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The most recent in our series of guest pieces offers us some advice on how to become more productive by not working so hard.
Have you ever had the feeling that you are falling behind on deadlines even if you are trying your hardest?
It gradually begins to eat away at you until all you can think about is this: I would have completed everything on my to-do list if I had known how to work harder.
Despite our best efforts, it is not surprising that these thoughts continue to linger in our brains. We are encouraged to work hard in order to succeed from an early age. When we travel the world, we discover that the most successful people don’t work hard; rather, they work smart and, God forbid, they take breaks!
Why do we experience guilt?
Guilt is an instructive emotion, just like other emotions that direct our bodies or minds. It’s an indication from our brain that we’re not behaving in a way that aligns with our personal beliefs and values. Here are some examples of things that frequently cause us to feel guilty:
refusing to assist those who require minimal assistance from us;
unable to quit smoking; not meeting our loved ones’ expectations; being too busy to keep up with trends; and many other issues;
Everybody has a preconceived notion of who they are. We consider ourselves to be in good health, trustworthy, diligent, disciplined, helpful, and sympathetic. And we experience guilt when our actions deviate from that preconceived notion.
What can we do, therefore, to stop feeling bad about not putting in our best effort?
Have a rest!
Of course, work is vital. However, it is a reality that taking a step back from our work improves our performance.
If taking pauses while working makes you feel bad, try to balance this off by using the time as a chance to refuel and take a break. Consider it a form of self-charge. You can’t operate right now with a dead battery, can you?
There are several strategies to increase your productivity at work, including recharging, unwinding, and focusing. You can rest, make connections, and make better future plans during the vacation.
Actually, everyone in the creative industries should take a look at the past. When you were returning home from work, taking a shower, or even just sitting and gazing out of the window, some of your best ideas occurred to you.
Avoid making comparisons!
According to meta-historian Riane Eisler, our society is structured and rigidly hierarchical in its ranking of its constituents.
Threats to our ranking are constant. We could lose our position or rank in the hierarchy since there is always someone doing more or better. Additionally, he proposed a partnership model that is based on connecting and linking.
Realising that there is another way to coexist and thrive is crucial in this situation. We are not required to compete, compare, or rank. We must imagine that we are all capable of something and that our timelines and pathways are unique.
After all, it would be foolish, wouldn’t it, if I tried to mimic someone who has been attending the gym for a year on my first day? Recognise your limitations as well as your talents. Instead of trying to be better than someone else, try to be better than yourself.
Steer clear of the guilt tunnel.
The idea that taking action is preferable to doing nothing is widely held.
You most likely jump right into work when you feel bad about not working hard enough. However, you might not always be able to prioritise while you’re feeling guilty. Much more vital work causes you to lose focus. Prior to making any attempts, you must determine the work’s priority.
Guilt is also a tunnel since it causes you to recollect all of your past failures, whether small and large, when you feel bad about not giving it your all.
Believe me, the last thing you need to encourage yourself is a guilt trip. Therefore, do your best to prevent feeling guilty.
As I said before, what you are busy at matters more than how busy you are.
Monitor your output.
You may demonstrate to yourself why taking that break wasn’t so horrible by keeping track of your productivity. You only discover how hard you have been working for little changes when you monitor and predict your productivity.
You can find additional time for other activities you’ve always wanted to do by keeping track of your productivity. You can utilise more reliable techniques and work tracking tools if your supervisor is dissatisfied with your approaches.
Establish your own objectives.
You shouldn’t care what other people think. Feeling guilty is a common reaction when you fall short of your loved ones’ expectations. As a result, you need to be explicit and cautious about whose expectations you prioritise. Analysing and realistically establishing your own objectives and benchmarks is always preferable.
Determine life accounts rather than bank accounts.
Your employers’ fancy cars, gadgets, and boots are always on display. However, have you ever observed how well-rounded their personal and social lives are? How many real friends and family members do they have?
Although it may seem absurd, your money account balance is not necessarily a good indicator of your level of happiness. Even if you can’t afford to buy coffee at Starbucks every day, having coffee at home with a friend from your youth will bring you joy.
Being creative cannot be coerced.
Knowing your limits is just as vital as continuing to push yourself to the edge. You have to remind yourself that quality work is more essential than quantity.
You must acknowledge that when you’re busy and worn out, you can’t always be innovative or excellent at addressing problems.
Maintain a healthy balance between your emotional and physical well-being.
People get physically and mentally ill as a result of lengthy sitting hours and work pressure, which subsequently affects how efficiently they can do their jobs.
“Health is wealth” is more than simply a catchphrase. Being obese is only the first step. Among the signs include weak muscles, deteriorating vision, and rising body fat. Your blood pressure and blood sugar levels will both be elevated as a result of ongoing mental stress.
In many instances, people who pushed themselves to work too hard on assignments and projects ended up feeling uncomfortable and ill.
Identify the process over the endpoint.
According to the author of The Burnout Cure: An Emotional Survival Guide for Overwhelmed Women, you may simply need to reframe your life “as a process of growth, not of being ‘done.'” This will allow you to celebrate your progress rather than feeling bad about things that haven’t been finished or left undone. You should concentrate on advancing your goals and growing both personally and professionally.
Don’t allow your guilt over not working to keep you from taking a much-needed vacation. It’s likely that you also value not working.
People who feel compelled to justify that they have no life outside of their work should not be taken seriously. Prioritise your tasks before blaming yourself for putting things off.
Take a break, release tension, adopt a new viewpoint, and let go of things that are beyond your current capacity. Never evaluate your accomplishments against those of others.
Keep your personal and professional lives in harmony. Maintain a healthy body and a clear mind.
And if the guilt still persists, ask yourself if this is truly what you want to accomplish. Hard labour is never as valued as having a passion for your career.
“It is by no means a waste of time to lie on the grass beneath trees on a summer day while listening to the sound of the water or watching the clouds drift across the sky; rest is not idleness.”
