Redefining Productivity

I’ll admit it: I’m normally a productivity junkie. My idea of leisure consists of listening to an educational podcast or planning next week’s list of goals to accomplish. (Thrill seeker, I know!) Nowadays, my markers of productivity are virtually impossible to obtain.

Adjusting to this new normal has been uncomfortable to say the least. Days are spent grasping for the semblance of a new routine, carefully balancing my news intake with escapist entertainment. I scramble to eke out work time amidst caring for my 3 and 5 year-olds, both of whom have different needs (and moods) at any given moment. There’s no playbook for this.

It’s time to redefine my standards of productivity. Even as I type this, my son is pleading with me to play doctor-pilot and gardener-astronaut. I break for ten minutes to be the dutiful patient and passenger. Our lives have never been so integrated. Work used to be my safe escape. Now it feels as elusive as a vacation.

I find myself asking: How can I best serve my clients right now? What’s the best use of my time and energy at this moment? How do I keep a level head, resist succumbing to fear and anxiety, and find a space to be creative, grateful and playful? Here’s my go-to to stay sane:

1.     Find 10 minutes of creativity. Quiet moments of clarity are fleeting in my house. In as few as ten minutes, you can build a new idea, invent a solution to a challenge, or see things from a different point of view. The trick is getting in the right headspace and choosing creativity – even if only in brief spurts.

2.     Remember this is temporary. We don’t yet know how long we’ll need to stay at home, or how long work may be altered. However, we know it won’t last forever. Believe it. Use it as a mantra. At some point, we will co-create a new path forward.

3.     Practice self-compassion. I’m likely not alone in feeling grief over our best laid plans. We could not have predicted this. No one is to blame. I’m working to find the grace of acceptance and resilience. 

4.     Discover one new source of gratitude. Lots of people are celebrating the health benefits of daily gratitude, but the act of discovering a new reason to be grateful each day is its own medicine. Surprise yourself by noticing unexpected sources of joy.

5.     Adjust expectations. It’s safe to say everyone’s plans for 2020 are forever changed. Revising our vision with a new achievable outcome can keep us anchored to what’s possible and motivated in our new reality.

6.     Reach out to at least one person to build connection. Although I consider myself a more introverted extrovert, I’ve missed regular human connection outside of my immediate family. Reaching out to family and friends by text, email, phone and Zoom has been a lifeline.

When these clouds lift, I suspect we’ll all emerge with new life toolkits. Maybe they’ll even inspire us to approach things differently going forward. I look forward to that moment of reflection. Until then, you’ll find me redefining productivity while sweeping up moondust with my son.