Episode 49: Breaking Free from Toxic Productivity: A Journey of Healing and Renewal. Tamu Thomas.
Do you catch yourself measuring your worth by how much you do, and how much what you do benefits others? If so, you’re not alone. As my guest today, Tamu Thomas, says – it’s not your fault.
Join us in this wonderful and so EMPOWERING conversation as we explore how to break free from toxic productivity, heal, and become the change the world so desperately needs. Links in bio.
Tamu Thomas is the author of the groundbreaking book, Women Who Work Too Much: Break Free from Toxic Productivity. She’s a transformational coach and thought-provoking keynote speaker, passionately advocating for the well-being and success of high-achieving women. Tamu’s mission is to dismantle the societal and systemic barriers that lead to burnout, helping women create work lives that feel deeply fulfilling and aligned with their values.
Through her coaching, speaking, and writing, Tamu addresses the complex relationship between productivity, joy, and well-being. She empowers ambitious women to transition from toxic productivity cycles to lives where rest, self-worth, and authentic ambition coexist.
In this conversation we explored:
Tamu’s journey from growing up in a lineage of women who worked tirelessly and learned early on that hard work was tied to worthiness. We discuss the impact of intergenerational experiences, how these shape our epigenetics and the woman we become.
How she realised that the struggle to work too much isn’t personal, but systemic. Tamu shares insights on how many of us end up caught in cycles of overwork, the addictive nature of productivity, and the damaging link between rewards and burnout. We also explore why rest often feels shameful.
Why understanding our biology is key. We’re cyclical beings, we can’t be on 24/7, we must learn to listen to the needs of our body and name our feelings and emotions.
How we can all break the cycle of toxic productivity, namely by honoring our legacies, healing ancestral wounds, and transforming trauma into power. Tamu shares simple and so powerful practices to navigate overwhelm and turn burnout into a pathway for renewal.