Mental Health in Super Productive World
If this sounds like a possible task at all — staying happy human while everyone wants you to be hyperactive?
I have changed my work agenda completely, given up on using time trackers, rejected using my phone during work time, planned all the possible and impossible tasks I could, stopped taking breaks during work time and finally became completely mentally broken! Congratulations, I have reached nothing and am burnt out because of my work. Did it bring more use? No. What is the result? I have lost 60% of my income because I was not burning with the desire to work, argues with my beloved person and finally got sick because I had no resources at all. So was it worth it? No.
Why Do We Want to Be Productive?
While the whole world wants to become hyperactive to earn more money and stop being afraid of the social trashcan, this ride kills our enthusiasm, love and energy.
Money
One of the key reasons why we want to be super productive is money — willing to earn more makes us feel like running in the pursuit of income all the time. At the same time, people who run like that normally don’t have enough time to waste the money they have earned and just buy endless clothes on Farfetch, that don’t involve physical shopping.
People like that can’t enjoy meditation, jogging or morning runs, sports or walks with the dog, since work is following them everywhere. This fear of not earning is something similar to the Fear of Missing Out, which because an illness of our days.
Social networks, where people seem doing nothing but having lots of money to travel all the time only boost this fear and double it in our minds, so finally we are running for experiences we can not afford because of the lack of time.
Social Pressure
Second and same important is the social pressure our colleagues, family and friends have on us. Everyone around talks and talks about being busy with work and achieving new results. While everyone works, you also need to.
Being relaxed and enjoying weekends without any tasks to do became some guilty pleasures we pay for with the respect from others — as we think of it (in fact no one cares). So normally we try to show more results, do our work better, work faster and don’t waste our time doing anything. It results in burnout, but we will also overcome it at work since projects can’t be moved.
Corporate culture has numerous motivational systems. Unfortunately, most of them promote not relaxation and pleasure from spending time with use for your mental health, but working more and staying online all the time. It results in poor quality of sleep and feeling of fear.
And How Can We Become Happy?
In fact, you need to understand that overworking is dangerous. One day it may bring you to the point when you will not be able to work at all. And that very day you will lose way more chances and money than you are losing now while taking a few hours off.
Personal Focus
Not to become a victim of the workism trend, keep the focus on yourself and your personal development. Make private agenda that will be based on your peaks of productivity. And follow it despite anything.
Also, plan your time weeks ahead, and if any new tasks or calls are out of it, say no. Keep on saying no if this is not something comfortable for you. Since you will hear the same no when you will not be comfortable with others.
Stay offline. For example, I found out that I don’t like talking on the phone. So, I simply blocked all possible incoming phone calls from the people whose numbers I don’t know. Just because I want to have it this way.
Mental Balance
Mental balance is the same important as your cash flow. To keep it in a good state, do sports. Take 1 hour every morning and this will be enough to do some sports before the start of the work day. It will recharge you, though you will have to wake us earlier.
Follow the right food and keep on making simple pleasures for yourself like SPA and self-care. Since you need to keep your body healthy and give it some love. It will not only calm you down but will also help you restore your mental energy.
Stay educated — finally, you need this free time to educate yourself. Not only in the work field but in overall in life. So just take as much time as you need to read more interesting things and become a better version of yourself.
Being productive is a race you will never finish the first one. Stop even trying and try instead focusing on things that make you happy. They may be small, but still — be yourself.
