{"id":5623,"date":"2013-12-05T13:48:43","date_gmt":"2013-12-05T18:48:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/alifeofproductivity.com\/?p=5623"},"modified":"2021-12-03T21:39:53","modified_gmt":"2021-12-03T21:39:53","slug":"top-10-lessons-learned-productivity-complete-slob-week","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chrisbailey.com\/top-10-lessons-learned-productivity-complete-slob-week\/","title":{"rendered":"The top 10 lessons I learned about productivity being a complete slob for a week"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Takeaways:<\/b>\u00a0Instead of being a slob, be kind to yourself, structure your time, and to let the air out of your tires, don\u2019t indulge your desires\u2013find positive outlets to relieve your stress, like getting a massage. Learn how to manage your attention and the expectations other people have of you. Know that negative and positive habits compound. If you want to make changes to your life, start small so they\u2019ll actually stick. Finally, do all you can to find more sources of energy.<\/p>\n

Estimated Reading Time: <\/b>10 minutes, 45s.<\/div><\/div>\n

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A huge thank-you to my buddy Ryan Wang<\/a><\/span> for touching up the pictures in this article.<\/div><\/div>\n

Whether it means meditating for 35 hours in a week<\/a><\/span>, watching 70 hours of TED talks over 7 days<\/a><\/span>, living in total seclusion for 10 days<\/a><\/span>, or using my smartphone for only an hour a day<\/a><\/span>, I love approaching productivity from weird angles, and then writing about everything I learn.<\/p>\n

All last week I became a complete slob in the name of productivity. I showered only twice, ordered takeout at least once a day, watched a minimum of 2 hours of TV a day, and didn\u2019t work out, meditate, shave, wake up early, or spend time with people.1<\/a><\/sup> For the experiment I tried to be as productive as possible under these conditions, and like with the experiments that came before this one, I learned a ton, all of which I\u2019ve written about below.<\/p>\n

Here are the top 10 lessons I learned about productivity being a complete slob last week!<\/p>\n

10. Be kind to yourself<\/b><\/h2>\n

\"1170044_18898754-1024x10241\"As much as you might value becoming more productive (like I do), when you don\u2019t take it easy on yourself in the process, you\u2019re not going to appreciate how productive you are in the first place. At the end of the day that\u2019s going to make you a lot less happy, and it will also make all you\u2019ve accomplished mean a lot less. At least that\u2019s what I found. It doesn\u2019t matter how productive you are if you don\u2019t take it easy on yourself along the way. <\/b>Some great ways to be kind to yourself? Take more breaks<\/a><\/span>, lower your expectations<\/a><\/span>, adopt habits that lead to more happiness<\/a><\/span>, and meditate<\/a><\/span>!<\/p>\n

9. Even if you want to be a slob (or relax), you should structure your time<\/b><\/h2>\n

Sunday at noon\u00a0is the least happy and least productive hour in the U.S.<\/a><\/span>\u00a0Why? Because that\u2019s when people are the least likely to structure their time. Structuring your time (even loosely) helps you focus, motivates you, makes you happier, and gives you purpose because it provides you with a loose framework to live inside of.<\/p>\n

Even if you feel like being a complete slob for a week, loosely structuring your time will make sure you stay happy.<\/p>\n

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8. The most productive people are crazy-talented at managing their attention<\/b><\/h2>\n

By adopting habits like eating well, working out, and meditating, I\u2019ve gained a pretty good handle on my ability to manage my attention since starting A Year of Productivity.<\/p>\n

But during this particular experiment, I found myself constantly on the prowl for an immediate fix, whether in the form of tasty fast food I could order in, something entertaining to watch on TV, or a\u00a0fun new game<\/a><\/span>\u00a0I could play on my iPad. Somewhere during the experiment, I completely lost control of my attention, and began bouncing from one distraction to the next.<\/p>\n

Depending on how\u00a0future-oriented<\/a><\/span>\u00a0you are, you might find yourself in a perpetual dance between the two extremes; jumping between activities that stimulate you in the short-run and ones that are healthy for you in the medium-to-long run.<\/p>\n

The better you are at managing your attention, the better you become at directing it toward activities that are better for them in the long-term, while making sure you get enjoyment out what you\u2019re doing in the short-term.<\/p>\n

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Getting better at managing your attention is so important to becoming more productive that I\u00a0dedicated a whole week of this project to writing about how to focus better<\/a><\/span>.<\/div><\/div>\n

\"207209_7592\"7. Don\u2019t forget to \u2018let the air out of your tires\u2019 every so often<\/b><\/h2>\n

As much as I\u2019d love to drone on about how you shouldn\u2019t be a slob and you should be productive all the time, blah blah blah, I think it\u2019s important to let the air out of your tires and relax every once in a while. No one is a robot, nor should anyone take becoming more productive too seriously.
\nI\u2019m not saying that there is any value to being a slob; after all, when you act like a slob you essentially contribute nothing to your own health or the health of the world around you. But there is something to be said about letting some of the air out of your tires every once in a while. Don\u2019t binge, but make sure you reward yourself for reaching your productivity milestones.<\/p>\n

Slobbing out is one<\/i> way to let the air out of our tires, but it\u2019s not very rewarding in the long-run. A much more rewarding way to let the air out of your tires? By creating positive, productive outlets to relieve your stress.<\/p>\n

6. Create positive outlets to relieve your stress<\/b><\/h2>\n

When you get stressed out, science has shown that your mind tends to crave quick fixes, even though it\u2019s been proven that quick fixes don\u2019t actually reduce the levels of stress hormones in your body.2<\/a><\/sup> 9 positive, tested outlets<\/a><\/span> that actually relieve your stress? Exercise, meditation, reading, listening to music, going for a nature walk, spending time with people you love, getting for a massage, investing in a creative hobby, and attending a religious service.<\/p>\n

5. Indulging your desires is not<\/i> self-love<\/b><\/h2>\n

All week long during the experiment I indulged my desires; eating, watching, and listening to whatever would provide me with a quick fix. But reflecting a bit more on the experiment, I don\u2019t think indulging your desires is the same as self-love.<\/p>\n

When you indulge your desires (shopping, eating, watching TV), you essentially invest your time in a distraction that doesn\u2019t provide you with any return beyond some immediate enjoyment. I don\u2019t think you can call something self-love when it damages your mental or physical health.<\/b> Loving yourself isn\u2019t about indulging your desires; it\u2019s about respecting yourself, and showing compassion for yourself.<\/p>\n

Respecting yourself includes creating positive outlets to relieve your stress, and investing time in yourself, instead of just looking for quick fixes. Quick fixes are fun in the moment, but are almost always detrimental for your mental and physical health in the end.<\/p>\n

Interlude: My 10 favorite productivity experiments from my year of productivity<\/b><\/h2>\n

10 of my favorite experiments<\/a><\/span> from my year of productivity, in no particular order. Just click on any picture to visit the experiment’s article.<\/p>\n

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