Is Your "Productive Routine" Keeping You From The Life You Really Want?

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You wake up early.

You listen to a podcast on your way to the gym.

At the gym, it's music or maybe another podcast.

You get ready for the day (probably with more content playing in the background).

Then it’s time to start work—reading emails, jumping into meetings, and talking to people all day.

You get home, and the conversations continue.

Basically, it’s non-stop input from the moment you open your eyes until the time you close them.

You may think you’re being “productive,” but here’s the thing—our brains aren’t wired for this kind of 24/7 input.

In fact, it might be keeping you from figuring out what you really want to do next.

You might feel lost about the direction you’re building your business in.

Or maybe you know deep down what your next move is, but the constant noise is keeping you from having the courage to take it.

Ever wonder why people get their best ideas in the shower? For some, it’s the only time they’re truly alone without input. That’s when your brain finally gets a chance to process everything.

Why Zero Input Time with Motion Is Key

Back in the day, we’d walk miles to hunt. Afterward, we’d spend hours walking in silence back to our tribe.

During these quiet walks, we had time to think, process our thoughts, and truly get to know ourselves.

The answers didn’t come from outside—they came from within.

The Danger of Not Prioritizing Zero Input Time or "Time With Yourself"

The real danger of not giving yourself more time alone is that you never truly get to know yourself. When you're constantly surrounded by input—whether it's other people's opinions, expectations, or the endless noise from social media and work—it's easy to lose sight of who you really are and what you truly want.

Without that quiet time for reflection, you’re more likely to make decisions based on what others think is right, rather than what feels aligned with your own morals, values, and deeper desires.

This is how people reach their 60s, 70s, 80s, or even their deathbeds, never having pursued what truly mattered to them. They may look back on their lives and realize that most of the choices they made were influenced by others—family expectations, societal norms, or professional pressures—rather than their own inner compass.

They followed someone else’s path, checking off the boxes that society told them were important, like climbing the career ladder, buying the house, or having the 'perfect' family, without ever stopping to ask, "Is this what I really want?"

The tragedy is, by the time they realize this, it’s often too late to make a change. The time to pursue their passions, take risks, or live authentically has passed.

And the regrets start to pile up—*"Why didn’t I take that chance?"* or "I wish I’d followed my gut instead of doing what everyone else expected."

This is why creating intentional time alone is so crucial. It gives you the space to hear your own thoughts, understand what truly fulfills you, and make decisions that align with your unique values. When you spend time alone, without constant input, you can reflect on your life, your goals, and what success means to you, not to anyone else.

Without this time, you might find yourself constantly chasing external markers of success, thinking that checking off the next goal will finally bring happiness. But when those goals don’t lead to the fulfillment you expected, it can leave you feeling empty, wondering why you feel off-track despite having done everything “right.”

The risk of not doing this inner work is that you end up living a life shaped by external forces, rather than one crafted by your own hands. And that’s how people wake up one day, decades later, realizing that they never truly lived the life they wanted.

One Way to Start (What Works for Me)

The easiest way?

Make time for a 25-minute walk with no music, no podcast, no friend to talk to—just you and your thoughts.

Maybe try it in the morning?

Sincerely,

Shanee Moret

PS: For more personal development resources, click here to subscribe to my YouTube channel.