You Don’t Need a Better Planner or Productivity Hack, You Need a Workflow That Honors You
- Erika Lucas
- Aug 5
- 3 min read
Updated: Sep 15
Every year, there’s a new productivity system promising to make us more efficient, more focused, more in control. And yet, many women professionals still feel overextended, scattered, or like they’re constantly behind. If that sounds familiar, it’s not because you’re disorganized.
It’s because you’ve likely built a workflow that doesn’t actually reflect your values or capacity.
At VEST, we’ve seen it time and again, women navigating careers, caregiving, leadership, and ambition, while operating within work rhythms they didn’t choose. These rhythms are often inherited: from hustle culture, outdated norms, or corporate systems designed around male-dominated leadership styles.
The Problem with Hustle-by-Default
Many women build their days around external pressure what looks productive, what gets praise, what avoids conflict. But when that pressure drives your decisions, you end up with:
Overbooked calendars with no space to think
Guilt when you rest or say no
Constant context-switching and burnout
A life that feels reactive instead of intentional
Busyness is not the same as progress.
What If You Designed Your Workflow From the Inside Out?
Imagine starting not with your task list, but with your values and energy. What do you want to protect time for? What do you want your workweek to feel like? What kind of rest and creativity do you need to sustain the life you’re building?
Designing your workflow with intention doesn’t mean doing less. It means doing what matters more consistently and with more clarity.
What an Aligned Workflow Can Look Like:
A Business Owner blocking time every morning for deep thinking before opening email.
A VP of Operations has one “no meeting” day a week to focus on strategy.
A caregiver maps her high-focus tasks around when her home is quietest.
A mid-level manager builds in 15 minutes between Zooms to avoid mental fatigue.
These aren’t luxuries, they’re protective structures that allow you to lead with clarity, not just output.
From Workflow by Default → to Workflow by Design
If you’ve been feeling out of sync, overwhelmed, or just ready for a reset, now is the perfect time to redesign your rhythm. Here’s how to get started:
1. Audit Your Week. Highlight what felt aligned vs. what drained you. Don’t judge, just notice.
2. Reconnect With Your Values. Ask yourself: What do I want my work to support in my life? What do I want to protect time for?
3. Design a Weekly Rhythm. Block time for: Deep work, Connection, Strategic Thinking, Rest. Make it visible on your calendar and protect it.
4. Build in Flexibility (Not Perfection). This is a living system. You won’t stick to it perfectly. The goal is to return to it when things go off track.
There’s nothing wrong with using a planner or project management tool. But those tools only work when they’re built around a system that serves you. You don’t need to be more productive. You need to feel more aligned. You deserve a workflow that honors your life.
At VEST, we believe productivity should never come at the expense of your well-being. That’s why we’re creating space for women to rethink how we work on our terms.
Check out this VEST Her Podcast Episode on How to Break the Autopilot Cycle
If you're ready to build a rhythm that aligns with your values, your energy, and your goals, you're not alone. Join a community of ambitious, supportive women who are doing the same. Learn more at www.VESTHer.co