Feeling Unproductive
Wake up, work, sleep, eat, repeat. That’s probably everyone’s life for the past MANY months. To me, the lockdown has now become an eternity. We get so used to living that way that we forget what we would otherwise do. We forget our plans, or maybe let’s better say we neglect them. But how long that’s gonna last? We keep making plans and then we’re forced to regret them — or best case scenario, reschedule, of course. We keep dreaming and then we need to cancel-postpone-alter even our thoughts. Where’s the motivation to go after a better future? When is this gonna end?
Unproductive vs Nonproductive
— You know me, I love wordplays —
Being unproductive implies that something could have been productive but no action was taken. Nonproductive implies that something was unsuccessfully trying to be productive.
So in a sense, if you’re like me, being unproductive for a while is not that bad one might say. Make sure you realize it though and don’t prolong it. Let’s call it a phase.
Productivity is arbitrary
Today and yesterday and the day before, and the day before, I woke up feeling unproductive. Even if it’s not absolutely true — I kinda have a full day going on but somehow there’s no much more to do anyway. However, productivity, as well as success, are both arbitrary. But if you like nagging like me, there’s always something stopping you or preventing you from reaching the “productivity & success state” you initially had in mind. In this case, superficially, I blame it on the lockdown. Living between walls and doing everything at home has now become a state of mind (rather than a phase). Everyone is in the same situation, I know. But this is honestly tiring.
I wanna wake up and put my “going out” clothes on. I’m so tired of strolling around in sweatpants. I wanna wake up and feel productive again. I wanna wake up and have a coffee while endlessly scrolling through Skyscanner's best offers, knowing that I CAN TRAVEL. I wanna make plans. I wanna move on with my life. I need to find again my motivation and bring back my productivity.
Life on Pause
Time flies and we’re missing out. Life on pause yet everything is somehow different. Soon it’s gonna be a year that we’re locked to ourselves. Literally and metaphorically if you may. Or it might just be me. I’m angry, I’m hungry, I’m tired and there’s no one to blame. Could be hormones, but those are always there to blame - so I’ll be nice to them this time. I fear we’ll go back to “normal” and we’ll be having difficulties adjusting. But really, let’s look forward to this new normal at least. It’s something to long for.
Conclusion
Hopefully, unproductively we might get back to being productive again. As said, I wanna believe it’s just a state of mind. Our attitude towards it may switch from one day to another. All we have to do is follow the leads that will help us get through it harmlessly. As long as we stay away from being “nonproductive”, there is always hope. Our creativity and motivation are hiding somewhere in there. Is this attitude too passive? Maybe. But let’s stay optimistic for a little bit more. See the bright side of it once again. It’ll soon be over. Just think that changing the way we think might eventually lead us from a “Game Over” to a “Start Over” phase. So not being productive for a while is probably ok.
And that was my midnight brainstorming. Thanks for reading.
