What if I told you there’s a hidden factor behind why some days feel productive while others feel like a constant battle? It’s not time management strategies or fancy apps—it’s your emotions.
Emotions play a huge role in productivity. When we’re feeling good—calm, focused, energized—we get more done. But stress, frustration, and overwhelm act like invisible weights, making everything feel twice as hard. And as moms and accountants, we’re no strangers to those feelings.
You might not even realize how often emotions slow you down. It’s easy to think, ”I just need to push through”, but emotions are in the driver’s seat more than we admit. Stress, guilt, and frustration quietly pull the strings, affecting focus, motivation, and energy.
Think about it—have you ever felt scattered, struggling to focus, only to realize later it was because of stress? Or felt guilty about work-life balance, and that guilt kept distracting you? These emotions steal our time and energy without us even noticing.
If we want to get more done in less time, we have to acknowledge the role emotions play. Time management tools are great, but they don’t stand a chance if we’re weighed down by stress.
Imagine how different things could be if you could manage emotions instead of letting them run the show. What if you felt more in control, focused, and yes—even more productive?
This week, I’m going to discuss how unproductive emotions sabotage productivity and how to take control of unproductive emotions and get more done in less time.
How unproductive emotions sabotage productivity
We all know what it’s like to feel completely motivated one moment, ready to tackle everything on the list, only to have that energy drained away by emotions we didn’t see coming. These feelings don’t announce themselves—they just settle in, quietly redirecting our focus, pulling us out of the moment, and slowing us down.
First, stress makes everything feel harder. It’s like carrying a heavy backpack all day—it slows you down and makes simple things feel exhausting. When you’re stressed, your brain gets stuck trying to do everything at once, but nothing feels easy. Instead of moving forward, you feel stuck and tired.
Then there’s the classic feeling of overwhelm. Overwhelm makes everything on your to-do list feel huge. It’s like standing in front of a big messy room and not knowing where to start. Instead of getting things done, your brain gets stuck. You either try to do too much at once or do nothing at all.
Guilt is another big one that can quietly drain productivity. Guilt is like a little voice in your head that won’t be quiet.
It tells you, “You should be doing something else.” Maybe you feel bad about working too much, or maybe you feel bad for not getting more done. Either way, guilt pulls your mind in different directions, making it hard to focus on anything.
Frustration also loves to sneak in and sabotage our best-laid plans. It’s that feeling that bubbles up when things don’t go as planned, or when something goes wrong that feels totally out of your control.
Frustration isn’t just a passing annoyance—it affects the whole way we approach our work. When frustration builds up, it can make us feel like everything is just “too much” to handle.
This can lead us to rush through tasks or give up on them altogether. And when we’re frustrated, it’s easy to lose focus and jump from one thing to the next, hoping that somewhere along the line, we’ll get back on track.
And let’s not overlook comparison. Comparing yourself to others can steal a lot of your time and energy.
In other words, when you spend time thinking, “She’s doing better than me” or “Why can’t I get as much done?” it makes it harder to focus on your own work. Instead of getting things done, you waste time doubting yourself.
Each of these emotions acts like a block in the road, slowing us down, pulling us off course, and adding unnecessary mental weight to our day. But here’s the good news—just because these emotions are common doesn’t mean we have to let them run the show.
In fact, there are simple ways to manage them so they don’t end up driving our day. So let’s talk about how to take back control and make room for a more productive mindset.
How to take control of unproductive emotions and get more done in less time
So, how do we stop these sneaky emotions from throwing us off our game? The secret to getting more done in less time isn’t about pushing harder or cramming more into each hour. It’s about learning to manage those unproductive emotions before they derail us.
When we shift our focus away from stress, overwhelm, and guilt, we free up mental space, making it easier to stay efficient, focused, and—dare I say—even a bit more relaxed.
Here are some simple but powerful ways to start turning those emotional roadblocks into steps toward a more productive day.
Check In With Yourself Regularly
Here’s my #1 trick to getting more done in less time, and it’s incredibly simple: checking in with myself every 30 minutes to an hour. All I do is ask, ‘How are you feeling?’ This quick check-in might sound too simple to be powerful, but trust me—it’s been a complete game-changer.
Here’s why it works: by pausing and asking myself this question, I’m able to notice if I’m feeling an unproductive emotion like stress or overwhelm before it derails my day.
For example, let’s say I’m working through a stack of client emails, and after an hour, I realize I’m feeling tense and scattered. Maybe I’m stressing over a deadline or feeling frustrated by the volume of work.
When I catch those unproductive emotions, I can then choose a more productive feeling and choose a more productive thought to help me feel that productive emotion.
For example, I might choose to feel motivated instead of stressed. And in order to create the feeling of motivated on purpose, I could choose to think something like, “I have everything I need to tackle this one step at a time.”
This tiny habit of checking in allows me to catch those negative emotions before they snowball. Instead of powering through with stress or frustration in the background, I’m creating a quick reset. And that reset? It frees up my mind and lets me work with way more focus and intention.
Practice Mindful Awareness
Mindful awareness builds on the check-in by encouraging you to recognize emotions without judging them. When you feel that wave of stress or frustration, pause and name the feeling.
Just by acknowledging, “Okay, I’m feeling overwhelmed,” you’re pulling it into the light instead of letting it work in the shadows. You can then ask yourself, “Is this feeling helping me right now?” Often, just this awareness makes it easier to move past it and refocus on what really matters.
Reframe Your Thinking
Sometimes, a small shift in perspective is all you need. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by a list of tasks, try reframing the thought “I have to do it all right now” to “I’ll focus on one thing at a time.”
When you reframe stressful thoughts, you take some of the pressure off and allow yourself to make progress without feeling like you’re climbing a mountain.
Set Boundaries That Support Your Focus
Boundaries are about protecting your mental and emotional space. When you’re feeling stretched thin, boundaries help to reduce that constant mental load.
For example, setting a clear end time for your workday can help reduce guilt and stress because you’re allowing yourself permission to switch off and focus on family time. If you find yourself feeling constantly distracted, try limiting how often you check emails or creating designated “focus hours” where you can work without interruptions.
Take Intentional Breaks to Reset
Intentional breaks are a quick, effective way to reset when unproductive emotions start creeping in. Rather than powering through a stressful moment, try taking a quick 5-minute walk, doing some deep breathing, or even stepping outside for a breath of fresh air.
These breaks are intentional pauses that give your mind and body a chance to recharge, clearing away some of the mental clutter and helping you return to work refreshed.
Focus on Progress, Not Perfection
Productivity doesn’t mean doing everything perfectly; it means moving forward, even if the steps are small. When we get caught up in perfectionism, we create a cycle of stress and self-doubt.
Instead, focus on steady progress. Remind yourself that each small step adds up. This shift in focus can help lift the weight of perfectionism and encourage you to keep moving without getting bogged down.
By using these strategies, you’ll feel a real shift in your day. Instead of letting stress, guilt, and overwhelm control your productivity, you’ll be able to work with more focus and intention.
And with that simple habit of regularly asking, “How are you feeling?” you’ll stay ahead of those emotions before they have a chance to slow you down. This isn’t about working harder—it’s about creating the right mental space to handle your day with less weight.
That’s the real secret to getting more done in less time.
Here are a few questions to guide you in applying what we’ve talked about, so you can make the most of each day.
Questions to consider
Question: “What emotions keep coming up for me during the day?”
Start by identifying the top emotions that tend to get in your way. For some, it might be stress, overwhelm, and guilt; for others, it could be frustration, comparison, or self-doubt. Recognizing your personal “troublemaker” emotions is the first step in managing them. When you know which emotions are most likely to show up, you’ll be better prepared to handle them as they arise.
Question: “How are these emotions affecting the way I work?”
Take a closer look at how each of these emotions affects your ability to get things done. Does stress make you feel scattered, causing you to jump from one task to another? Does guilt pull your attention away from the task at hand, dividing your focus? Understanding how each emotion impacts your work gives you insight into why some days feel harder than others—and helps you see where change is needed.
Question: “What’s one thing I can try next time these emotions show up?”
Now that you’ve identified your top unproductive emotions and their effects, think about the specific strategies that can help you regain control. Maybe you’ll try checking in with yourself every hour to catch emotions early, or perhaps you’ll focus on reframing thoughts when feeling overwhelmed. Having go-to techniques for managing these emotions will allow you to stay productive and centered, no matter what the day brings.