Heidi Isern
HEIDI · ISERN
writer. thinker. whiskey drinker.
mobile header
Frenzy ≠ Productivity: What I learned by saying “no”

Frenzy ≠ Productivity: What I learned by saying “no”

Dec 18, 2025 | Life Hacks

At IDEO, we were often told to resemble ducks. No matter how hard we were paddling underwater, we should look serene and glide gracefully above the surface where everyone could see us. Was I tried to look serene but was still the frenetic duck. My wings thrashing, my...