Balancing productivity and "lazy"

Let’s be real: the hustle all day every day gets old real quick. Not to mention it leads to burnout. Yet, we all feel this pressure to be "productive." But we also feel the pressure to relax and enjoy our lives as well. So how can we be productive while also having time to unwind?

Prioritize. What do you need to do? Cook, clean, work, etc. Now, what do you want to do? Play sports, paint, watch TV, etc. Try to work out two lists. One should be filled with everything you need to do in life to be a productive member of society and to ensure your household doesn’t fall apart. The second list should be a list of everything you want to do to feel happy.

These lists might be harder than you think. Think about what you actually need to do. What can be delegated to or shared with someone else? You don’t need to spend three hours scrolling Facebook or Twitter. You don’t need to learn to paint if you don’t want to. If you live with someone else, it is not your job to clean the whole house while they sit on their butts. Dedicate your time to the things that matter and scratch out the rest.

Next is to know yourself a little better. When do you have the most energy during the day? Are you a night or morning person? Do you feel sleepy after lunch? Learn when the best times to be the best and most productive you. Use the energy you have to get done what needs to be completed.

This doesn’t mean you can’t learn anything new or have ambitious goals. You most certainly can. The key to being productive and lazy is to not beat yourself up about not accomplishing everything in one day. That is why you are stressed. Don’t get me wrong, I am stressed too, mostly because I work myself up over things that don’t matter, but once we find what we want, it’s easier to work for those things.

I am not trying to be someone I’m not with my goals. I am not trying to be a beautiful influencer who wants sponsors and followers. So I put less time into my blog. I am a writer, so I decided writing the occasional post would keep me happy when I wasn’t working on my more important writing pieces. I want to stay fit, so I practice yoga at home because I don’t like running outside nor do I like gyms. I like things to be decently clean, but my house doesn’t need to be sterile.

Do you see what I am getting at? Get rid of perfectionism. What is it that you need to do in your life to be a basic human being and then what is it that you want to do? And even take a break from your wants. If you want to write a novel, it’s okay to take a night to watch TV. Hard work does pay off, but there is a price. And that price is

Learn when you should do and when you should not do so much. Don’t burn yourself out trying to prove to people on Instagram that your life is amazing and productive. That’s not healthy, and it is really bad for creativity.

Schedule what you need to do or like to do in whatever planning system you have. Also, learning that time is a construct and staying flexible will help you feel better about how you spend your days.

So here’s to those productive days and those lazy nights, or whatever works for you. I don’t know your energy or schedule. You know yourself: plan accordingly.