Dealing with Productivity Pressure during the pandemic
When the world we knew changes it is hard for most of us to come to terms with how to deal with the current situation. This journey has been quite a rollercoaster for me and I am sure as with most of you. Embracing change especially when we are not ready for it could be painstakingly hard. Over the last three months, I have been trying to find normalcy in everyday life, be productive, and make use of this time in the best way possible. I thought it sounds doable if we plan and have a routine established but It’s not as easy as it sounds.
There are days where I am feeling good and days where I am binge-watching Netflix and prime. Getting out of bed, taking a bath, and cooking a meal seems like an accomplishment on some days. social media posts and Youtube videos are raving about Productivity and how to stick to morning and evening routine and I honestly enjoyed them for a few days until I started feeling the pressure that I am not doing my best — My guilt-mode strikes in and I start self-sabotaging. This loop has been consistent and I am finding very few people talking about It’s Okay if we are not being Productive.
This is a Pandemic, not a Productivity contest.
Being a home-bird I can plan and be productive for the most part but with the global crisis, I am finding hard to stick to a routine. I am sure for most of you Working from home, managing kids, cooking, cleaning could be overwhelmed as it all happened so fast. Whatever phase you are in, understand that it is okay and you are doing the best you can and we are all winners.
Productivity is a good thing but we often tag it to our self-worth and through social media, we are constantly made aware that we are not good enough if we are not making the best of this time.
In a society that judges self-worth on productivity, it's no wonder we fall prey to the misconception that the more we do, the more we are worth — Ellen Stern
Learning new skills, working through projects, spending time trying new recipes are all great ways to keep ourselves occupied but if we are not feeling it and pushing to get things done, It could possibly take a toll on our mental health. I am no expert but I want to share a few tips that are helping me deal with this productivity pressure.
Slow down and allow yourself time to breathe
Instead of doing pushing ourselves to do complete ten things in a day, Take time to prioritize and complete things that you enjoy.
Embrace Imperfections and let go of Expectations
If you are feeling vulnerable, allow yourself to feel it. we are dealing with the loss of the world we knew before. All the plans, goals that we set for ourselves have changed so acknowledge it, and let go of the expectations to make the best in this situation. I am journaling daily and it has been helping me deal with my vulnerabilities and fears.
Reflect. Reset. Repeat
Taking ten minutes in my day to reflect on my thoughts has helped press reset on the negative self-talk. Tune inward and Introspect. Understand we all are different and this can take time based on the situation you are in and give yourself permission to be kind and loving in this process. Practice mindfulness meditation for at least 10 minutes a day.
Coming to terms with what’s next?
Our lives have changed in some way or the other due to this pandemic and we all have lost something valuable to us — could our normal routine, our job, social interactions, spending time with our family, or losing a friend or loved one. The intensity of the pain and grief may vary, but we can relate to this pain and that we are all interconnected.
Fear of what’s next is something that can create fear, panic, and anxiety. It’s completely normal given the global economic crisis, a possible recession, or even our current or future financial situation. we are more likely to face difficult situations ahead. We being a generation of quick fixes and since there isn’t any solution yet we are more likely to feel impatient, and anxious.
Living in the present moment
The moment my mind travels through this myriad of thoughts, I tell myself to breathe and remember that I am alive, healthy, have a home, comfort food and I get to live another day and for that, I should be grateful and not dig deep into things that are not in my control. This is an everyday process but it seems to work for me.
If you are feeling the pressure of not doing anything productive tell yourself that it’s okay and you're doing your best and give yourself the room, to be honest, and intentional with your thoughts and start with activities that give you joy and peace.
Whenever I feel anxious and lost, I journal, Talk to my friends and family online, Meditate, Take a relaxing bath, and allowing myself to slow down and listen to how I feel and abandon the negative self-talk. Unsubscribing or ignoring the productivity posts and videos have been helping me to be true to my authentic self. There is no one solution that would help beat the productivity pressure but acknowledging it could a start and between you and me, we all are worthy, beautiful, and enough.
