When Planning Feels Productive (But Really Isn’t)

You ever catch yourself in one of those moments where you think you’re being productive… but really, you’re just planning to be?

That was me this week. I almost fell right back into one of my biggest personal traps: convincing myself that planning and buying supplies was the same thing as making progress. Spoiler alert: it’s not.

The Sneaky Trap of “Productive” Planning

After my hysterectomy recovery started to go well, I found myself full of mental energy but still physically limited. My brain wanted to go, go, go, but my body needed me to stay put. So naturally, I started planning-future projects, market booths, color palettes… the whole deal.

Before I knew it, I had a $100 cart full of yarn “for my booth” and was just about to hit checkout. I told myself, “It’s an investment in my business!” (And technically, it could be.) But deep down, I knew it wasn’t time.

I hadn’t even started working with the yarn I already had. I didn’t know if I’d enjoy making those products or even if I wanted to do markets. My brain was tricking me-giving me that little dopamine hit of doing something without actually doing the thing.

Why We Trick Ourselves

I think this happens to so many of us...especially creative people. When you want to feel productive but can’t act on it (whether because of recovery, burnout, or life in general), planning feels like a substitute.

It scratches that itch for progress. It gives us a sense of control. And sometimes, it even feels responsible. But here’s the truth: planning doesn’t always equal progress.

What Helped Me Pump the Brakes

This time, I stopped myself before the credit card came out. I took a step back and realized that I already had everything I needed to start.

So instead of adding to my stash, I’m focusing on:

Going through what I already own.
Starting small, with one or two projects that excite me.
Letting myself test drive ideas before committing money or energy to a big new plan.

Be Kind to Yourself-Learning Takes Time

I saw a quote recently that really stuck with me:

“Don’t be hard on yourself for making the same mistake more than once. Sometimes the learning process happens in layers over time.”

That hit home. I’ve learned this lesson before, but it doesn’t mean I failed by almost repeating it. It just means I’m still learning and that’s okay.

A Little Yarny PSA

So if you find yourself filling your online cart or convincing yourself you need more yarn to start that next great project, take a deep breath.
Check your shelves first.
Remind yourself that you probably already have something perfect waiting for you.

You don’t need more to be productive. You just need to begin.

Thanks for talking yarn with me and if you haven’t seen my first video back after surgery, you can watch that HERE!

Check out the YouTube video for this blog post HERE!

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