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Nov 21, 2022Liked by Francesca Specter

Do you often feel like you ‘should’ be more productive?

I felt this way particularly strongly during the lockdown years. I felt I had to show, every day, that I was being more productive because we were forced to work remotely for the company.

I watched many tutorials, downloaded apps and templates, and did Study with me sessions with some youtubers!

⏱ When do you feel that pressure the most: during your working day; during your leisure time; or just a general feeling?

Nowadays, during leisure time. I have a 9to5 M-F job and I feel that my leisure time should be devoted to things like: getting fit, meal preparation for the next week, update LinkedIn, because productivity, I feel, is attached to a cultural mandate that if you take care of XYZ today there is the promise of a brighter future waiting for you.

I find that our quest for productivity is related to a fear to lose control.

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This is such a relatable perspective, thanks Silvina. That first part about being forced to seem productive during the remote working really speaks to the 'productivity anxiety' article I included in The Coulds for productivity, too – really interesting. Like virtual presenteeism!

Interesting you were already doing Study with me sessions with YouTubers too, i'd never heard of them before researching for last week's theme.

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I have a complicated relationship with this 'should'. Living with energy-limiting chronic illnesses has done a real number on my sense of self and my ability to produce in a way that I know a "healthy version" of me would be able to. It's not even just about "what we should do" and expectations for others - it comes from a deep-seated frustration at not being able to do the things I "should" otherwise be able to do - and more than anything it has been very much linked to my sense of who I am as a person and how I feel fulfilled.

These days, I look at productivity differently. Because my capacity changes so much (as has been the case recently with a bit of a flare up), learning how to be as efficient (and yes, productive) as possible is incredibly important in helping me maximise the energy I do have, without pushing myself into a crash. The last part is something that I'm still working on, but I find a lot of productivity tools (tweaked, of course) actually play a really important role in helping me to slow down and be more mindful about what I'm doing and how I'm spending my energy.

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Thanks for offering that perspective, Natasha – really puts the productivity conversation in a different light. It sounds like you've really made those tools work for you. I'd be interested to know what you think of tomorrow's 'Coulds' newsletter (likely you'll be familiar with some of the resources already!)

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Looking forward to reading it!

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I definitely relate to this 'should'. But I have also come a long way in being kinder to myself and acknowledge that not every living moment should be something to mark off a 'To do' list. I feel the pressure most if I am at home, relaxing (re: feeling like I'm not 'doing anything') and reading, or watching another episode on Netflix. However if I am out just aimlessly walking, or at a coffee shop just reading, I somehow don't feel that guilt. It's like I've made the effort to leave the house and therefore have achieved something that day, even if I am doing the same nothingness, just in a different environment.

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Hi Vicki! Oo that’s relatable! So productivity is leaving the house for a different environment (I wonder if it’s also to do with being witnessed outside of it, as a person in the world?). Makes total sense - also perhaps why lots of people say they prefer working at coffee shops more than at home, it feels (and maybe is) more productive…

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deletedNov 17, 2022Liked by Francesca Specter
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This is such a good point. Love the idea of rest being a focus for productivity – and love how you acknowledge that's about long-held goals too. It seems almost counterintuitive, doesn't it? But I think that's true for so many of us, definitely more so than we typically acknowledge. We're not machines! Makes me think of the French phrase 'reculer pour mieux sauter': ('Draw back in other to make a better leap')

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