Is now the time for productivity?

Instead of questioning whether or not you should be maximizing your productivity at this time, it might be more useful to check in with how you feel.

If you spend 3 weeks watching netflix, how will you feel?

If you spend 3 weeks working yourself to the bone, how will you feel?

Chances are you won’t feel great doing either.

As much as it is good to rest you’ll also feel good doing things. Whether that is one task a day like reading x chapters of a book, decluttering a room in your house or starting an online course.

But you don’t need to compete or try and milk this time for all it’s worth. It’s healthy to rest and it’s healthy to do things. You just need to figure out what works for you and go with it.

The right thing to do

Sometimes right and wrong is hazy.

Other times right and wrong is black and white.

The interesting part is when 2 groups come together with 2 different perspectives.

In the current state of the world, many would argue that the right thing to do is stay home as much as possible and practice social distancing. And these same people see it pretty black and white.

On the other hand there is a group of people who are out regularly and socialising in groups. They know they aren’t supposed to, they know the impacts of doing so and the benefits of abiding by the rules yet they still reject them.

For these people right and wrong is hazy.

Or maybe they just like the idea of being rebellious.

Bored of familiarity

Often when a person finds themselves craving something new, it’s because they’re bored with where they’re at.

As much as familiarity can be comforting and pleasant, for many people they find themselves at a point where they want more.

You find yourself wanting something different, not because what you’re used to isn’t working but because you want to remember the feeling of newness.

It’s like taking a different route home every once in a while. You do it to switch things up not because you never want to take your usual route again.

This idea can apply to so many things and one of them is the work you do. When you’re doing the same thing over and over you’ll get sick of it after a while because you’re no longer doing it consciously, you’re not thinking or stretching your mind and you want to be challenged.

So, you put yourself forward for a new type of work. It’s new and unfamiliar and you enjoy it simply because it’s not what you’re used to.

The beauty of this kind of situation is after you’re tried something new, you can go back to what you were doing before often with new found appreciation.

Going round in circles

Sometimes you get caught in a loop that you’d rather not be in.

Two people with who see the world differently are likely to end up going round in circles when they try to explain their point of view.

But it’s also important to talk to people that think differently to you. It broadens your awareness and can also help make you more accepting of people that don’t think the way you do. That’s important, or at least I think it is.

Instead of getting caught in a loop of right and wrong or competing to see who can talk the loudest, why not make listening a priority.

And then instead of feeling like you have to prove your perspective, know that your thoughts are valid.

Once you listen and know that you don’t have anything to prove you’re so much less likely to find yourself going round in circles. It really can be that easy.

Things to be grateful for

It’s easy to be grateful when things are going your way.

But when times are uncertain and life has thrown a spanner in the works gratitude often becomes a little more challenging.

Suddenly the most prominent things are the bad stuff and you’re not thankful for your life being turned upside down.

In these times it’s even more important to practice gratitude.

The real benefits of the practice come when you’re able to make it a part of your lifestyle, independent of your circumstances.

And so maybe it used to be I’m grateful for getting to be apart of this exciting project or some other major thing that you feel like shouting from the rooftops. But now it’s more like I’m grateful for these cosy socks, the flowers in my garden and running water.

Difficult to solve

Some things in life are difficult to solve.

There are lots of factors to consider, plus you have to find something that works for people that don’t think the same way.

What works for one won’t necessarily for everyone else. The great idea you had might not work.

And that is not just my opinion but instead some thoughts relating to some of the challenges we face as a society.

The solution isn’t to try and please everyone. I think the solution would be to do what feels right and focus on how you can make a positive impact.

Finding comfort in moments of pessimism

I have this idea that sometimes there is comfort in moments of pessimism, in thinking about and accepting the possibility of the worst case scenario coming to life.

It’s not so that you can dwell but instead so that you can understand life sometimes turns out differently to how you expected.

You just have to learn to be okay with it which might be a hard pill to swallow.

Of course there is always a place for optimism but sometimes it isn’t helpful. Sometimes what you need is to accept that a situation isn’t going to turn out well.

And once you do that, things get a little bit easier.