How to get $hit done - Getting Things Done with Intention When Life Feels Full
Ever notice how some days feel productive without effort, while others feel heavy no matter how hard you try?
Same responsibilities. Same goals. Different energy.
That difference usually has very little to do with discipline and everything to do with intention.
In this conversation on The Freq Show, Jaclyn and Sam Thurmond return to a familiar topic through a different lens. Not productivity for productivity’s sake, but getting things done with intention.The kind that simplifies instead of overwhelms. The kind that respects energy, alignment, and the reality of full lives.
Because when everything matters, clarity becomes essential.
Getting Things Done with Intention Starts with Clarity
Most days don’t fall apart because nothing gets done. They fall apart because too much is competing for attention.
Jaclyn reflects on how much lighter her workdays feel when priorities are clear. Not urgent. Not reactive. Clear.
Getting things done with intention means deciding what actually moves the needle before the day starts pulling you in every direction. It’s identifying the task that creates momentum and giving it your attention first.
When that clarity is missing, productivity feels scattered. When it’s present, focus follows naturally.
And sometimes, if prioritizing feels impossible, it’s worth asking a deeper question. Is the goal still aligned? Because when the goal fits, the next step is usually obvious.
Why the 80/20 Rule Still Matters
The 80/20 principle comes up for a reason. A small percentage of actions produce most results.
But knowing this intellectually doesn’t always change behavior.
Jaclyn shares that without intentional planning, it’s easy to stay busy without moving forward. Emails answered. Small tasks checked off. Very little progress toward what actually matters.
What changed things was stepping back weekly and reconnecting tasks to the bigger picture. The month. The year. The life being built.
Getting things done with intention requires seeing the difference between activity and impact. When focus is placed on the few actions that truly matter, productivity becomes simpler and more sustainable.
Removing Distractions Creates Space for Intention
Distraction is subtle. One text. One email. One quick scroll. Focus disappears faster than we realize.
Jaclyn noticed how easily her attention fractured and how long it took to return once it was broken. So she made small but meaningful changes. The phone went away. Timers were set. One task received full attention.
What surprised her wasn’t just how much she accomplished, but how calm it felt.
Getting things done with intention isn’t about forcing concentration. It’s about removing what doesn’t belong so focus can do what it naturally does.
When distractions are minimized, clarity has room to breathe.
Valuing Your Time Changes How You Work
Another key shift Jaclyn and Sam discuss is putting an honest value on time.
Not all tasks are equal. Some are low-impact and necessary. Others create opportunity, growth, and long-term results.
When most of the day is spent on low-value tasks, productivity can feel busy but unfulfilling. When time is directed toward higher-impact work, outcomes change.
Motherhood added another layer to this realization for Jaclyn. Time became personal. Time away from her child mattered.
Every task now came with a question. Is this worth it?
That question didn’t create pressure. It created intention.
And intention led to better boundaries, clearer priorities, and more meaningful work.
Simplicity Is the Backbone of Intentional Productivity
Big goals don’t stall because they’re too ambitious. They stall because they feel too vague.
Jaclyn reflects on how simplifying large projects made them achievable. Instead of asking how to finish something, she focused on identifying the next step.
Writing a book became outlining a chapter.
Building something new became one clear action at a time.
Getting things done with intention means breaking the path forward into pieces small enough to move without overwhelm.
Progress doesn’t need drama. It needs clarity.
Working in Focused Sprints Instead of Burnout
The idea of working like a lion stands out because it challenges the belief that longer hours equal better results.
Jaclyn and Sam both share how burnout followed periods of constant effort without rest. Long days didn’t lead to better work. They led to exhaustion.
What worked instead were focused sprints. Short windows of deep attention followed by rest.
For Sam, early morning focus created momentum before distractions set in. For Jaclyn, honoring childcare windows helped her work with presence instead of pressure.
Getting things done with intention means respecting natural rhythms. Effort paired with rest. Focus balanced with recovery.
Final Reflection: Encouragement for Where You Are Right Now
Productivity doesn’t have to feel aggressive.
It can feel grounded.
It can feel calm.
It can feel intentional.
When getting things done with intention becomes the goal, work stops being about proving worth and starts being about supporting the life you’re actually living.
A Reflection to Sit With
What would shift if you simplified your day around what truly matters, instead of everything asking for your attention?
Because intention changes everything.
Live on purpose. Live on frequency.
Ien Araneta - editor of The Freq Show & The Beckon Times
