Assalamu Alaikum my dear,

For years, I chased productivity. I measured my days by how much I got done, how many tasks I checked off, and how efficiently I used my time. And when I wasn’t productive, I felt guilty.

Maybe you’ve felt this too—the pressure to do more, to optimize every hour, to always be “on top” of things. Society glorifies productivity, making us believe that our worth is tied to how much we accomplish. But here’s something I’ve come to realize: Productivity without purpose is empty.

I often ask myself, What should I aim for—a productive life or a purpose-driven life? And the answer has become clearer over the years: A purpose-driven life will always matter more.

Why? Because you can live a purpose-driven life 24/7, no matter what you’re doing. It’s tied to your intention, not just your output. Productivity, on the other hand, is always measured by results, by what we produce, by what we can tick off a list. And while results do matter, when productivity takes the lead over purpose, we risk losing the deeper meaning behind our actions.

When I reflect on the life of our beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, I see someone who was always purpose-driven. Everything he did—whether leading an army, consoling the weak, or playing with children—was intentional. His actions weren’t just about achieving the most in a day but about fulfilling a mission.

Yet, when we focus solely on productivity, we sometimes lose sight of intention. We do things because they need to be done, but we forget to ask, Why am I doing this? How does this serve my greater purpose?

Ramadan is the perfect time to reflect on this.

In Ramadan, many of us set ambitious goals. We want to complete the Quran, pray every Taraweeh, maximize our Ibadah. But sometimes, we focus so much on the output that we forget the heart behind it. We rush through pages of the Quran just to finish, rather than savoring every ayah. We attend Taraweeh half-exhausted, without taking time to truly connect with Allah subuhanawut’ala.

But what if we flipped the script? What if, instead of striving to be the most productive in Ramadan, we strived to be the most purposeful? What if we focused not just on doing more, but on being more—more present, more intentional, more connected to our Creator?

This is what I’ve been learning through my WELL framework—that success in life isn’t about how much we get done, but about how aligned we are with our deeper purpose.

I’m not saying productivity isn’t important. It absolutely is. But it should serve our purpose, not replace it. The best way forward is to start with purpose and let productivity follow.

So as we go through this Ramadan, let’s ask ourselves:

• Am I focused on the depth of my worship or just the number of acts I complete?
• Am I living with intention, or am I just checking off spiritual to-do lists?
• Am I prioritizing connection with Allah over my own sense of achievement?

This shift—from productivity-centered to purpose-driven—can transform not just our Ramadan, but our entire lives.

May Allah subuhanawut’ala grant us clarity in our purpose, sincerity in our intentions, and the ability to live lives that truly matter.

With love and gratitude,
Rushdhi

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