When Less Becomes More: The Paradox of Productivity

Ever noticed how some of your most productive days are the ones when you’re not feeling your best?

You’re low on energy. Time feels tight. Maybe you didn’t sleep well or your to-do list looks like a small novel. And yet—you power through. You focus. You tick off the essentials. At the end of the day, you’ve actually done more.

Strange, isn’t it?

Well, not really. What you’re experiencing is something I call the paradox of productivity—where scarcity becomes the fuel for intentional, focused action.


Scarcity Makes Us Sharper

Let’s compare two people: One lives 5 minutes from work, the other lives 45 minutes away.

Who’s more likely to arrive on time?


Oddly enough, the person with the longer commute often shows up earlier. Why? Because their brain has factored in the risks, delays, and traffic. They plan better, leave earlier, and stay alert.

The one who lives nearby? They may snooze, dawdle, and misjudge time—because it feels like they have time.


In the same way, when we feel abundant—more time, more energy—we sometimes get lax. We scroll, procrastinate, or multitask ineffectively.

But when we’re pressed, our brain switches into economist mode. It prioritizes. Filters noise. Focuses. The “scarcity” sharpens us.


The Power of Framing

In Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), we talk a lot about frames—how the way we mentally position a situation influences our behaviour and results.


A student who says, “I only have 20 minutes” might freeze or give up.

But if they reframe it as, “What’s the best use of my 20 minutes?”—they step into agency. They stop blaming the clock and start owning their choices.

Reframing scarcity into strategy isn’t denial. It’s empowerment.


Classroom Applications

As educators, we can teach this principle in small but powerful ways:


🔶 Help students replace “I don’t have time” with “What can I do with the time I have?”


🔶 Give tasks with limits—short time frames, limited materials—and challenge creativity.


🔶 Remind students (and yourself) that showing up and making any progress is a form of power.


🔶 Ask, “When did you do well even when things weren’t ideal?” These memories rewire beliefs.


The goal isn’t to glorify stress or scarcity. It’s to show that success isn’t always about having more—but about doing more with what you have.


☘️

Sometimes your tired, stretched, not-feeling-100% self is actually your most strategic self. 😄


So the next time you feel drained, don’t immediately check out. Pause. Breathe. Reframe.


Ask yourself:
“How can I make this moment count—even if it’s not perfect?”


Dear Educators,

Have you ever surprised yourself by being more productive on a “low-energy” day than on a high-energy one? What helped you push through?


Share your thoughts in the comments. I can't wait to read from you!


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