I Created a Human Being and It Changed My Definition of Productivity

7 Questions I Now Ask Myself To Measure My Productivity

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Middle-Pause

6 min readAug 9, 2023

Becoming a mother changes your definition of most things — responsibility, pain, love, happiness, and everything in between.

Another definition it really changed for me? Productivity.

I enjoy reading and whether it’s in a physical book store or on my Kindle, productivity is a genre I’ve always drifted towards. While many may take a dig at its preachiness, I’ve found several titles in the category inspiring.

Atomic habits cemented my methodology to cultivate and delete habits. Miracle Mornings equipped me with the solace of a treasured routine during the pandemic. What Got You Here Won’t Get You There is what helped me kickstart the vision for my thirties.

All of the above helped me build a strong foundation of discipline to build my high-rise building. Then something happened. I became a mother.

I realized I no longer want a high-rise building at the moment. But I do very much still want to build. I just want a beautiful bungalow instead. And so while the foundation remains the same, I need new skills for my new building. And with that, what I found I needed most was a fresh definition of productivity and how I measure it.

And so as my maternity leave came to an end, I’ve come up with the 7 questions below to help me measure my productivity on any given day:

Did I feed my baby?

I’m a breastfeeding Mamma and it was vital for me to have this on top of my list here because breastfeeding uses more energy than our whole brain does in a day! Thus it was important that I honor how productive that is even if it only looks like sitting in a chair with my baby on my lap multiple times in the day (and night!).

Did I spend uninterrupted time with my son?

As a working mom, mom guilt is very real.

And while I work from home and I’m ‘around’, it’s important for me to truly be present with my son every day. Not only because it's good for him but because it's important for me.

They say these early years fly by, and it's only been a few months but I see what they mean already. So every day I need uninterrupted time with my little one. Whether it's reading him stories, playing a game, or giving him a massage and bath. No phones. No laptop. And here’s the key ingredient — no other thoughts!

Did I move?

This may seem trivial but even a small amount of movement helps to do all my other tasks much more efficiently. Now I’m not currently in my gym era where I can put 1 hour of daily gym on the to-do and tick it off. So what is non-negotiable is simply movement.

This takes different forms. It can look like dancing for my son which entertains him and makes me sweat to produce those happy hormones. It can also look like stretching even for a minute each time I find one spare. It could mean walking while I take work calls and doing Kegels at my work desk. Or taking a short walk with my baby in the park across from my home.

And something fun I recently introduced is playing catch with my husband for a few minutes after dinner before we plonk ourselves on the bed to Netflix and chill.

Did I work on something that put me in a flow state?

I truly enjoy working. Do I work because it pays the bills? Yes. But even when I didn’t need to, I always wanted to work. This is why I started my career when I was a teenager.

Now as a mom, if I am doing something instead of being with my baby, it has to be very worth it. It needs to engage me. It needs to make me feel like I’m creating an impact for myself and others. I need to enjoy it and not feel like I’m stuck. Just ticking tasks off my list isn’t productive anymore.

Ticking tasks that truly add value is the key.

Did I rest and eat well?

This isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when we think of productivity, but in order to be able to do all my other tasks I need to get this right. Without sleep, I’m only half as efficient at work. And I’m only half as fun and kind with my son. While the former could be negotiable on some days previously, the latter is absolutely a no-no. And that’s my motivation to rest.

Similarly, I need to eat well. Enough, on time, and correctly.

Breastfeeding provides a great hack for this. If I don’t eat well, my milk supply tanks. And I really think this is the best trigger I could have to put my health first. I’ll always put my baby’s nutrition first and since it's completely dependent on my health right now, it’s a sure-shot winning methodology.

Did I spend time with my husband and/or speak to friends/family?

It’s easy to lose yourself in motherhood. Add work to it and the maze gets even denser.

If I ever had to describe life in one word, for me it's love.

So I prioritize it. Of course with my son, but also with my partner, with my parents and in-laws, with my friends, and with other family I’m close to.

To me, making that call, sending that message, and grabbing that cup of coffee is productive. Along with what I earn or learn, relationships are what I’ll be passing on to my son as well.

Is what I’m working on paying me well for my time?

Money is important and there’s no shying away from that. It’s how I afford help as a working mom. It’s how I will get my son his best education. It’s how my husband and I can travel the world along with the little one. And so much more.

I already mentioned that I don’t want to be stuck doing work I don’t enjoy just for a paycheck. At the same time, I don’t want to be doing work that doesn’t get a large enough paycheck either. I am no longer in my 20s. And I’m not working ‘just for the experience’.

Again, this is valuable time away from my baby. So I find it pertinent to be mindful of where I’m investing my time and the monetary return it's garnering.

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Not every day will I measure a 7/7.

On some days I will be tempted to do more. But these questions serve as an anchor to remind me of what’s important (and what’s not). And help me easily identify where I’m slacking and re-align if necessary.

It’s hard to measure productivity as it is. And it gets even more complex as a mother. This is my attempt to simplify the process.