Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

---

What happens when a hard deadline leaves no time for the work you are normally supposed to do?

In this video, I share what happened during the final week of launching the Productivity Academy—and why temporarily putting your core work on hold is sometimes the right decision. You’ll also learn how to stop an exceptional week from becoming your normal way of working.

🎓 Learn more about the Productivity Academy:
carlpullein.com/productivity-academy

📖 Read my article about identifying your core work:
carlpullein.com/blog/what-doing-your-core-work-actually-means/4/11/2020

TIMESTAMPS
00:00 When there’s no time for your core work
00:20 What is core work?
01:30 Should you ever put it aside?
01:47 The Productivity Academy launch
02:45 Why careful plans still fall apart
03:40 Putting my regular work on hold
04:14 When constant disruption becomes a problem
04:49 Dealing with a hard deadline
06:07 The reality of deadline week
06:43 The messy middle of a project
08:22 The central lesson
09:28 What the experience taught me
10:13 How often should this happen?
11:03 Creating a reliable working routine
11:44 Recovering after an intense project
12:24 Final thoughts