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. What Uncertainty Teaches You About Control (Lessons from March 2020)

    1D AGO

    What Uncertainty Teaches You About Control (Lessons from March 2020)

    Six years ago, the world stopped—and if you were running a business in March 2020, you remember that specific flavor of panic when everything you planned became irrelevant overnight. This episode shares a message from that moment and why the lessons about navigating uncertainty still matter today. In this episode, you'll learn: Why feeling out of control triggers paralysis (and what to do instead)The "bread story" that explains why we spiral over small decisions during uncertain times10 actionable tasks you can do when business feels chaotic or slowHow small, intentional actions remind you that you have agencyWhy uncertainty didn't end in 2020—and how to handle it when it shows up in your businessKey Topics Covered: The context of March 2020 and business paralysis (01:56)Why we spiral over small decisions when everything feels out of control (02:00)The list of positive actions for slow business or chaotic weeks (05:05)Why these strategies still work six years later (07:47)Taking small actions when you feel powerless (09:29)Reset & Reclaim Action Step: Pick one thing from the list shared in this episode—or choose your own small, controllable action—and do it this week. Not because it's urgent or will solve all your problems, but because it will remind you that you have agency. Maybe it's cleaning up your Google Drive, updating an old blog post, or reaching out to a client just to check in. Do it intentionally and notice how it feels to take control of something small when everything else feels chaotic. 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. 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
  2. 3 Types of Chaos Ruining Your Time Management (And How to Fix Each One)

    MAR 5

    3 Types of Chaos Ruining Your Time Management (And How to Fix Each One)

    You wake up already behind, your to-do list is impossible, and by the end of the day you're wondering what you actually accomplished that matters. That exhaustion isn't a discipline problem—it's chaos costing you way more than you realize. In this episode, you'll learn: The three specific types of chaos sabotaging your time management (mental, calendar, and external)Why adding more productivity systems won't fix the problem if you don't know which chaos type you're dealing withWhat each type of chaos is actually costing you—time, energy, focus, confidence, and peace of mindHow to identify which chaos type (or combination) is running your life so you can finally target the real problemKey Topics Covered: Type 1: Mental Chaos – Decision fatigue, shiny object syndrome, and constant open loops (01:37)Type 2: Calendar Chaos – Overloaded schedules, unrealistic expectations, and no white space (05:01)Type 3: External Chaos – People-pleasing, boundary issues, and absorbing others' urgency (08:13)What chaos is stealing from you: time, energy, focus, confidence, and peace of mind (11:13)Why this happens (it's not your fault) and what changes when you identify your chaos type (13:13)Reset & Reclaim Action Step: Identify which type of chaos is running your life right now—mental, calendar, or external (most likely it's a combination). Name it and write it down. Once you can identify what's stealing your time and energy, you can start to notice when it's happening and choose differently. 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. 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!

    17 min
  3. The Consistency Trap: How Productivity Advice is Sabotaging Your Business

    FEB 26

    The Consistency Trap: How Productivity Advice is Sabotaging Your Business

    If you're a woman entrepreneur struggling to maintain consistent routines despite trying every productivity system, this episode reveals why that version of consistency is designed to make you miserable—and what actually works for chaotic brains and real lives. In this episode, you'll learn: Why showing up the same way every day isn't actually the key to business successHow to recognize when your "slow" business days are actually gifts telling you something importantThe seven-step framework for sustainable consistency that doesn't require you to be someone you're notWhy treasure days and seaweed days are both necessary for long-term entrepreneurial successKey Topics Covered: The lie you've been sold about consistency and why it's making you miserable (00:00:00)Why you can't maintain the same energy every week—and why that's not a failure (00:03:30)The beach ritual that taught me everything about sustainable business building (00:06:45)Seven steps to consistency that work for chaotic entrepreneurs (00:12:15)How to stop building a business that requires you to be someone you're not (00:13:00)Why the stinky seaweed days are not failures—they're gifts (00:17:30)Letting your business evolve without forcing what it's "supposed" to be (00:20:00)Reset & Reclaim Action Step: Notice which kind of day you're having this week—treasure or seaweed—and give yourself permission to show up differently based on what you actually need, not what you think you "should" do. Resources Mentioned: The Productivity Rebellion (free monthly guide): carachace.com/productivity-rebellionConnect with Cara: Website: carachace.comInstagram: @carachaceEmail: hello@carachace.comLove this episode? Leave a review! It helps other women in business find the show. 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!

    13 min
  4. What Your Social Media Manager Should Be Doing (9 Essential Tasks)

    FEB 19

    What Your Social Media Manager Should Be Doing (9 Essential Tasks)

    If you're paying someone to post memes and promotional graphics, you're wasting your money. Social media management requires strategy, analysis, and expertise—not just scheduling posts. Whether you're hiring a manager or doing it yourself, these 9 essential tasks separate effective social media from throwing money away. In this episode, you'll learn: Why marketing objectives matter more than posting frequencyHow to use data and insights to guide your social media strategy (not guesswork)The essential reporting metrics that show what's actually workingWhy engagement is a customer service tool (not just vanity metrics)How to balance promotional content with value-driven posts using the 80/20 ruleKey Topics Covered: Knowledge of marketing objectives (00:02:35)Insights and analysis (00:04:35)Industry research (00:06:35)Scheduling and calendars (00:08:35)Reporting (00:10:35)Content curation (00:12:35)Branded and custom graphics (00:14:35)Engagement (00:16:35)Industry knowledge (00:18:35)Reset & Reclaim Action Step: Pick ONE of these 9 areas and audit your current social media strategy. Identify the gap, then decide on one small step you can take this week to improve it. You don't have to overhaul everything overnight—just start somewhere. Resources Mentioned: The Productivity Rebellion (free monthly guide): carachace.com/productivity-rebellionConnect with Cara: Website: carachace.comInstagram: @carachaceEmail: hello@carachace.comSupport 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!

    17 min
  5. Stop Building Your Business on Borrowed Land: The Marketing Strategy You Own

    FEB 12

    Stop Building Your Business on Borrowed Land: The Marketing Strategy You Own

    You're spending hours on Instagram and TikTok, but your business isn't growing the way you hoped. Here's the uncomfortable truth: social media alone can't build your business—because you don't actually own your audience there. In this episode, you'll learn: Why relying solely on social media is building your business on borrowed landThe 2014 Facebook algorithm change that changed everything for business pagesHow to create a sales funnel that moves people from social media to platforms you ownWhy email marketing is your secret weapon (and how to use it effectively)The three-piece marketing strategy that protects your business from platform changesKey Topics Covered: Why you don't own your social media audience (00:02:33)Algorithm changes and platform policies that can shut you down overnight (00:04:15)The band's journey: A real example of social media as part of a sales funnel (00:08:45)Why email marketing works when social media fails (00:13:52)Your website as your anchor: What it should actually do (00:18:20)The three-course marketing meal framework (00:21:45)Reset & Reclaim Action Step: Pick one platform you currently own—your website or your email list—and commit to improving it this week. If you don't have a website yet, set up a simple one-page site. If you have a website but no email list, create a freebie and add a sign-up form. If you have both but haven't sent an email in months, write one email this week. Resources Mentioned: FloDesk (email marketing platform) https://flodesk.com/c/TI8D7Z *affiliate linkSquarespace (websites and landing pages)The Productivity Rebellion (free monthly guide): carachace.com/productivity-rebellionConnect with Cara: Website: carachace.comInstagram: @carachaceEmail: hello@carachace.comLove this episode? Leave a review! It helps other women entrepreneurs find the show. 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!

    17 min
  6. Why Your Productivity System Keeps Failing (And the 3-Step Fix That Actually Works)

    FEB 5

    Why Your Productivity System Keeps Failing (And the 3-Step Fix That Actually Works)

    You've tried the planners, the time-blocking, the productivity courses—and nothing sticks. If you're tired of blaming yourself every time a system falls apart by Tuesday, this episode is for you. The problem isn't discipline. It's that you're missing the three-step process that actually makes productivity habits work long-term. In this episode, you'll learn: Why "nothing is new" frustration means you need perseverance, not another systemThe MAP Process: Mindfulness, Action, Perseverance (and how to use it as a feedback loop)How to build productivity skills that evolve with your life instead of breaking when plans changeWhy your first attempt at any productivity habit won't work perfectly—and why that's actually the pointThe real reason productivity systems fail (hint: it's not the system)Key Topics Covered: The MAP Process framework (03:23)Step 1: Mindfulness—understanding yourself before picking a system (05:23)Step 2: Action—testing and gathering data (09:23)Step 3: Perseverance—tweaking instead of quitting (12:23)How to use MAP as a feedback loop (16:23)Reset & Reclaim Action Step: Pick ONE productivity habit you've been trying to build and run it through the MAP process this week. Ask: What do I know about myself (Mindfulness)? What happens when I try it (Action)? What needs adjusting (Perseverance)? 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! It helps other overwhelmed women entrepreneurs find the show. 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!

    16 min
  7. How To Stop Feeling Guilty When You Set Boundaries

    JAN 29

    How To Stop Feeling Guilty When You Set Boundaries

    If you're woman who struggles to set boundaries without feeling guilty (especially a female entrepreneur)—this episode is for you. You know you need to stop saying yes by default and protect your time, but every time you set a boundary, the guilt spiral starts. Sound familiar? In this episode, you'll learn: Why boundary guilt doesn't mean you're doing something wrong as a woman entrepreneurThe 4 types of boundary guilt high-achieving women deal with (including the ego-driven one)How to set boundaries with clients, family, and colleagues without feeling selfish (00:08:22)The "guilt-free no" scripts female entrepreneurs can use in any situation (00:10:00)How to set boundaries and protect your energy without people-pleasing (00:11:15)Why celebrating boundary wins helps build confidence (00:11:58)Key Topics Covered: Why boundary guilt happens for women entrepreneurs (00:01:46)The 4 types of boundary guilt women face (00:03:27)5 strategies to set boundaries as a female entrepreneur (00:08:00)The permission you're waiting for to protect your time (00:12:28)Reset & Reclaim Action Step: Set ONE boundary this week that you've been avoiding because of guilt—with a client, family member, or colleague. Resources Mentioned: The Productivity Rebellion (free monthly guide): carachace.com/productivity-rebellionChaos Detox (boundary scripts for female entrepreneurs): carachace.com/chaos-detoxConnect with Cara: Website: carachace.comInstagram: @carachaceEmail: hello@carachace.comLove this episode? Leave a review and help other female entrepreneurs find the show. 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!

    16 min
  8. Stop Spinning Your Wheels: How to Break the Multitasking Habit

    JAN 22

    Stop Spinning Your Wheels: How to Break the Multitasking Habit

    You know that moment when you look up at 4:37pm with 21 tabs open, everything half-finished, and no idea what you actually accomplished? That's multitasking—and it's probably why you feel so exhausted and unaccomplished at the end of every day. In this episode, you'll learn: How multitasking reduces your productivity by up to 40%Why checking email first thing derails your entire dayThe night-before habit that eliminates morning chaosHow batching similar tasks reduces decision fatigueWhy you need a hard stop time (or STAAAHHHP)How often to reevaluate your schedule so it keeps workingKey Topics Covered: Why multitasking destroys focus (00:00:35)Stop checking email first thing (00:02:47)Give your brain a chance to wake up (00:05:00)Write your to-do list the night before (00:06:10)Batch similar tasks for efficiency (00:08:05)Set dedicated time for learning (00:10:44)Establish a hard stop time (00:12:08)Reevaluate your schedule regularly (00:14:25)Reset & Reclaim Action Step: Choose ONE area where you multitask the most and set one specific boundary around it this week. 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. 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!

    18 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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