I've been using this technique for more than a year now to assess my productivity "status" and thought I'd share it here.

It can help you become more aware about your energy usage and the results you get when using the energy, especially in the case of productivity-focused settings. Instead of just tracking time and volume, you track how your actions affect your internal battery and your long-term output.

What this mental technique does for you:

• It forces you to stop and ask, "Is this activity fueling me or draining me?" It turns zoning out from a passive habit into a conscious choice.
• It helps you identify when you are brute-forcing productivity (Orange quadrant) so you can pivot toward more sustainable systems before you crash.
• It shifts you from being a passive observer of content to a strategic learner, ensuring that what you take in actually serves your goals.
• It helps you protect the tasks that put you in the Green zone, recognizing them as your most valuable assets for long-term growth.

Before explaining the stages, I need to clarity the usage of some terms:

• "Drained": The activity has high overhead. It costs you more energy than it gives back.
• "Fueled": The activity is regenerative. You feel more capable or inspired after doing it than you did before.
• "Productive": The activity results in something, either useful or not.
• "Efficient": The activity's results are useful or the activity helps you produce results in the future.

The four stages of productivity

1. Drained by Consumption (Unproductive & Inefficient)

You’re burning through time and energy on content that gives you absolutely nothing back. It doesn't inspire you, it doesn't teach you, and it certainly doesn’t help you build anything. This is the ultimate "black hole" for your potential and the worst possible way to trade your hours for nothing.

2. Drained by Production (Productive & Inefficient)

You’re working hard, but you’re producing junk. You’re churning out results that have zero long-term value, and the process is draining you both physically and mentally. It feels like progress, but it’s just a high-effort way of draining yourself without anything in return. Don't mistake "just being busy" for being successful.

3. Fueled by Consumption (Unproductive & Efficient)

This is where it gets tricky. You’re looking for inspiration, learning new skills, and fueling your engine. It’s a necessary step, but it’s also a dangerous one, because it doesn't guarantee you’ll actually create anything. The goal here is to learn what you need and then get out before you get stuck in "tutorial hell".

4. Fueled by Production (Productive & Efficient)

You’ve stopped wasting time on the junk and started taking real action toward your highest ambitions. Radical and lasting change happens here. Once you reach this level, the only reason to look back is to dip into the Yellow zone for a quick hit of inspiration before returning to the work that actually matters. The jump from Yellow to Green is the hardest, because it requires moving from the safety of thinking about doing something to the vulnerability of actually doing it.

The vagueness of this entire thing is intentional. This model can be applied to any setting.