Tamu Thomas is a transformational life coach and former social worker, specialising in helping women achieve work-life harmony by aligning with their nervous system for holistic well-being. Her groundbreaking new book, Women Who Work Too Much: Break Free from Toxic Productivity, Tamu challenges the societal norms that glorify relentless productivity and burnout.
In this episode, Tamu and I discuss the concept of toxic productivity and the need for compensation in social impact work. Tamu also shares insights from her upcoming book, ‘Women Who Work Too Much,’ which explores the importance of rest and balance. We delve into the generational patterns and inherited beliefs that affect our relationship with work and rest. The conversation highlights the need for healing through the body and community. We also discuss the power of connecting with ancestors and the potential for post-traumatic growth.
We delve into how motherhood can serve as a catalyst for self-reflection and navigating the responsibilities and injustices that come with it. The conversation highlights the significance of building supportive relationships and creating a community that meets one’s needs. In this conversation, Tamu and I explore the importance of personal financial goals and creating wealth for personal fulfilment and the importance of taking radical responsibility for relationships and cultivating connections that support personal growth and evolution.
Takeaways
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– Embrace life’s chaos as part of the beautiful, imperfect tapestry of motherhood.
– Seek systemic support and advocate for change that uplifts all mothers.
– Acknowledge our collective history and take steps to heal from inherited trauma.
– Consider your own needs and cultivate supportive, reciprocal relationships.
– Challenge toxic productivity by finding value and joy within yourself.
Timecodes:
00:00 Tamu speaks truth and empowers women of color.
06:38 Balancing passion, work, and motherhood with challenges.
15:27 Avoidance and fear of facing reality internally.
18:22 Immigrant heritage affects us physiologically and psychologically.
22:06 Epigenetics affects DNA expression and influences behavior.
32:11 Anger is justified, healing happens through community.
37:36 Earn money for your dream life guilt-free.
38:41 Rethinking beliefs, motherhood’s transformative impact, societal challenges.
46:18 Discover needs leading to vulnerable self-reflection for deep friendships.
49:47 Expressing gratitude and navigating gender roles and responsibilities.
55:35 Struggling to balance work and family time.
01:01:20 Workplaces need flexibility for parents, human wellbeing.
01:07:25 Toxic productivity pressures impact women of color.
The video Tamu mentions on Radical Responsibility is here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3JNfEZAM-w&t=13s
You can follow Tamu on Instagram here.
You can pre-order Tamu’s book here.
You can check out her website here.
Do join us on Instagram to continue the conversation.
And book a free call with me if you need some support on your own soul mama journey.
Lots of Love
Nehanda xx
‘Toxic productivity, in its simplest form, is an obsessive compulsive need to be productive all the time. So when I talk about toxic productivity, people default to work, and that’s where it shows up a lot. Because from the moment we entered the education system at the age of four, we have been conditioned to be productive all day long and been taught that if you’re not productively using your time, if you’re not growing constantly, if you’re not doing constantly, then you’re not a productive member of society. Your value is reduced if you’re not giving your whole day away to a system.”