How to Make Productivity Feel Effortless: Lessons from Ciara Conlon

Have you ever felt like you were drowning in chaos, constantly juggling a million things but never quite getting ahead? If so, you’re not alone.

In a recent episode of Body Beyond the Scales, I sat down with productivity and leadership coach Ciara Conlon to talk about how to stop working against yourself and start making life easier.

Ciara Conlon is a productivity and leadership coach, as well as an author of 4 x books, including "Productivity for Dummies".

Ciara’s journey didn’t start with perfect organization—far from it. She described her life before discovering productivity as cluttered, both physically and mentally.

She had big dreams and ideas but lacked the consistency to follow through.

Sound familiar?

If you’ve ever struggled with starting and stopping, feeling like motivation disappears just when you need it most, then keep reading—because Ciara shared some absolute gems that can help you break free from that cycle.

Here are three of my biggest takeaways from the episode.

1. Start Small to Build Momentum

When we’re overwhelmed, it’s tempting to try and overhaul everything at once. But that’s a surefire way to crash and burn.

Ciara’s advice? Start with just one habit. 

Ask yourself: What’s one small thing I can commit to for the next week? 

Maybe it’s drinking a glass of water first thing in the morning. Maybe it’s a 10-minute walk. Maybe it’s writing down three things you’re grateful for. The goal is to create a win—something so small you can’t fail.

Once you master that, you build momentum. And momentum is what carries you forward.

2. Stop Chasing ‘Shiny Object Syndrome’

We all fall into the trap of setting goals based on what we think we should do. We should lose weight. We should read more. We should get up at 5 AM. But are those really our goals, or just noise?

Ciara emphasizes the importance of choosing goals that actually matter to YOU. The ones that align with your values and the person you want to become.

She suggests asking: What’s the ONE thing I want to achieve this year that would make it my best year yet?

When you get crystal clear on that, distractions fade away. You stop hopping from one idea to the next and actually start making progress.

3. Make Decisions Like Your Future Self

If you’ve ever found yourself debating whether to work out, meal prep, or hit snooze, try this trick: ask yourself what your future self would want.

Would the healthiest, happiest version of you skip that workout? Probably not.

Would they choose scrolling on Instagram over getting a good night’s sleep? Unlikely.

The more you practice making decisions through the lens of your future self, the easier it becomes to stay consistent.

Want More? Listen to the Full Podcast

These are just a few of the golden nuggets Ciara shared in our conversation. To hear more of her insights, including how to build better habits and create a morning routine that sets you up for success, listen to the full episode of Body Beyond the Scales.

Click here to listen now!