The Intentional Productivity Roadmap

There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t wonder if I should have left the word “productivity” out of the name of my business. It seems to have become a dirty word associated with exhaustion, burnout, and fatigue. Every time I read yet another article or instagram caption about the plague of productivity, my stomach twists into knots. Because here’s the thing- I love productivity. I NEED productivity. Without it I feel empty and directionless. I feel like I am not working towards making an impact. What is wrong with me that I feel empowered by the very thing that is tearing others down? Am I contributing to this toxic mindset? 

So I began to examine my own mindset. In my head, productivity is anything that points me towards my purpose in life. I NEED productivity desperately. I need productivity because it holds me accountable. It gives me a direction when I am too tired and too hurt to think about what I need to do to live out my purpose. Productivity helps me follow my direction without overthinking EVERY SINGLE CHOICE. And as someone who is a chronic overthinker, it has saved my life on multiple occasions. 

But I kept hearing that productivity causes burnout. That productivity causes us to resent our life. And that scared the shit out of me. Was I going to crumble again? Productivity has always been the thing that saved my life, but now I was scared it was going to be the thing that ruined it. And then it hit me- If burnout occurs when we feel uninspired and directionless, productivity is the key to avoid burnout. Because productivity is a map. It is a map to make sure we know where we are going. 

Now just like any tool, this map of productivity can be misused. We can have poor productivity- productivity that doesn’t allow for spontaneity and rest. Productivity that focuses on how MUCH we do instead of HOW we do it. This is the kind of “productivity” that causes burn out. 

But we can have intentional productivity. Productivity that makes sure our tasks serve our goals. Productivity that makes sure our goals serve our purpose. We must use productivity as the roadmap to get to where we want to be. Because being lost is stressful. Being lost is scary and makes you feel like you might never find yourself again. 

But we must also make sure to let ourselves take stops along the way. Go see the attractions. Go try the world’s best margarita. Spend a night in a luxury hotel. Take your time and enjoy the journey, but don’t forget the map. Don’t forget the direction. Otherwise think of all the things you might miss.