Ditch the Chaos: The Productivity Rebellion

Cara Chace
  • 5.0 (6)
  • SELF-IMPROVEMENT
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

The productivity podcast for burned out women entrepreneurs who are tired of holding their business together with duct tape and coffee. Your week fell apart by Tuesday. Again. You started Monday with a perfectly planned calendar, and by Wednesday you're drowning in "quick requests," rewriting the same to-do list for the third time, and rage-eating lunch at your desk because you're behind on everything. You've tried the productivity systems. The morning routines. The time-blocking. The apps that promise to fix everything. And they all assume your life goes according to plan—which it never does. Here's the truth: You're not bad at time management. You're exhausted from being everyone's backup plan. Your brain is running three parallel to-do lists during client calls. You're carrying the mental load for both your business and your family. And no planner app can fix that. You need weekly planning that bends when life doesn't cooperate. Boundaries that actually protect your capacity. And permission to stop apologizing for needing rest. That's what Ditch the Chaos: The Productivity Rebellion is for. I'm Cara Chace—entrepreneur since 2015, homeschooling mom of two, and recovering people-pleaser who learned the hard way that most productivity advice is built for people whose days are predictable. Mine aren't. Yours probably aren't either. This isn't another podcast telling you to wake up at 5am, batch your content, or hustle harder. This is where you learn to build your own systems instead of following everyone else's rules. Every week, you'll get strategies for entrepreneur burnout recovery, real talk about setting boundaries without guilt, and practical ways to create white space in your calendar and breathing room in your brain—before you hit the wall. You'll learn how to stop white-knuckling your way through every week, get your Fridays back, and run your business without sacrificing your sanity. No templates. No rigid time-blocking. No productivity guilt. Just relief that actually works when your Tuesday falls apart. Ready to stop being the failsafe for everything? Subscribe now and let's ditch the chaos together.

  1. Breaking the Burnout Cycle: The Real Reason Nothing Changes

    3H AGO

    Breaking the Burnout Cycle: The Real Reason Nothing Changes

    Send in your question or leave me some love! Breaking the Burnout Cycle: The Real Reason Nothing Changes Breaking the burnout cycle as a woman entrepreneur isn't a motivation problem — it's a timing problem. And once you understand what's actually driving the chaos-to-calm-to-chaos loop, the path forward gets a lot clearer. In this episode, you'll learn: Why you can't fix the burnout cycle when you're in crisis modeWhy the calm phase never leads to change eitherWhat "the third moment" is — and why it's the only thing that actually moves you forwardThe one question that cuts through the noise and helps you see your situation clearlyWhy staying stuck has a real cost — and how to finally look at it honestlyKey Topics Covered: The crisis-to-calm cycle and why both states keep you stuck (00:01:09)Why most productivity advice lands at the wrong moment (00:03:52)The student story: doing the math on the cost of staying stuck (00:04:30)Cara's own reckoning: social media, the book, and the brutal math (00:05:42)The question that changes everything (00:07:07)Reset & Reclaim action step (00:08:19)Reset & Reclaim Action Step: Take 10 minutes this week and write down what staying in the cycle is actually costing you — not a vague list, but specific things. A project that keeps getting pushed. The version of yourself you keep promising to get back to. The thing you've been wanting to build that keeps losing to the chaos. Write it down. Look at it. Let it be real. Resources Mentioned: The Productivity Rebellion (free monthly guide): carachace.com/productivity-rebellionChaos Detox (weekly planning method): carachace.com/chaos-detoxConnect with Cara: Website: carachace.comInstagram: @carachaceEmail: hello@carachace.comLove this episode? Leave a review and help other women entrepreneurs find the show. The Social Media Burnout Cure drops fall 2026. Get on the launch list at socialmediaburnoutbook.com for first look at the introduction, pre-order info, and launch bonuses.  Support the show ❓Want your question answered on the show? Join the Productivity Rebellion for free monthly guidance + the chance to ask me anything! Connect: Instagram | YouTube | Website ✨Start your Chaos Detox 📩Join The Productivity Rebellion ⭐Loved the episode? Leave a review on Apple Podcasts!

    10 min
  2. Mindfulness Habits for Women Entrepreneurs: 10 Ways to Reset Your Day

    APR 30

    Mindfulness Habits for Women Entrepreneurs: 10 Ways to Reset Your Day

    Send in your question or leave me some love! When your day goes sideways before 9am, mindfulness habits for women entrepreneurs aren't a luxury — they're how you get back on track without ending the day feeling like you failed. This episode gives you 10 simple practices to pull out the next time everything goes off plan. In this episode, you'll learn: Why the "perfect day" is rare — and what to do about the imperfect ones insteadHow box breathing actually slows down the momentum of panic in about five minutesWhy going outside without your phone or earbuds can break a spiral faster than anything elseThe surprisingly simple reason your 2pm brain fog might not be a productivity problem at allHow to stop getting buried in decision paralysis and find the next right thing to doWhat "observing your thoughts" actually means — and why it works when nothing else doesWhen journaling works and when it doesn't (hint: it depends on where you are mentally)Why staring out the window is a legitimate productivity strategyHow a body scan pulls you back into the present when your brain has completely taken overKey Topics Covered: What mindfulness actually means — and what it isn't (00:02:00)Deep breathing and box breathing explained (00:02:45)Go outside — why fresh air breaks a mental spiral (00:03:24)Hydration and the 2pm crash (00:04:00)Stretching and movement to reset your body (00:05:23)One thing at a time vs. multitasking (00:06:00)The next right thing — how to break decision paralysis (00:06:26)Observing your thoughts like passing clouds (00:07:12)Journaling as a brain dump, not a productivity exercise (00:08:21)Staring out the window — genuinely underrated (00:09:00)Body scan and Yoga Nidra (00:09:35)Reset & Reclaim Action Step: Pick two practices from this episode and write them somewhere visible before your next chaotic day. A sticky note, a phone note — anywhere you'll see it. When things spiral, you've already decided what to do. Resources Mentioned: The Untethered Soul by Michael Singer (mentioned at 00:08:02)Yoga Nidra on YouTube — search "Yoga Nidra" (mentioned at 00:10:00)The Productivity Rebellion (free monthly guide): carachace.com/productivity-rebellionChaos Detox: carachace.com/chaos-detoxConnect with Cara: Website: carachace.comInstagram: @carachaceEmail: hello@carachace.comLove this episode? Leave a re The Social Media Burnout Cure drops fall 2026. Get on the launch list at socialmediaburnoutbook.com for first look at the introduction, pre-order info, and launch bonuses.  Support the show ❓Want your question answered on the show? Join the Productivity Rebellion for free monthly guidance + the chance to ask me anything! Connect: Instagram | YouTube | Website ✨Start your Chaos Detox 📩Join The Productivity Rebellion ⭐Loved the episode? Leave a review on Apple Podcasts!

    12 min
  3. Deep Work for Entrepreneurs: 5 Ways to Boost Productivity and Stop the Overwhelm

    APR 23

    Deep Work for Entrepreneurs: 5 Ways to Boost Productivity and Stop the Overwhelm

    Send in your question or leave me some love! Deep Work for Entrepreneurs: 5 Ways to Boost Productivity and Stop the Overwhelm Deep work — the ability to focus without distraction on cognitively demanding tasks — is how you get the right things done, not just more things done. And for entrepreneurs especially, it might be the most underused productivity tool you have. In this episode, you'll learn: What deep work actually is and why Cal Newport's definition changes how you think about productivityWhy your best thinking requires protecting yourself from your own to-do listHow to set up the right environment for focused work (no hotel required)Why multitasking burns through your brain's capacity — and what to do insteadThe one-goal rule that makes deep work sessions actually productiveHow to recognize when your brain needs a break before it tanks your outputKey Topics Covered: What is deep work + why it matters for entrepreneurs (00:02:00)Tip 1: Be flexible about what you're working on (00:03:05)Tip 2: Set the right environment (00:04:00)Tip 3: Stop multitasking (00:05:00)Tip 4: Set one goal (00:06:00)Tip 5: Take breaks (00:07:15)Reset & Reclaim action step (00:08:52)Reset & Reclaim Action Step: Block two hours for a focused work session on whatever strategic work you keep bumping down your list. Before you start, pick one goal — just one thing you want to have moved forward by the end of that block. Turn off notifications, close the extra tabs, and protect that time. Resources Mentioned: The Productivity Rebellion (free monthly guide): carachace.com/productivity-rebellionChaos Detox (weekly planning method): carachace.com/chaos-detoxDeep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal NewportConnect with Cara: Website: carachace.comInstagram: @carachaceEmail: hello@carachace.comLove this episode? Leave a review and help other exhausted entrepreneurs find the show. The Social Media Burnout Cure drops fall 2026. Get on the launch list at socialmediaburnoutbook.com for first look at the introduction, pre-order info, and launch bonuses.  Support the show ❓Want your question answered on the show? Join the Productivity Rebellion for free monthly guidance + the chance to ask me anything! Connect: Instagram | YouTube | Website ✨Start your Chaos Detox 📩Join The Productivity Rebellion ⭐Loved the episode? Leave a review on Apple Podcasts!

    11 min
  4. Monthly Planning for Entrepreneurs: 3 Days You Should Block Every Month

    APR 16

    Monthly Planning for Entrepreneurs: 3 Days You Should Block Every Month

    Send in your question or leave me some love! If you're constantly behind on admin, running on empty, and watching your goals get bumped every single month — the fix might not be another weekly system. These three monthly planning days for entrepreneurs change the way your whole month feels. In this episode, you'll learn: Why theme days work better at the monthly level than the weekly levelHow a Hooky Day actually makes you a better entrepreneur (not just a better rester)What a Back Office Day is and how it clears the mental weight of unfinished admin tasksHow open loops drain your focus even when you're not actively thinking about themWhy your Review and Planning Day is the key to getting out of reaction modeHow to structure your monthly review — including what to look at and what to let go ofThe one scheduling move that keeps all three days from getting bumpedKey Topics Covered: What theme days are and how they reduce context switching (00:00:29)Hooky Day: what it is, why it matters, and how to actually take one (00:01:13)Back Office Day: tackling open loops and admin before they take over your brain (00:04:07)Review and Planning Day: zooming out and designing your month before it runs you (00:06:35)Reset & Reclaim action step (00:09:00)Reset & Reclaim Action Step: Open your calendar right now and block three days for next month — a Hooky Day, a Back Office Day, and a Review and Planning Day. Do it before the month fills up. Fifteen minutes now protects the whole month. Resources Mentioned: The Productivity Rebellion (free monthly guide): carachace.com/productivity-rebellionChaos Detox: carachace.com/chaos-detoxConnect with Cara: Website: carachace.comInstagram: @carachaceEmail: hello@carachace.comLove this episode? Leave a review and help other exhausted entrepreneurs find the show. The Social Media Burnout Cure drops fall 2026. Get on the launch list at socialmediaburnoutbook.com for first look at the introduction, pre-order info, and launch bonuses.  Support the show ❓Want your question answered on the show? Join the Productivity Rebellion for free monthly guidance + the chance to ask me anything! Connect: Instagram | YouTube | Website ✨Start your Chaos Detox 📩Join The Productivity Rebellion ⭐Loved the episode? Leave a review on Apple Podcasts!

    11 min
  5. Smartphone Addiction Is Killing Your Business (And It's Not a Willpower Problem)

    APR 9

    Smartphone Addiction Is Killing Your Business (And It's Not a Willpower Problem)

    Send in your question or leave me some love! Smartphone Addiction Is Killing Your Business (And It's Not a Willpower Problem) Smartphone addiction is costing women entrepreneurs more than lost time — it's draining decision-making, creativity, and nervous system capacity in ways that show up as physical symptoms. This episode breaks down why phone addiction hits differently when your business runs on your phone, and what actually creates real boundaries with the device that's supposed to be making your life easier. In this episode, you'll learn: Why smartphone addiction for entrepreneurs looks like hustle instead of addictionHow chronic phone use destroys decision-making, creativity, and business capacityWhy Apple Screen Time doesn't work (and what does)How the Opal app creates actual friction that willpower can'tWhat your body's physical symptoms might really be telling youKey Topics Covered: Why your nervous system can't tell the difference between "productive" and mindless scrolling (00:02:43)The 4 ways maxed-out nervous system is silently damaging your business (00:03:47)Why Screen Time limits fail and what you need instead (00:05:36)How Opal app blocks work and why Deep Focus mode matters (00:06:34)Listening to physical symptoms as nervous system data (00:09:26)Reset & Reclaim Action Step: Pick your most distracting app and block it during your best two hours of work tomorrow. Use Opal, Screen Time, or any app blocker that creates enough friction to make phone-picking a conscious choice. Notice what happens — the pull, the restlessness. You're not fixing everything this week. You're gathering data. Resources Mentioned: The Productivity Rebellion (free monthly guide): carachace.com/productivity-rebellionChaos Detox: carachace.com/chaos-detoxOpal app (link in show notes) — referral code for 30-day Pro trial: URH4QConnect with Cara: Website: carachace.comInstagram: @carachaceEmail: hello@carachace.comLove this episode? Leave a review and help other exhausted entrepreneurs find the show. The Social Media Burnout Cure drops fall 2026. Get on the launch list at socialmediaburnoutbook.com for first look at the introduction, pre-order info, and launch bonuses.  Support the show ❓Want your question answered on the show? Join the Productivity Rebellion for free monthly guidance + the chance to ask me anything! Connect: Instagram | YouTube | Website ✨Start your Chaos Detox 📩Join The Productivity Rebellion ⭐Loved the episode? Leave a review on Apple Podcasts!

    12 min
  6. Building a Success Mindset When You Hate Being Bad at Things

    APR 2

    Building a Success Mindset When You Hate Being Bad at Things

    Send in your question or leave me some love! Building a success mindset as a woman entrepreneur is hard when being bad at something feels expensive — especially when you're already running on empty. This episode breaks down what the real beginner phase looks like and how to move through it without dropping everything else you're holding. In this episode, you'll learn: Why discomfort when learning something new isn't a warning sign — and what it actually isHow to use small wins to build the momentum your brain needs to stay in itWhat rock climbing taught Cara about rebuilding confidence when things get wobblyWhy dropped habits are useful data, not proof you failedThe "Watch One, Do One, Teach One" framework for reaching real mastery in any skillKey Topics Covered: Why high-achievers resist the beginner phase (00:00:30)Celebrate Step One — and why it matters more than the finish line (00:03:08)Go back to basics when confidence wobbles (00:04:15)Getting a coach or mentor to cut through the noise (00:05:17)Strengthening your foundation before building higher (00:06:00)When to stop preparing and just jump (00:07:00)Watch One, Do One, Teach One (00:07:48)Reset & Reclaim Action Step: Pick one skill or habit you've been avoiding because you don't want to be bad at it. Do step one only — one mile, one blank document, one 15-minute timer. Write it down and acknowledge that you did it. Your brain needs that first data point more than it needs a perfect plan. Resources Mentioned: The Productivity Rebellion (free monthly guide): carachace.com/productivity-rebellionChaos Detox: carachace.com/chaos-detoxConnect with Cara: Website: carachace.comInstagram: @carachaceEmail: hello@carachace.comLove this episode? Leave a review and help other exhausted entrepreneurs find the show. The Social Media Burnout Cure drops fall 2026. Get on the launch list at socialmediaburnoutbook.com for first look at the introduction, pre-order info, and launch bonuses.  Support the show ❓Want your question answered on the show? Join the Productivity Rebellion for free monthly guidance + the chance to ask me anything! Connect: Instagram | YouTube | Website ✨Start your Chaos Detox 📩Join The Productivity Rebellion ⭐Loved the episode? Leave a review on Apple Podcasts!

    10 min
  7. 7 Signs You're Overworked That Women Entrepreneurs Always Miss

    MAR 26

    7 Signs You're Overworked That Women Entrepreneurs Always Miss

    Send in your question or leave me some love! You're rewriting the same to-do list every Monday, working through lunch, answering emails at 9pm—and you just said yes to one more project. If you're a woman entrepreneur wondering why you're exhausted despite being "productive," this episode reveals the seven warning signs you're operating past your capacity. In this episode, you'll learn: Why better boundaries won't fix overcommitment if you don't know your actual capacityThe difference between "fantasy hours" and "reality hours" (and why your math is probably off)How to recognize the 7 signs you're overworked before you reach full burnoutWhy traditional planning systems fail women with unpredictable livesHow to start planning around your actual capacity instead of fantasy capacityKey Topics Covered: Why boundaries aren't enough without capacity awareness (00:00:32)Fantasy hours vs. reality hours calculation (00:02:20)Sign #1: Constantly rescheduling your own priorities (00:03:34)Sign #2: Exhausted despite being productive (00:04:37)Sign #3: Making decisions from depletion (00:05:39)Sign #4: Personal life becomes optional (00:06:34)Sign #5: Body keeps sending signals (00:07:38)Sign #6: Can't remember feeling ahead (00:09:00)Sign #7: Resenting things you used to love (00:09:53)The capacity math you're not doing (00:11:00)Why traditional planning methods fail (00:12:36)What changes when you stop operating past capacity (00:16:05)Reset & Reclaim Action Step: Go through the 7 signs and honestly mark which ones you're experiencing right now—not in the past or someday, but right now. If you checked more than three, you're already operating past your capacity. That's not judgment—that's data. Data gives you clarity, and clarity gives you permission to make different choices. Resources Mentioned: The Productivity Rebellion (free monthly guide): carachace.com/productivity-rebellionChaos Detox (weekly planning method): carachace.com/chaos-detoxConnect with Cara: Website: carachace.comInstagram: @carachaceEmail: hello@carachace.comLove this episode? Leave a review and help other exhausted entrepreneurs find the show. The Social Media Burnout Cure drops fall 2026. Get on the launch list at socialmediaburnoutbook.com for first look at the introduction, pre-order info, and launch bonuses.  Support the show ❓Want your question answered on the show? Join the Productivity Rebellion for free monthly guidance + the chance to ask me anything! Connect: Instagram | YouTube | Website ✨Start your Chaos Detox 📩Join The Productivity Rebellion ⭐Loved the episode? Leave a review on Apple Podcasts!

    21 min
  8. Stop Drowning in Digital Clutter: Spring Cleaning for Your Business

    MAR 19

    Stop Drowning in Digital Clutter: Spring Cleaning for Your Business

    Send in your question or leave me some love! Digital clutter is stealing your focus before you even start your workday—and it's costing you more than you realize. Every unread email, cluttered desktop icon, and chaotic bookmarks bar is draining mental bandwidth you could be using to actually grow your business. In this episode, you'll learn: Why digital clutter is more disruptive than physical clutter (and harder to ignore)How to declutter your email inbox like a CEO without spending hours sortingThe bookmark management system that keeps only what you actually useHow to maintain a clean desktop with one 5-minute weekly habitWhy unfollowing people on social media is self-care, not selfishnessKey Topics Covered: Why digital clutter fragments your attention constantly (00:01:09)Email decluttering: unsubscribe ruthlessly, stop checking mornings first, use labels strategically (00:07:51)Bookmarks bar cleanup: the one-folder-per-day method (00:18:00)Desktop decluttering: what "save for later" really means (00:23:22)Social media feed curation: unfollow without guilt (00:29:00)Building digital decluttering habits that stick (00:34:00)Reset & Reclaim Action Step: Pick ONE area to tackle this week—not all of them. Spend just 15 minutes unsubscribing from 10 email lists, cleaning one desktop folder, deleting unused bookmarks, or unfollowing 20 Instagram accounts that drain your energy. Notice how much lighter your workspace feels by the end of the week. Resources Mentioned: The Productivity Rebellion (free monthly guide): carachace.com/productivity-rebellionDigital Minimalism by Cal Newport: https://amzn.to/356bPjfUnroll.me (batch email unsubscribe tool): https://unroll.me/Craft + Commerce 2022 keynote talk: "Consciously Creating Your Dream Business": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XqTzCBGxtQOriginal blog post with step-by-step screenshots: https://www.carachace.com/blog/digital-spring-cleaningChaos Detox: carachace.com/chaos-detoxConnect with Cara: Website: carachace.comInstagram: @carachaceEmail: hello@carachace.comLove this episode? Leave a review and help other exhausted entrepreneurs find the show. The Social Media Burnout Cure drops fall 2026. Get on the launch list at socialmediaburnoutbook.com for first look at the introduction, pre-order info, and launch bonuses.  Support the show ❓Want your question answered on the show? Join the Productivity Rebellion for free monthly guidance + the chance to ask me anything! Connect: Instagram | YouTube | Website ✨Start your Chaos Detox 📩Join The Productivity Rebellion ⭐Loved the episode? Leave a review on Apple Podcasts!

    41 min
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About

The productivity podcast for burned out women entrepreneurs who are tired of holding their business together with duct tape and coffee. Your week fell apart by Tuesday. Again. You started Monday with a perfectly planned calendar, and by Wednesday you're drowning in "quick requests," rewriting the same to-do list for the third time, and rage-eating lunch at your desk because you're behind on everything. You've tried the productivity systems. The morning routines. The time-blocking. The apps that promise to fix everything. And they all assume your life goes according to plan—which it never does. Here's the truth: You're not bad at time management. You're exhausted from being everyone's backup plan. Your brain is running three parallel to-do lists during client calls. You're carrying the mental load for both your business and your family. And no planner app can fix that. You need weekly planning that bends when life doesn't cooperate. Boundaries that actually protect your capacity. And permission to stop apologizing for needing rest. That's what Ditch the Chaos: The Productivity Rebellion is for. I'm Cara Chace—entrepreneur since 2015, homeschooling mom of two, and recovering people-pleaser who learned the hard way that most productivity advice is built for people whose days are predictable. Mine aren't. Yours probably aren't either. This isn't another podcast telling you to wake up at 5am, batch your content, or hustle harder. This is where you learn to build your own systems instead of following everyone else's rules. Every week, you'll get strategies for entrepreneur burnout recovery, real talk about setting boundaries without guilt, and practical ways to create white space in your calendar and breathing room in your brain—before you hit the wall. You'll learn how to stop white-knuckling your way through every week, get your Fridays back, and run your business without sacrificing your sanity. No templates. No rigid time-blocking. No productivity guilt. Just relief that actually works when your Tuesday falls apart. Ready to stop being the failsafe for everything? Subscribe now and let's ditch the chaos together.

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