Part of taking up space is valuing our own time. Part of valuing our own time is giving ourselves a break and not having to do all the things.

Are you obsessed with productivity? If you’re like most Notable Women I know, you are, but also, you’re not alone. In fact, I’m sure I’ve got at least a dozen pieces of content on this very site designed to help you be more productive (but I have an entire section of the site devoted to self-care so I’m going to forgive myself a smidge), but – WHY? Why do we have this constant need that everything we do be productive, every opportunity to enjoy a book or watch a show plagued with “I should be doing X, Y, Z” – enough!

In last week’s first episode on rest, I spoke with the ever wonderful Sneha Jhanb from Stress Less with Sneha J. on how slowing down to rest actually helps get more done, rather than working ourselves down to slivers of our formal selves. In this episode, I speak with coach Valerie Friedlander about why we have that obsession to begin with. Why, oh why, are we so obsessed with productivity that we do real harm to ourselves? Why is one of the best ways to get people to rest is to let them know that rest actually helps them get more done?

I turned to Valerie to discuss this very topic. Who is Valerie? Valerie Friedlander is a Life/Business Alignment Coach with a background of over 20 years of science and spiritually based personal development. She is passionate about helping high-achieving women with children shift patterns that aren’t serving them and confidently create their life by their own rules. In addition to her coaching and Energy Leadership certifications, Valerie draws on her 10 years in corporate management and studies in sociology, neuroscience, addiction recovery, and spiritual discernment to help her clients get off the emotional roller-coaster, connect their head and their heart, and increase focus, follow-through, and fun in all areas of their life. When she’s not working with clients you’ll find her hanging with her husband and 2 sons, working on an art project and nerding out with a sci-fi, fantasy, or comic book movie. She’s also host of the podcast, Unlimited.

Valerie’s been part of the summits before, but this was her first time on the podcast. And what a joy it was to have her!

In this second episode focused on rest, we talk about:

• the social dynamics in play around productivity,


• how the pandemic has affected those dynamics,


• why our brains like routines,


• how defining what is “enough” will help us get rest,


• how allowing ourselves the opportunity to pause and have space will give us an opportunity to rest, and


• questions to ask ourselves so we can decide how we want to be in this life.

Valerie’s free gifts for you:

• Listen to the Unlimited podcast.


• Download meditation tools.


• Take her free stress quiz.

Click here to listen on a dozen different platforms!

Rate, Review, & Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

I was a fan before I was a guest. Now I’ve been a guest and I’m an even greater fan! Cristin Downs is an amazing interviewer and host. She is insightful, professional and just a pleasure to work with. What comes across in the stories is as much a product of Cristin’s fierce talent in conceptualizing the episodes and finding the stories as it is the a reflection of her interesting and engaging subjects. Fantastic, Notable Women. Listen and enjoy!

If you love the show, please consider rating and reviewing the podcast! This helps more people find the show and listen to these amazing conversations. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate (with five stars, I hope!), and select “Write a Review.” I’d love to hear what you enjoyed about the episode.

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Important links from the episode and from The Notable Woman:

• Valerie’s website


• Valerie on social media – Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram


• Creating a Mindset to Move You Forward – Valerie in the Super U Summit


• Valerie on The Notable Woman Live!


• The Society of Notable Women Online Community (hosted on Facebook)


• My Thought Cleanser, a sorbet to reset your brain


• My email tool: Active Campaign


• My online meeting tool: Zoom


• My website hosting fave: Siteground

Other ways to enjoy this podcast or rock out with me:

Download on iTunes | Listen on Overcast | Join The Society of Notable Women Online Community