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“But it was all going so well!”

“But it was all going so well!”

Please note – I’ll be taking some time off and plan to restart the blog at the end of July or beginning of August.

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But it was all going so well!

When a routine is clicking, we’re clicking right along with it. We can come to rely on routine, doing the dance of the day that gets us through.

But when it gets disrupted, by illness, vacation, or a good solid sneeze, we can feel adrift. The morning routine, the exercise regimen, the rhythms of study just went poof.

Structure can be a powerful ally for a wandering mind. But sometimes there’s too much. Or too little. Or what we thought would be too much is too little and vice versa.

At certain times of life, we can rely on the structures others build for us such as school, work, meetings, family, and more. But what happens when something out of our control shifts? What happens when those external structures are no longer there?

We can certainly make our own. But structure isn’t just “Do this from 6-7. Do that from 7 to 7:30”.

Trying to schedule intentions might work for some, but for many can readily become an exercise in frustration. For example, arriving at some time scheduled, we can easily wonder, “Why now? I could do this later.” And even with the best of intentions, later often disappears in the waves.

Consider the self-created rhythms that have worked. Maybe even the broad structures and systems you built yourself over time. They may well be out of reach in this moment.

But I wonder if another perspective is that they’re out of tune with who you are now. Rather than being something placed and never changed, finding the rhythms that work is a creative process, iterative and grown in time.

Chances are, that whatever worked started small. Some single rhythm, maybe that one note that you wrote to yourself, maybe that one cup of tea that you can count on, maybe that single news show that you started to pin a habit on.

Somewhere, some tiny thing felt consistent.

Certainly, it can be terribly upsetting to lose a structure. But in starting small, we may be able to rebuild something new, often more attuned to our current lives.

– Kourosh

PS: Consider if there is a single tiny rhythm you can trust today. Maybe it’s pausing for a breath, or jotting a single line in a notebook. Maybe it’s a game you play. Develop from there or not, however and as you decide.

 

What is Productivity?

Productivity is many things. For some, it is about doing a lot in a little time.
But, truly, productivity is so much more. It is about:

  • Setting yourself up for success.
  • Being focused where you want to be.
  • Doing things that you find meaningful.
  • Being creative, sometimes even in harsh environments.
  • Forging your own paths.
  • Finding your voice and delivering it well.
  • Knowing and actively deciding on your obligations.
  • Knowing where and how to say “no”.
  • Avoiding procrastination.

Too often, many of us fall into just going along with and fighting whatever the world throws at us. “Go with the flow!”, we say. Meanwhile, we might think, “I’d like to do that one thing. Maybe one day I will.” The days go by. The goal never arrives, and then we wonder why or blame circumstance.

But when we learn to take charge of our lives and the world
around us, we start living life with intention.

“I should do that,” becomes “This is how I start”. Deliberately forging a path to our goals and dreams, we figure out what we want in life and then start taking steps there.

Of course, striking out may seem scary. It takes courage to live life with purpose and on purpose. Roadblocks and worries, fears and concerns show up everywhere.

This is my passion. I want to help you to find that sense of your own unique play to meet the world so that you can:

  • Create a life that is yours.
  • Find and follow an inner guide in a way that works for you and those you care for.
  • Decide on your obligations and meet them while building the world you want.

Productivity Journal

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These products use or are based on Getting Things Done® or GTD® Principles. They are not affiliated with, approved or endorsed by David Allen or the David Allen Company, which is the creator of the Getting Things Done® system for personal productivity. GTD® and Getting Things Done® are registered trademarks of the David Allen Company For more information on the David Allen Company’s products the user may visit their website at www.davidco.com.

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