Tips for cultivating meaningful productivity
• Be curious (without judgement) about how your past experiences have shaped your beliefs about what it means to be productive, and how you may be reinforcing these beliefs through your current behaviours.• Create your own definition of productivity. Identifying and honouring your true needs, doing something nourishing for yourself or spending your time in a meaningful way could all be considered productive.• Remember that it is normal for your levels of productivity to ebb and flow. Sometimes you may do a lot in a day and sometimes you may do less, and that’s okay.• Train your mind to focus on and acknowledge what you have done and achieved, rather than what you haven’t.• See if doing less in the short-term, such as leaving work on time rather than staying back late, postponing a task temporarily or taking the time to have a break or rest, may actually allow you to be more productive later.• Free yourself from “shoulds”. Try approaching your to-do lists, plans and self-expectations with flexibility and understanding, rather than rules and rigidity. Notice if this creates any shifts in your thoughts, feelings and behaviours and/or space for unexpected joys or pleasures.• Give yourself permission to slow down. Remember, you don’t have to earn rest, relaxation, a break or a holiday. Your mind and body may be in need of slowing down, even if you don’t feel you’ve done “enough” to deserve this.• Play around with new ways of being, such as sleeping-in later than usual, walking more slowly, carving out time to do whatever you feel like, or take things off your to-do list for today and leave them for tomorrow.• Schedule time for rest and relaxation in advance. If needed, consider asking a loved one for support as it may free up some space for you to do something for yourself.• Practise acknowledging and then letting go of guilt and self-judgements (for example, “I’m selfish” or “I’m lazy”) that may arise when you’re doing “nothing”, doing less, resting or relaxing.
