Guilt-Free Fun is the Best Productivity Hack
It’s possible to feel like a kid again
My life and productivity drastically improved when I embraced guilt-free fun during graduate school.
How it Started
After working a 9 to 5 job followed by a 5 to 9 (or later) student schedule, I started getting resentful of people enjoying their lives while I squinted through cheap blue-light glasses to write another paper.
Working 12+ hours daily was a badge of honor even though it was deteriorating my well-being. And with each hour in a long stretch, my productivity dwindled.
I was working harder, not smarter.
One day, a favorite podcaster emphasized the human need to have something to look forward to.
All I was looking forward to was finishing a work project or section of my dissertation. (Or my next snack.)
How sad is that?
And I know I’m not the only one.
In that moment, I resolved to have something to look forward to each week to boost my motivation and productivity.
Something fun.
And I would not allow myself to feel guilty while doing it. My soul depended on it.
