I’ve been heavily contemplating the subject of productivity — more specifically, how to get every ounce of goodness out of my jam-packed, scattered, social media-infused days.
I woke up this morning with the idea that time is truly of the essence; every second becomes an opportunity to learn more and evolve into the most earnest, shining version of myself possible (which is hard considering there are so many influences out there encouraging otherwise).
But I digress – having an intellectual understanding of the meaning of time is pretty easy. Get home, check your Gmail account, add stuff to your Tasks list, make some dinner, plan out your outfit for the next day, etc.
Yet on a visceral, more emotional level, how do we begin to understand:
a) what is really important to us and
b) how to effectively execute those important ideas/skills/tasks into tangible, feel-good, productive results?
I’m still figuring out the answer, of course. However, I’ve noticed a few strategies that have seemed to help me.
1. A carefully curated to-do list: This may seem like a no-brainer, but I strongly believe in the art of the to-do list. It helps organize your ideas into a clear, coherent road map. Research shows that humans experience cognitive difficulty when faced with too many tasks at one time. (Sound familiar?) If you’re anything like me, the thought of even tackling all those projects, big and small, is daunting and just makes me want to take a nap. So, go ahead and write down that stuff that seems trivial because it makes so much sense once you see it on paper.
2. Visualization: You’ve probably heard about the whole vision board idea and using visual references in order to help yourself manifest what is most important/valuable to you. I’ve noticed that this is especially helpful for long-term goals. Yes, that means I’ve been picturing myself in that red American Apparel maillot, abs on POINT and feeling no amount of shame for it whatsoever. Envision what means the most to you – let your imagination run wild!
3. Spiritual Somethin-Somethin: My Buddhist faith has become increasingly important to me since I discovered it (or rather, it revealed itself to me) about three years ago. Every day is a new journey, a new battle, a new challenge between myself and I. My practice sincerely helps me deal with that. I feel most productive when I honor my rituals and dedication to my faith; it aligns me with my goals, both short and long-term, and helps me to redefine what’s really important to me (and what’s not). If you have already discovered your faith, congratulations. That is amazing and something to be celebrated. Even if you haven’t, have no fear! Take some time in your day, or even just once a week, to discover what feels good to you and what makes you feel good, spiritually. Write it down in a journal or a word document. Be patient with yourself and see what happens. Soon you will begin to discover some patterns that may just help you see your values and how to incorporate those more actively in your everyday life.
4. Give yourself some credit: Self-confidence and worth are both absolutely crucial components to getting what we want most out of life. But how do we cultivate them? This last point encompasses the previous three. Do you feel good about yourself? Honestly answer this question, as hard as it may be to even ask it. When I am feeling down, in no way shape or form do I want to be productive or do anything that I know I should be doing. So what do I do? The answer: A little self-appreciation. I’ll run myself a bath, eat something delicious, and take a nap. Surprisingly, that little jolt of self-love is just the thing that gets me going toward tackling the tougher stuff.
I hope these tips help encourage some major productive mojo for you.
RIZZARR wants to know…
What tools help you get going?
Are there any tried-and-true tricks that work for you?
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