From Burnout to Balance: How One Former CEO Reclaimed Her Life with These 3 Productivity Hacks
Tanya Dalton, the founder and former CEO of inkWELL Press, spent her early career working 12 to 14-hour days while building her first company and raising two young children. Despite her dedication, she realized something was deeply off when she found herself constantly overwhelmed, exhausted, and still unsatisfied. The tipping point came one evening when she became irrationally upset at her husband for taking five extra minutes in the car listening to a radio program after work. This small moment made her realize the root of her frustration: she hadn’t allowed herself the same five minutes of rest that she expected from others.
Since then, Tanya has radically transformed how she approaches work and life. After six years of experimenting with new productivity strategies, she now works a 30-hour week—Monday through Thursday until 3 p.m.—and takes every Friday off. This new schedule hasn’t hindered her success; in fact, it’s allowed her to publish two books and become a sought-after productivity consultant and speaker.
Dalton’s experience led her to uncover three productivity hacks that helped her work more efficiently and with more satisfaction. These strategies have not only enhanced her quality of life but have also proven to be more effective than common workplace trends. Here are the top three productivity tips she recommends—along with a critical look at what you should avoid.
1. Forget the Pomodoro Timer: Take Actual Breaks Instead
The Pomodoro technique, popularized by productivity experts, involves working in 25-minute blocks followed by 5-minute breaks. After completing four of these cycles, you take a longer break. It’s widely used and praised by many, including celebrities like Tom Hanks. However, Dalton argues that it doesn’t work for everyone and can actually hinder productivity.
The problem with Pomodoro, Dalton says, is that it forces people to break their flow every 25 minutes, which can be counterproductive. “It takes about 23 minutes to get back into a state of focus after being distracted,” Dalton explains. “So when you stop every 25 minutes, you disrupt that flow and lose momentum.”
Instead, she suggests working in longer, more natural blocks—60 to 90 minutes of focused work, followed by a break. This approach allows for a deeper state of concentration and creativity, helping to produce higher-quality work. The key, according to Dalton, is to listen to your own body and recognize when you’re ready for a break. “Rest is a requirement for great work to happen,” she says.
2. Measure Productivity by Tasks, Not Hours
For years, the 40-hour workweek has been considered the gold standard of productivity. However, Dalton believes that the number of hours worked has little to do with how effective a person actually is. She advocates for focusing on the quality of tasks completed, rather than the amount of time spent working.
Dalton realized that filling her calendar with back-to-back meetings and an ever-expanding to-do list was counterproductive. While checking off easy tasks gave her a fleeting sense of accomplishment, it didn’t help her make real progress on the important projects. “Our brains are wired to choose the easiest tasks to complete,” she explains. “But the harder, more significant tasks get pushed off, often for days or even weeks.”
Her solution? Toss the to-do list. Instead, she recommends creating a “priority list” of five to seven tasks each day, organized by importance. This simple change allows you to focus on what truly matters, ensuring that your energy goes toward the most valuable tasks. Even if you end up completing fewer tasks in a day, you’re more likely to achieve meaningful progress. This shift from a time-based mindset to a task-based mindset can lead to both greater productivity and a better work-life balance.
3. Schedule Regular Check-Ins with Yourself
In her busy workweek, Dalton never made time for personal reflection. She didn’t realize how unbalanced her life had become until she found herself overwhelmed and headed toward burnout. Now, she regularly checks in with herself to assess her life’s pace, work-life harmony, and her personal well-being.
Dalton sets aside time once every quarter for these self-assessments. She reflects on her schedule, her family life, and what areas of her life need change. For instance, when she realized that her work had become too consuming and was taking a toll on her relationship with her children, she set clear boundaries around her work schedule. These quarterly check-ins gave her the clarity and motivation to implement the 30-hour work week that she now follows.
“It’s powerful because it allows you to be more in charge of your life,” Dalton says. “It lets me feel like I’m more the driver of the bus rather than just the passenger.”
Why These Hacks Work
Dalton’s approach to productivity isn’t about working harder or longer—it’s about working smarter and more intentionally. By abandoning outdated practices like the Pomodoro technique, shifting from hours worked to tasks completed, and taking regular time to assess her own well-being, she has created a work-life balance that supports both her personal and professional goals. For Dalton, the secret to being productive isn’t about doing more; it’s about doing less, but with greater focus and intention.
Her strategy has worked so well that she now helps other businesses implement similar productivity systems. By teaching companies how to optimize their workflow, Dalton has shown that working fewer hours doesn’t equate to less success—in fact, it can lead to greater achievements and a more fulfilling life.
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