What if the real key to unlocking your productivity wasn’t another app, calendar, or task list—but your heart?
That’s right. Not just your brain, your workflow, or your time management strategy. But your heart: your emotional well-being, your sense of purpose, your ability to feel, forgive, and connect.
If you’re a project or program manager juggling multiple priorities, feeling like you’re burning the candle at both ends, and wondering how to take back control of your time, this blog post is for you.
Let’s explore the overlooked (and often uncomfortable) truth: emotional healing and self-awareness are productivity superpowers.
The Real Reason You Might Be Stuck
Ever feel like, “I should be able to get more done,” or “I’m constantly putting out fires”?
You’re not alone.
One of the most striking takeaways from Gerald J. Leonard’s conversation with Dr. Ron Schneebaum—a pediatrician with 40+ years of experience and a deep understanding of emotional healing—is that productivity issues are often not tactical.
They’re emotional.
They come from stress, unresolved trauma, and an inability to be fully present with ourselves and others. Dr. Ron put it best: “If someone truly enjoys their life, they will be productive.”
So, here’s the real question: What’s getting in the way of you enjoying your life?
Counterintuitive Truth: Emotional Wellness Drives Professional Results
It might seem odd to link productivity with things like childhood hurts, compassion, and love.
But neuroscience backs this up:
- Chronic stress impairs memory, focus, and decision-making (McEwen, 2007).
- Positive relationships and emotional well-being increase resilience, energy, and engagement (Harvard Study of Adult Development).
- The brain’s default mode network, when not hijacked by anxiety, fuels creative thinking and strategic planning.
In short? When you feel safe, loved, and aligned—you perform better. Period.
So, What Can You Do About It?
Step 1: Start Your Day with Intention
One of the most powerful practices Dr. Ron shared is what he calls “rehearsing your day” in three parts:
- Bird’s Eye View: What’s happening today?
- Detail View: What’s the plan and sequence?
- Emotional View: How do I want to show up for each part?
This isn’t just fluff. Visualization is a tool used by elite athletes, musicians, and executives. It primes your brain for success by embedding cues into your subconscious.
Step 2: End Your Day with a Review
Reflect on your day in reverse. Replay the highlight reel. Celebrate what went well. Note what you’d like to shift tomorrow. This develops emotional intelligence and habit loops that reinforce positive change.
Step 3: Heal, Don’t Hide, Your Hurts
Dr. Ron spoke movingly about childhood wounds that, when left unacknowledged, become barriers to growth. If you’re overworking, people-pleasing, or constantly seeking external validation, it may not be about your “to-do list.”
It may be about an old story that says, “I have to prove I’m enough.”
Healing is hard. But it’s possible.
Want to Perform Better? Learn to Love More
This is the big idea of Dr. Ron’s book: Bigger Hearted. He argues that love isn’t just a feeling—it’s a strategic lens.
- Love helps you see others clearly.
- Love helps you see yourself kindly.
- Love transforms how you lead.
In leadership and productivity, this translates to being a person others want to work with. When your team feels seen and supported, they engage. When you operate from empathy, you avoid burnout. When your work aligns with purpose, you stop counting hours and start making impact.
But What If You’re Still Not Convinced?
Let’s look at the objections:
- “This sounds too soft for the corporate world.” Actually, McKinsey’s research shows that empathetic leadership directly correlates with employee engagement and business results.
- “I don’t have time for all this inner work.” But how much time are you wasting being unproductive, scattered, or drained?
- “I’ve tried coaching, books, and therapy—nothing sticks.” That might be because you haven’t addressed the root. Band-aid solutions don’t heal deep wounds.
Who Is This Really For?
If any of the following sound like you, you’re in the right place:
- You’re ambitious, but constantly overwhelmed.
- You feel like you’re “keeping it together” on the outside, but falling apart inside.
- You’re open to coaching, have spent on self-development, but still feel stuck.
- You want to work a normal workweek and have time with your family.
You don’t need another planner. You need a shift in mindset, heartset, and daily practice.
How to Start Living Bigger-Hearted Productivity
1. Journal Your Emotional Triggers
Track what sets you off. Is it when you feel unappreciated? Overloaded? Not heard? These are clues.
2. Use the “Heart + Head” Framework
In every meeting, ask: What’s the logical move? What’s the loving move? Combine them. That’s wisdom.
3. Anchor with Morning and Evening Rituals
Start with intentional visualization. End with reflective review.
4. Seek Connection, Not Just Completion
Focus on how you show up, not just what you check off.
5. Invest in Healing
Read books like Bigger Hearted, work with a coach, or attend a retreat. Healing isn’t a luxury. It’s a productivity strategy.
Quotes to Remember
- “Without illness, there wouldn’t be compassion.” – Dr. Ron Schneebaum
- “If you truly enjoy your life, you will be productive.”
- “Productivity isn’t about doing more. It’s about being more.”
Books to Deepen Your Journey
- Bigger Hearted by Dr. Ron Schneebaum
- The Untethered Soul by Michael A. Singer
- The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk
- Emotional Agility by Susan David
Call to Action
If you’re tired of the hustle, the burnout, and the feeling of running on empty…
Try something different. Try going inward. Start rehearsing your days. Review your nights. Heal the old stories. And choose to live and lead with a bigger heart.
Because your productivity isn’t just about your output. It’s about your inner operating system.
Join the movement of heart-centered, high-performing professionals. Subscribe to the Productivity Smarts Podcast, grab a copy of Bigger Hearted, and start becoming the leader your future self will thank you for.
Want help with this journey? Let’s connect.
You don’t have to carry the weight alone. Coaching isn’t a luxury anymore—it’s a necessity. Let’s create your personalized roadmap to healing, happiness, and high performance.
I am available for speaking engagements — especially on topics exploring the intersection of project management, neuroscience, and jazz music:
Click here to book me as a speaker.
