How you can be unproductive better
Sometimes you aren’t going to be productive. That doesn’t mean you can’t use your time well.
A creak of the chair. Another shuffle to the kitchen to open the refrigerator door and stare inside, like an answer to my ennui sits between the ketchup and the peanut butter. Close the door because it’s beeping at me (damn the beeping) and frown at the living room.
It’s a random Tuesday, and I’m not being particularly productive. The block seems to stem from my being in the middle of a number of large projects that take a long time to finish alongside a drone of genuine tiredness.
Yes, you can look at this situation and say, “Where’s your discipline? Sit down and just do it!”
I get it. I do. And sometimes, that is the answer.
For most people, productivity means producing something. Maybe it’s a widget, maybe it’s finishing a new client project, maybe it’s a campaign deliverable. Whatever it is, you can put your hands around it and say, “Here it is!”
There’s satisfaction (at least for me) in having a productive day. Not being productive can leave me feeling quite discontent. Thus, I generally find my discipline, get back in my chair, and get shit done.
In this case, I could tell I wouldn’t produce anything no matter how many times I opened and closed the fridge. No amount of discipline allows us to be productive all the time. But that doesn’t mean we can’t be constructive.
Constructive means “helping to improve; promoting further development or advancement.” Constructive activities benefit you, and potentially others, even if there isn’t an obvious product at the end.
I’m working to find the same satisfaction in having a constructive day as I do in having a productive one. In both cases, I used my time well.
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The next time you find yourself not being productive (holding your laptop on your lap trying to will yourself to make a thing) consider doing one of these six constructive things instead:
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1. Clean Up
We generate so much stuff, both physical and digital, on a daily basis. Give yourself some time to tidy up. I personally find it refreshing. It’s also a good time to think about what you save and how.
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2. Build Relationships
Maybe it’s time to ring an old friend. Maybe you have an opportunity to bring your team together to do something purely social. Tending to our relationships adds value to our lives and, generally, to the lives of others.
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3. Feed Your Brain
Go take in some theatre, listen to new music, watch a documentary, read a book. Put something into your mind — and consider something that’s unrelated to what you typically do. Note that mindlessly scrolling doesn’t count.
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4. Think
You can only gain value in reflection or simply letting your mind wander. I personally suggest doing this individually even if you encourage your entire team to do it.
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5. Take a Break
And your lack of productivity may be because you’re tired. It happens to all of us. Take a day off to rest — and actually rest. If you’re the leader of a company, consider giving everyone a break at the same time.
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