HELLO! ALL I WANT TO DO IS STAY IN BED. HOW DO I STAY PRODUCTIVE?
Well, well, with the pandemic and all of us having to work from home, we’ve been in this state more often than we’d like to admit. But with this fast-paced world, spending a day in your bed can have you feeling like you are missing out on so much. Here, your need to relax will make you sit nonetheless, resulting in a combat between your mind and heart. Rest assured, we’re here to help you with some pro-productivity tips.
Authored by Iman Hussain
ELIMINATE PROCRASTINATION BY ANSWERING TWO QUESTIONS:
What do I need to do?
Why do I need to do it?
These are simple, but they will help you, as you struggle to get something done. It would help if you remembered that Motivation is Fragile but renewable, and the best way to renew it is by clarifying your reasons; write them down ideally on paper. If the answer to the above mentioned is not worth it, you don't need to do that. Remember that you do not have to overwork yourself thinking that you are being productive.
TAKE LESSONS FROM NAPOLEON - DON'T BE A BUSY BEE
When you are low on energy, consider only doing 2-3 big tasks that eventually move the needle. The small things like sending emails, small stuff chores or anything that is not time-sensitive can wait. Tell yourself that today you just need to get the critical work done that will help you use your limited motivation in a good way. Most of the things we do in a day do not matter. We do them out of habit. You need to know that putting off irrelevant work is not procrastinating; it is being smart.
BE BORING: AVOID UNNECESSARY CHOICES
Making choices can be draining; it can sap out your motivation from other areas of your life. The first thing you do as soon as you wake up is decide what you are going to wear. You can eliminate that by repeating the same outfits and not worrying too much about how you are going to look today. Have some daily rituals and routines, so you do not have to worry about what you are going to do in the free time you have. My formula for morning/evening routines is pretty much reading + something to clear my mind (journal writing, meditation, a short walk) + practical self-care stuff (skincare etc.) + clearing to neutral + tea/coffee.
Systems like these grow out of need. If we were super motivated, energetic, always-hustling people, we wouldn't need to think about productivity. But the truth is that only 3% of people on the planet are like that. The rest of us have our fair share of crappy mornings where getting started on anything seems impossible. Sometimes, people reach a point where they stop getting anything done and just dither. The purpose should be to make motivation antifragile - for it to be stronger after setbacks because they offer opportunities to understand better what works and what doesn't.