In our 2026 theme announcement, I explored how sustainable productivity creates capacity. But what do you do with that capacity? How do you engage with causes that matter to you (whether environmental, social, or community-focused) in ways you can actually sustain?
I sat down with Ana Mandri, Executive Director of Biome Conservation, to explore these questions through the lens of environmental conservation. Our conversation went far beyond environmental issues. It revealed profound connections between how we manage our personal lives and how we can contribute to any cause we care about.
Nature as Teacher
One of the most powerful insights Ana shared was about learning from nature itself. When you walk through a forest, you’re witnessing perfect optimization in action. Nature produces what it needs and keeps reserves for difficult times. It doesn’t waste. It doesn’t believe more is always better.
“When you think about your body and your mind like a planet,” Ana explained, “it’s easy to see how often we spend all our energy chasing economic resources just to survive, without leaving any reserve.”
The mangroves she described offer a perfect example. Their fallen leaves aren’t waste—they’re reserves that nourish recovery after hurricanes. What reserves are you building in your own life?
The Overwhelm Paradox
Many of us care deeply about environmental issues but feel paralyzed by their scale. Ana calls this the doom feeling: the sense that the problems are too big for our actions to matter.
Her response? “Sometimes perfection is the enemy of good. You don’t have to suddenly become vegetarian 100%. You cannot just go right now to Peru and fight illegal mining yourself. But you can take small steps in the right direction.”
This mirrors what I’ve seen in productivity work. People often don’t start because they think they need to have the perfect system in place. But small, consistent steps create real change and foster a sustainable life.
Hope as Fuel
Ana emphasized something crucial: in environmental work, you have to be an optimist. Hope isn’t naive. It’s essential fuel for sustained action.
Just as we need to be mindful about what we put in our bodies, we need to be intentional about what we put in our minds. Are you consuming stories of doom, or stories of people making a difference?
“When you share stories of hope,” Ana said, “even if you cannot support a project directly, you’re doing a lot of good. Hope is what moves the world in the right direction.”
Boots on the Ground
Ana shared inspiring examples of conservation heroes most of us will never hear about in mainstream media:
Rangers in Peru fighting illegal mining without weapons, risking their lives to protect ecosystems that create environmental services for all of us.
Nora in Madagascar, leading conservation work in challenging conditions, choosing this work despite countless obstacles.
The team at Mukutan Conservancy in Kenya (supported by Learn OmniFocus members last year), demonstrating extraordinary resilience through setback after setback.
These aren’t stories of perfection. They’re stories of persistence. “It’s not about always having it perfect,” Ana explained. “It’s about trying and not giving up.”
Financial Support IS Environmental Action
One of the most liberating points Ana made: not everyone needs to be planting trees.
“When someone donates to Biome Conservation, what does that enable?” I asked.
The answer: it funds the people doing the frontline work. It provides scientific expertise to projects where biodiversity is most threatened. It ensures that rangers in Peru, conservationists in Madagascar, and teams in Kenya can continue their vital work.
Financial support isn’t a lesser form of contribution. It’s essential infrastructure that makes on-the-ground conservation possible.
Thriving vs. Surviving
Ana distinguished between two modes: surviving and thriving.
“NGOs are all the time in surviving mode,” she noted. “We’re always struggling for resources, thinking we need to do more and more. When in reality, it’s not about doing more. It’s being clever about what you do.”
This resonates deeply with productivity work. The goal isn’t to pack more tasks into your day. It’s to create space for what truly matters.
Thriving requires optimism. It requires building reserves. It requires being intentional about how you spend your energy.
The 80/20 of Environmental Impact
When I asked Ana what people can do today, she pointed to the 80/20 principle: 20% of efforts create 80% of results.
“If you’re wondering what can create the most impact possible,” she said, “look at programs where nature needs us most, where dollars go furthest, where there’s the greatest biodiversity. Put your small effort into something that creates the greatest impact.”
Organizations like Biome Conservation identify these high-leverage opportunities. They’re the mycelium in the forest: small but connecting and supporting vital work happening worldwide.
Choosing What You Consume
Ana’s advice for today is simple but profound:
Choose your friends. Build a tribe that inspires you.
Choose what you put in your body. Nourish yourself physically.
Choose what you put in your mind. Be intentional about the information you consume.
Ask for help. You need collaboration. You even need competition. Build community.
And if you’re working on building capacity in your own life, remember that nature teaches us it’s not about doing everything—it’s about doing your part. That’s good enough.
Taking Action
If this conversation resonates with you, here are some ways to engage:
Share hope. Forward stories of environmental progress to friends and family. Hope spreads.
Support strategically. Consider where your financial contribution can have maximum impact. Anyone can donate through Biome Conservation. Canadian donors will receive a tax receipt. If you’re in the USA, donate through Biome Friends to receive a US tax receipt.
Build your reserves. Notice what recharges you. Swimming, hiking, time with loved ones—whatever fills your tank. You need reserves to face challenges.
Start small. You don’t need to be perfect. Small steps in the right direction create real change.
Choose your media diet. Subscribe to channels sharing stories of people making a difference, not just doom.
The Connection
In our January 1st theme announcement, I talked about how sustainable productivity creates capacity to engage with causes beyond your immediate obligations. This conversation with Ana shows what that engagement can look like.
It’s not about adding “environmental activism” to an already overwhelming to-do list. It’s about building a sustainable life, one with reserves, with optimism, with intentional choices about where your energy goes.
And when you have that foundation, contributing to something larger becomes not another obligation, but a source of profound fulfillment.
As Ana put it: “For me, Biome is my dose of optimism every day. I don’t have another option than to say, ‘I want to keep doing this because I’m part of something big.'”
What would your life look like if you had that kind of clarity? What reserves do you need to build? What stories of hope do you need to consume?
The forest teaches us everything we need to know about sustainable living. Maybe it’s time for a walk.
About Ana Mandri: Ana is the Executive Director of Biome Conservation, a Canadian organization protecting nature where it’s most urgently needed. Born in Mexico City, she has over 20 years of experience in environmental and social projects, including 15 years creating financial mechanisms for nature reserves in Chiapas, Mexico.
About Biome Conservation: Biome supports conservation projects in regions where biodiversity is richest and most threatened. 100% of donations go directly to conservation work. Learn more at biomeconservation.org.