✅ Hit the gym
- ✅ Call mom
That’s it. Notice how it’s a mix of work, health, and personal? By keeping it to three, you still feel like a functioning adult and you get the dopamine rush of actually finishing. Compare that to a 12-item list where you tick off “buy toothpaste” but still feel like a failure because 9 things are left hanging.
3. Single-Task Like a Queen
Multitasking makes you 40% less efficient (Stanford study). It feels productive — juggling emails while half-listening on Zoom and scrolling Insta — but your brain is just context switching, not actually focusing. Each switch costs mental energy and leaves you drained.
Instead, pick one task, finish it, and then move on. Your brain literally rewards you with a dopamine hit for completion. Why deny yourself that natural high?
Think of it like dating: if you’re “kinda talking” to five people, you’re exhausted and unsatisfied. But give your energy to one person and suddenly things actually move forward. Same with tasks — undivided attention is queen behavior.
Pro hack: try the Pomodoro method (25 minutes on, 5 minutes off). It forces single-tasking in bite-sized chunks, which your brain loves.
4. Batch, Don’t Scatter
Batch your emails, calls, errands — anything that feels like mental clutter. Neurology studies on “attention residue” show that context-switching (jumping from one type of task to another) is what really drains energy, not the work itself. When you group similar tasks together, your brain stays in the same “mode” and you get through them faster, sharper, and with less stress.
Think about it: replying to emails in three separate bursts a day is way more efficient than glancing at your inbox 47 times. Same with errands — one solid grocery + pharmacy + post office trip feels like a power move, compared to three separate “oops, forgot” dashes in the week.
Pro hack: schedule theme blocks. Morning = deep work. Afternoon = admin. Evening = errands/calls. By batching, you reduce the constant gear-shifting and actually end the day with energy to spare.
5. Romanticize It
Light a candle. Put on lo-fi beats. Use a cute pen. Studies on environmental priming prove that a pleasing space boosts motivation. Translation: productivity doesn’t have to look sterile — it can look like a Glow Digger mood board.
Take me, for instance: I took up the task of making dinner every day because I wanted to try new cuisines. But some nights, I’d be so tired that I defaulted to the same old recipes. Recently, I started blasting my favorite songs while cooking — singing along, dancing around the kitchen. Suddenly, I’m experimenting more, cooking better, and actually having fun. That little shift in environment turned a chore into a creative outlet.
That’s the power of romanticizing productivity — when you make it feel good, you want to do it more.
Flexibility Wins
At the end of the day, productivity hacks should fit into your life. If they feel like torture, they’re unsustainable. Science calls this “ego depletion” — your willpower is finite. Translation: don’t waste it on routines that make you miserable.
Productivity should feel like liberation, not a trap. So instead of forcing a 5am wake-up, find the hacks that spark joy, creativity, and momentum. Because the most productive life? Is the one where you’re actually happy living it.
👑 Glow Digger Takeaway: Don’t let Instagram edits define your worth. Your productivity is not measured in 5am alarms — it’s measured in how alive, creative, and free you feel.
