Productivity in the slow living space.

When we think of productivity, to me it looks like the ability to do as many tasks as humanely possible in the shortest period of time.

We constantly find new apps or another book written, perhaps even a new course to show us how to squeeze more into our twenty four hour period.

The latest leader teaching and showing us how we can be in control of all the roles we play in our daily lives. How we can be everything , how we can lead more productive lives if we follow their instructions.

As women we are led to believe that we are multi tasker's. What does that mean? That means that we talk ourselves into doing more and more. Filling our to do lists, creating task lists and feeling more guilty when we have not been able to complete the impossible.

We said we wanted to be treated equally to our male counterparts, yet the only job they had to do was go to work get paid and the women in their lives would handle everything else.

However now, we want to add that string to our bow too. I am not suggesting that all men do not now assist with home chores and raising families, but once upon a time that was not the status quo.

Now we are expecting ourselves to handle family, home life, community, business, career and caring responsibilities all in the name of multi tasking.

Those of us who do not or can not keep on top of all of that are made to feel like failures. We've all heard those remarks " she's just a housewife." "She's just a stay at home mom." it is ridiculous for us to label women as "just" anything. The time and effort it takes for us to give to these roles is phenomenal.

When we decide to take five minutes out of our day for ourselves we are laden with guilt. That feeling that we should be doing something even though everyone else in our family are off doing what they want.

We are enablers. We enable our loved ones to go follow their dreams, to have down time to relax and enjoy their lives, while we take care of the little things, the things that everyone else expects to be resolved by magic.

One day morphs into another and before you know it you have another birthday, all the goals you planned for yourself last year are still written in last years journal and now the guilt is piling even higher than before because you didn't put yourself first, and we're down a rabbit hole with no way out. Life is running and we are missing it. So now what?

What if I suggested that we are not meant to be these multi tasking robots? What if I suggested that productivity is not about doing more, and more about doing less but with intention? What if we gave ourselves three tasks per day to focus on and we pay attention to each of those tasks?

When we focus on the one task at a time mentality we slow life down. We notice so much more of our life. We engage more with the tasks and the people it affects more.

For example going for a walk. The same walk you have gone on for the last 5-10 years. If normally you go out with ear pods plugged into music, your fav book or podcast, you are missing out on your surroundings.

If you take that same walk today, with no other noise, I guarantee you will see something you never noticed before. Take the challenge, go out for that walk , take time to notice something you never saw before on the same path.

These are the little things that make us appreciate our lives. This is how living slow gives us a different perspective on life, the fragility of it and how materialistic clutter can not be enjoyed as much as a memory that lasts forever.

Productivity is not about doing more, it is about doing necessary task with intention. It is about focusing on the important and realising that there are only twenty four hours in each day. It is about being intentional with your time and giving 100% to your must do list.

We all have responsibilities that must take preference over everything else in our lives, the tasks that no one else can take care of for us, they are our priorities. Taking time for ourselves should be included as a priority. Doing and having less in a more intentional and responsible form brings greater meaning to our lives.

xx Lei

Life is so urgent, it necessitates living slow - Ann Voskamp