An unconventional productivity hack
I don't need to throw the words 'capitalist society' or 'guilt' around for us to all admit within ourselves we find it hard to do nothing. Collectively our to-do lists are never-ending. There's always another load to put on or inboxes to file, but there's also a new bar to try out or an old friend to visit. We rest purely in the hope to find an energy reserve that will afford us the strength to carry out one of the aforementioned items. Even the joyous commitments can feel taxing because we've always required to give.
Oh, my friend, have I got some good news for you!
Given my job and mission to help people reduce stress and increase success, I'm always reading self-development and personal growth literature that spans plentiful different view points.
It dawned on me recently that there has been a suggestion made in multiple books written by men and women since the 1990s to present day. (I'm sure it would've been mentioned before then even, but the earliest evidence I've stumbled across was published in 1992.)
There are major benefits to doing non-work related activities during work hours.
Does this sound counterintuitive to you?
Does the thought of doing a non-work related activity in the middle of the working day make you panic at the thought of the 'catching up' you'll have to do later?
Try not to freak out just yet. Let me explain in a little more detail.
The two references I will specifically be pulling from here are Julia Cameron's 'The Artist's Way', published in 1992 and 'The 12 Week Year' written by Brian Moran and Michael Lennington, which was published in 2013. One is aimed at creatives (by which I mean all humans - we are all creating all of the time) and the other is more pragmatic and slightly more traditional in its productivity approach.
Cameron assigns creatives to go on an artist's date once a week.
Moran and Lennington prescribe a 3 hour 'Breakout Block' during work hours to do some non-work.
Taken from Cameron's website: "The Artist Date is a once-weekly, festive, solo expedition to explore something that interests you. The Artist Date need not be overtly “artistic” — think mischief more than mastery. Artist Dates fire up the imagination. They spark whimsy. They encourage play. Since art is about the play of ideas, they feed our creative work by replenishing our inner well of images and inspiration. When choosing an Artist Date, it is good to ask yourself, “what sounds fun?” — and then allow yourself to try it. Getting away from work is important to recharge yourself and stay sharp."
The Breakout Block is said to recharge and relax your mind and spur innovative thinking. Getting away from work is important to recharge yourself and stay sharp.
Both of them encourage this time to be viewed as productive for the overall success of your work. I'm here to encourage the same.
So, here's the deal!
We're gonna do this - together!
Next week I would love to see your 'You Time Activity' (still workshopping the name!).
Here are the guidelines:
It should be 3 hours minimum
It must be solo
It cannot be spent doing anything traditionally productive
It absolutely should be indulgent and frivolous
It can be free (art gallery, walk along the river) or involve spending moolah (I always seem to take myself for matcha and cake)
If you are a journal-er then take a moment to reflect on your experience.
Did it feel unnatural? Did you feel uncomfortable?
Did you feel lighter afterwards?
Why did you choose to spend your 3 hours in the way you did?
What was the greatest benefit you noticed?
If you take this challenge on, then please take a picture on your solo-date and tag me @hanjanran on IG! I'll be sure to take you with me on my 'me time' too.
I'm all about productivity hacks and filling up your cup seems like a no brainer for being more efficient and increasingly effective during the time we spend working. Yet we all seem to struggle to prioritise this.
If this productivity hack has peaked your interest and you are curious about ways to master your time to get the most from it, then you should seriously consider reading the e-book below. It is filled with research backed evidence that explains how you can get the most out of your day. Every morning we have an opportunity to cast a vote on the type of person we want to be and the life we want to lead. This is a sure way to be intentional with that vote.
