Something has changed. And not in a good way.
It’s like everything that used to be fun, exciting, actually worth looking forward to… has just lost its spark.
I used to eat this stuff up. It was my guilty pleasure, my go-to distraction when I needed a break.
But now?
Now, the only thing I feel is secondhand embarrassment as my brain cells shrink into oblivion.
Because somehow—somehow—romantic comedies have gotten even worse.
And I know what some of you are thinking:
“Yosi, rom-coms have always been trash. The whole genre is just a factory of lazy, predictable nonsense. A good one is the exception, not the rule.”
To that, I say: HOW DARE YOU? (clutches pearls)
Okay, okay—maybe there’s a tiny bit of truth to that.
But can you believe it’s getting worse?
Where’s the spark???
The witty banter???
The slow burn, the stolen glances, the electric eye contact, the unbearable will-they-won’t-they?
What happened to all of that?
Am I losing my mind, or did rom-coms actually used to try?
I’m curious…what was the last rom-com you watched that didn’t feel like it was spat out by an algorithm?
Because once you start noticing how lifeless they’ve become, you can’t unsee it…
Kind of like what’s happening with productivity advice.
The same formulaic nonsense. The same hollow promises. The same lifeless, copy-paste solutions.
There used to be better ones. Advice that actually considered, you know, humans.
But then… something shifted.
Now, anyone with a Canva account and an internet connection can slap together a planner, checklist, or “proven system” and sell it like it’s the best thing since sliced bread.
(And people buy it. Because of course they do.)
But honestly? Who can blame them?
We want quick fixes. We don’t have time to waste. So we click. We download. We hope.
“Follow this exact schedule, and you’ll never feel overwhelmed again.”
“Use this planner, and you’ll be productive every single day.”
“If it’s not working, you’re just not following the steps hard enough.”
And hey… you want it to be true, don’t you?
Because what’s the alternative? That productivity isn’t some formula you can copy? That it actually requires understanding yourself?
Ugh. Too much effort.
Easier to believe the checklist will save you.
But then… something feels off.
You sit down with your “ultimate focus system,” and 10 minutes later, you’re watching a video on why otters hold hands when they sleep.
You check off the steps, but you’re still falling behind.
You do everything right, but your brain is like, “nah, I’m good.”
Why?
Because productivity isn’t a formula. It’s personal.
A rigid system assumes everyone thinks, works, and operates the same way.
But that’s not how humans work.
And that’s why psychology-based productivity works where generic systems fail.
Because real productivity isn’t about memorising another set of steps.
It’s about understanding how your brain works—and using that to your advantage.
So yeah… productivity is a rom-com.
When it works, you don’t even think about it. Everything just flows.
But when it doesn’t? It’s clunky. Awkward. Like trying to force Ryan Gosling and a soggy paper towel into a love scene.
And that’s why, instead of trying to force yourself into another generic system…
It helps to have one that fits you.
For more info: www.yosianderson.com
Tp. Tp.
There’s more where that came from!
See, I’ve been writing daily productivity emails for online business owners since November 2024.
And what you just read is barely a scratch on the surface.
The real gems… The fun, insightful, and occasionally absurd behind-the-scenes stories… My best offers… The kind of stuff that makes you go:
“Wait… did that REALLY happen?”
I don’t blast those out to the whole internet.
(Some things… should be kept private.)
But if you want to snoop around… if you want to see what really happens in AYAPYLand…
There’s a door.
And it’s open.
For now.