October 08, 2026
✅ What happened when a 90-minute procedure wiped out my entire week (and why I didn't spiral)
✅ The two camps of “behind” most high-performing women fall into, and how to tell which one you're in
✅ The 3 P's that decide how far behind you fall when life happens
✅ A first look at something special I'm building behind the scenes
Hi {{first_name}},
Have you ever had one of those weeks that looked perfect on paper... and then you abandoned the plan come Tuesday?
Yeah, me too.
Last week was one of those.
But unlike a past version of me, who felt like she was playing catch-up week-on-week-on-week with no end in sight... this “setback” felt gentle and easy to navigate.
It didn't involve magic. And it didn't involve quitting my job or abandoning all of my responsibilities, either.
Navigating the moment when my calendar says one thing, but my body says another, with ease instead of chaos, is all thanks to the planning strategy I swear by... and will keep banging the drum about, until EVERY woman is empowered to use it in her work, life, and business.
By the end of this email, you'll know the 3 P's that decide whether a sick day costs you one day or three weeks.
When My Body Said NOPE
This is for you if you've ever pushed through a migraine to hit a deadline, felt guilty for napping, or rescheduled your rest instead of your work.
I just had surgery.
My high-functioning girl-boss brain minimised it so much that, even though I took the week off my corporate job, I still quietly hoped I'd get some work done while “recovering”.
I was wrong.
Even though the surgery was a dental procedure that lasted less than 90 minutes, on a site smaller than my fingernail, my body instantly said: NOPE.
Instead of catching up on months of updating performance metrics, expenses, and copywriting – I spent most of the week in a horizontal position... either sleeping, eating, or binge-watching The Diplomat on Netflix.
(Far from a typical day in the life of The Productivity Queen. 😂)
I'm sure you can relate.
That moment when you start to feel under the weather, but the last thing you want to do is *gasp* reschedule the work you were meant to get done three weeks ago, right?!
For most people (maybe even you), that decision feels so dreadful because it means you're “behind” the second you succumb to your body's need for rest and recovery.
From what I've seen with my clients, and in my own life, you then fall into one of two camps:
Camp #1: the “behind”-ness is real.
You're running tight to deadlines, and often get blindsided by how quickly deliverables creep up on you.
Taking a day (or, God forbid, 5) to rest seems near-impossible.
Camp #2: the “behind”-ness is an illusion of the mind (even though it still feels VERY real).
You're already incredibly organised, and to you, being behind = not being 10 steps ahead of your unrealistically high expectations.
Personally, I fall into Camp #2. This camp is where deep mindset work and coaching is truly the only way through.
But if, like most high-performing women, you're in Camp #1 – you're in for a treat.
The 3 P's That Keep You Ahead
I've noticed a pattern in those who fall into Camp #1 (i.e. those juggling life's chaos down to the minute).
There are 3 P's that determine how severe that “behind”-ness gets:
Planning, Priorities, and People.
You'll want to listen closely to this one.
#1: Planning.
I've always lived by the ethos: “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.”
Planning is a skill. An art AND a science. One that isn't taught at school, even though it should be.
Especially cycle-synced planning, which has been a game-changer for me and my clients.
Hands-down, it's the most effective way for women to get more done in less time.
It's this “P” that helps you look far enough ahead to prevent the last-minute panic... or, better yet, be well-equipped to take an unplanned 5 days off without spiralling about the knock-on effects.
#2: Priorities.
This one goes hand-in-hand with planning. It sounds so stupid simple, yet I see that the more intelligent someone is, the better they are at overcomplicating it.
Another one of my mantras: “If everything is important, nothing is important.”
And coming from someone who's spent 8+ years in an industry where everything is ALWAYS urgent and important... I've had to sharpen this skill like no other.
When your discernment muscle is stronger than your people-pleasing muscle, and you build the courage to say “no” and get ruthless with how you spend your time and energy, you reap 10X the rewards.
#3: People.
This one is SO underrated.
Now, don't get me wrong – as a hyper-independent girlie who loves doing everything herself (b/c then it'll get done “right”), this one took me a loooooong time to learn.
But the more you can get the people in your life – whether it's your partner, your colleague, your boss, or your assistant – on board to support you... and find a way to work together like a well-oiled machine...
...that, {{first_name}}, is when you become un-abso-fing-stoppable. 🔥
Want a Plan Your Body Agrees With?
This strategy works best when you put it in place BEFORE 'ish hits the fan.
That's exactly how I was able to eat, sleep, nap, repeat for all of last week without a single major deliverable falling over in either my corporate or business workflows.
And I'm so excited to share that I'm working on something special behind the scenes.
I'm putting everything I know and have learned about cycle-synced planning, productivity, and efficiency into an all-in-one integrated software that helps you design a plan that actually works.
We're still in very early stages of product design before it goes into beta testing... and if you'd like to be the first to know once this super-special tool is ready for you...
Imagine the next time your body says NOPE, and your plan simply bends instead of breaking.
That future is much closer than you realise.
To your inevitable successs,
P.S. What if making time to create is exactly what your productivity needs?
On Resonance this week, I chat with Alicia Diaz-Blevins (business leader, fluid artist and founder of Ali-Art) about the unexpected link between creativity and productivity, and how play helps us protect our energy and let go of perfectionism.
