Core Values: A Foundation of Sustainable Productivity Artwork

Positively Living®: Shame-Free Productivity Conversations

The Positively LivingⓇ podcast is designed to help you prioritize your passions, personalize your approach to life, and achieve your goals without the burnout. If you're an overwhelmed multi-tasker, multi-passionate, people pleaser, creative, and/or caregiver, you'll love this mix of solo and special guest episodes. With topics like productivity, self-awareness, personal development, habits + systems, decluttering + organizing, positivity, stress management, trauma + grief, entrepreneurship, and more, you’ll find actionable advice, wrapped in humor and hope, dedicated to helping you do less, live more, and breathe easier.

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Positively Living®: Shame-Free Productivity Conversations

Core Values: A Foundation of Sustainable Productivity

January 12, 2026 • Lisa Zawrotny • Episode 296

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So many of us struggle with “productivity shame”-- the feeling that we’re failing because we can’t stay consistent. Maybe our systems and schedules look good on paper, but leave us feeling exhausted, guilty, or burnt out. The truth? Our daily actions are in a constant tug-of-war with our souls. This week, on episode 296 of the Positively LivingⓇ Podcast, I am kicking off a special series guiding you through my Positively Productive Toolkit, starting with the foundational element of sustainable productivity: core values.

In this episode of the Positively LivingⓇ Podcast, I’m sharing how you can identify the fundamental beliefs that guide your behavior and how to use them as a “filter” to sift through the noise of the world.

Key Takeaways:

Your values are the ultimate decision-maker for feeling grounded (instead of drained) in your efforts.
Resistance and inconsistency are often linked to a lack of alignment.
Learn how to narrow a list of ideals into five essential anchor values that represent your most authentic self.
Shift your perspective from who you “should” be to who you actually are, allowing you to create a life that honors your energy and capacity.

Your productivity should support your life, not the other way around. Haven’t downloaded your Positively Productive Toolkit yet? You can find it at positivelyproductive.com/PLPKit

Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, take a screenshot of the episode to post in your stories and tag me! And don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast and tell me your key takeaways!

Learn more about Positively LivingⓇ and Lisa at https://positivelyproductive.com/podcast/

Stop trying to fit into someone else’s productivity rules! Grab my free Productivity Toolkit, a collection of workbooks designed to help you explore how you work, uncover what truly matters to you, and create your very own energy-friendly systems. Get it here: www.positivelyproductive.com/plpkit

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LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

(Find links to books/gear on the Positively Productive Resources Page.)

Ep 293: Simple Filters to Help You Make Decisions

Dance Song Playlist V1, V2, V3

Music by Ian and Jeff Zawrotny

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