Erin is back—and with fresh insight. After stepping away for a short break, she returns not just recharged, but clear-eyed about how easily we lose ourselves in the frenzy of modern productivity. In this reflective episode of Return on Intuition, marketing leader, AI strategist, and working mom Erin McMahon explores the tension between action and intention, dopamine hits and deeper focus, and the ever-growing influence of AI on our sense of progress.

From daily task juggling to long-term impact, she candidly shares how easy it is to default into busywork that feels productive but leaves us unfulfilled—and how reconnecting to our inner compass can shift everything.

Whether you're navigating deadlines, creative blocks, parenting overload, or digital overwhelm, this episode offers both grounding and guidance.

🔍 You’ll learn:

• Why dopamine-driven productivity can feel satisfying—but sabotage your deeper goals
• How to balance short-term wins with long-term impact
• The real role AI plays in your workflow—and how to stay in the driver’s seat
• Simple practices to re-engage with your intuition (even in a noisy, tech-saturated day)
• How discernment can become your most valuable leadership skill

✨ Perfect for: high-achievers, creators, team leads, working parents, and anyone feeling the pressure to “keep up” while craving something more intentional and meaningful.

🎧 Listen now on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Subscribe for weekly reflections on clarity, creativity, and the power of intuitive leadership.

• (00:00) - Welcome to Return on Intuition
• (01:38) - Craving Control: How the Brain Gets Addicted to the “To-Do” List
• (03:28) - Intentional Time Management vs. Task Hopping
• (05:11) - The AI Shortcut / What It Helps and What It Can’t Replace
• (06:21) - Discernment Is the Real Superpower
• (08:08) - Setting Boundaries Between Tools and Intuition
• (10:31) - Parallel Processing and the Creative Mind
• (11:14) - Big Picture Questions: What Do You Really Want to Do?
• (13:31) - The 80/20 Rule and Finding Your True Impact
• (16:20) - Meditation, Movement, and Mental Check-Ins
• (19:19) - Return to Your Inner Compass / The Highest ROI
• (20:46) - What’s Next on the Podcast