Your Time is Worth More Than Millions: How to Break the Cycle of “Unproductivity”

We’ve all been there: you feel unproductive, and the weight of that feeling starts to drag you down. Maybe you turn to something that provides instant gratification — like video games or endlessly scrolling on your phone — to distract yourself from the discomfort. For a while, it feels good. But soon enough, the feeling of guilt creeps in, and you realize you’re still stuck.

And then the cycle begins again.

This is the negative feedback loop of motivation. The more unproductive we feel, the more we turn to short-term distractions, which in turn make us feel even worse. It’s a vicious cycle that traps us, leaving us feeling like we’ve lost control over our time and energy.

How Does the Loop Work?

1. Feeling Unproductive: The Trigger It often starts with the feeling that you have a lot to do, but you’re either overwhelmed by the sheer volume or there’s a specific task you really want to put off. You didn’t get much done today, or maybe you’re behind on a project, and that nagging voice of guilt starts talking. The pressure to be productive — or the avoidance of a daunting task — becomes the trigger for the cycle. The feeling of overwhelm leads to procrastination. You seek a distraction to escape the weight of what’s left undone, which only deepens the sense of “unproductivity”.
2. Emotional Low: The Sadness or Guilt After recognising the lack of productivity, next, we begin to feel down— sad, disappointed, or even guilty :(. We start questioning ourselves: “Why can’t I get things done?” or “What’s wrong with me?” These negative emotions weigh heavily on our motivation.
3. Seeking Instant Gratification: The Escape To cope with these uncomfortable emotions, we look for an escape. Enter video games, mindless phone apps, or binge-watching TV shows. These activities offer instant gratification and give our minds a quick break from the guilt. But they make you tired, and it adds to that feeling…

This was the game FYI that got me to have that feeling again.

4. The Aftermath: The Productivity Crash But after hours of escaping, reality catches up. We’re still unproductive, and now we’ve wasted even more time. The initial “unproductivity” is compounded by the extra time lost to distractions, deepening the feeling of disappointment.

5. Loop Repeats With the feeling of unproductivity even stronger now, the loop starts again. The cycle feeds itself, making it harder to escape and leaving us stuck. UNLESS…

Breaking Free: Turning the Negative Loop into a Positive One — Yes you can!

Escaping this loop requires interrupting the cycle at any stage and replacing negative behaviours with positive ones. Here’s how to begin:

1. Identify the Trigger Awareness is the first step. Notice when you’re starting to feel unproductive. Ask yourself: “What triggered this feeling?” Was it a task you avoided? A deadline you’re stressed about? Identifying the root cause of your unproductive feelings can help you gain clarity.
2. Challenge Negative Self-Talk When the feelings of guilt or sadness start creeping in, it’s crucial to challenge them. Instead of thinking, “I didn’t do enough today,” reframe it: “I did what I could, and I can improve tomorrow.” Being kinder to yourself prevents the emotional low from spiralling.
3. Replace Escapism with Micro-Actions Instead of turning to video games or other distractions, try replacing them with micro-actions — small, manageable tasks that take 5–10 minutes. These can be as simple as cleaning your workspace, replying to an email, or writing down a few goals for tomorrow. Micro-actions build momentum and prevent you from feeling like you wasted the day.
4. Personally, I’ve set myself three simple steps to break out of the loop today:

• I’m going to attend an art collector’s viewing in the evening to get myself out of the house, switch up my environment, and get inspired.
• I’ll then do some study on building a AI trainer— just a bit of effort toward a side project I care about.
• And finally, I’ll start my documentation work with a simple 5-minute rule: “You can do 5 minutes — just start!” Once you begin, it’s easier to get into the flow.

Create a New Feedback Loop Once you start replacing negative habits with small productive actions, you create a positive feedback loop. The more you accomplish — even if they are small wins — the better you feel. And the better you feel, the more motivated you are to keep going. Each productive step builds momentum. Journal that, trust me — the positive feeling compounds here too!

Conclusion

The negative feedback loop of motivation is common, and we often fall into it without even realising, even when we realise it might be difficult to get out. But the good news is that it’s possible to break free. By becoming aware of the triggers and emotions that keep you stuck, and by replacing negative habits with positive micro-actions, you can shift from a cycle of procrastination and guilt to one of motivation and progress.

Remember, it’s not about being perfect. It’s about making small, sustainable changes like the Japanese philosophy “Kaizen” that interrupt the cycle and help you reclaim your sense of productivity. The art viewing, the 5-minute documentation task, or whatever small win you choose — all of these will help create a new loop of motivation and achievement. You. Got. This.

An extra thought…

I saw on a reel today between Guy A & B:

Guy A: “If I gave you 100 million dollars, would you say ‘thank you’?”

Guy B: “Thank you! Yes I would say thank you.”

Guy A: “But on one condition if I were to give you 100 million dollars — you won't be able to wake up tomorrow. Would you still take it?”

Guy B: “No, of course not.”

Guy A: “Then that’s the price of you waking up tomorrow.”

Let that sink in.