Productivity & Time

“As time goes on, you’ll understand. What lasts, lasts; what doesn’t, doesn’t. Time solves most things. And what time can’t solve, you have to solve yourself. – Haruki Murakami”


We all have been given this luxury right now to utilise the time at hand as per our needs, but are we able to do it? It seems so easy when we think about it but it isn’t; because if it would have been, we would not have been sitting in our living room wondering about either what to do next or how to get things done without being lazy. This lockdown has solved as well as created many problems for us. Where once we used to crave about the much-needed free time; now, we don’t know what to make of it.


On top it, the added pressure of doing something productive is wreaking havoc in our mind. We all want to do something, learn something and some just want to chill (because that is the ultimate goal of their life). I wish I had that luxury too. Yes, I always end up using this statement because after every few minutes there is some or the other thing that needs to be done or taken care of which leaves me hanging in between. I’m sure some of you can relate to me. So, no, the problem is not with you but the circumstances around, and our need to be doing something all the time. If we sit and relax, we feel we are not utilising our energy in productive things.


By now you must have realised this “Productivity” is killing all the fun. Isn’t it? Somehow it is ingrained in us to be involved in some tasks and not sit idle. In a way, I find it good as when your mind if occupied you end up focusing your energy in one place rather than let it wander to unusual places. At the same time, it can be exhausting too, but you need to find that right balance. But more often than not we are forced to do things when we are not into it; as a result, we become dissatisfied. We continuously desire to leave the task and do something else or just nothing as even the thought of continuing it starts draining us. To be honest, it drains me out of every single thing that I love to do and it becomes all the more difficult to continue with the basic stuff. Like even making food or doing laundry feels like a burden.


So, I would like to suggest that you take a deep breath and calm down your senses by doing meditation or by talking to someone close. Stop everything for a while and try figuring out what you need to do. I know moving your lazy ass is going to be a little difficult but once you start working towards it bit by bit, you’ll feel good like I’m feeling right now. Write down every problem that you are facing or things that need to be addressed rather than making a mental note (we are not superhumans so we tend to forget things at the right time; happens with me all the time). Then prioritize what needs to be taken care of first and then work around this list. But don’t forget that it is a privilege to just think about what to do with your time when there are so many issues people are dealing with in this global pandemic scenario. Take it slow, don’t rush as this obsession of doing everything “RIGHT NOW” plays with our mind in a bad way. You are not competing against everything but trying to maintain a rhythm in this messed-up environment.