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If You’re Always ‘Catching Up,’ You’re Doing Too Much
If your idea of “rest” involves catching up on work, errands, and inbox zero—you’re not resting, you’re performing. This week, we’re rewriting the rules of productivity and teaching you how to unplug on purpose.
Valerie Alvarez
25 May • Reading Time: 11 minutes
In partnership with
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It’s Memorial Day Weekend. Which means one of two things is probably happening:
You’re lounging in linen, fully vibing with that no-plans energy.
You’re staring at a to-do list thinking, “This is my chance to catch up.”
If it’s the latter—we need to talk.
This week’s newsletter is for every high-achiever, planner, and spreadsheet warrior who doesn’t know how to not make productivity their personality. We’re unpacking the not-so-sexy truth about the “catch-up spiral,” redefining what a successful long weekend actually looks like, and helping you relearn how to rest.
Oh—and this issue is powered by our sponsor, HUEL—the on-the-go fuel when you want real nutrition with zero mental effort. (Because no one has time to spiral and cook from scratch.)
Let’s get into it.
What's Inside
🚨 If You’re Always “Catching Up,” You’re Doing Too Much
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Let’s play this out.
You open your laptop on a Saturday “just to get a few things done.” Suddenly, it’s 4:30 p.m., your neck hurts, you’ve finished exactly nothing, and you’re annoyed at yourself for wasting your free time.
Meanwhile, everyone on Instagram is “romanticizing their Sunday” with barefoot beach walks and overpriced lavender lemonade.
Here’s what’s actually happening underneath the surface:
You’re in a self-worth loop disguised as productivity.
You’re mistaking action for progress. Completion for value. Hustle for healing.
The result? A burnout flavor that tastes like productivity but digests like emotional constipation.
The Psychology Behind the “Catch-Up Spiral”
It’s not just about time—it’s about control. When you feel behind, the idea of catching up gives you a sense of certainty. But it’s false certainty.
Think about it: even when you “catch up,” do you feel lighter? Or do you find something else to chase?
Productivity becomes a coping mechanism. A socially acceptable addiction that earns praise, not intervention.
And that’s the part no one warns you about.
🧠 The Catch-Up Complex: What’s Actually Going On
When your default mode is to squeeze productivity into every open pocket of time, what you’re really doing is outsourcing your self-worth to your to-do list.
You’ve trained your brain to associate rest with laziness and “getting ahead” with safety.
But ask yourself: Has catching up ever made you feel caught up?
Or does it just buy you 48 hours before you're back in the same cycle?
This isn’t a discipline problem. It’s a capacity problem.
And you don’t fix it by pushing harder—you fix it by creating space on purpose.