Productivity is overrated.

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I want to talk a little bit about productivity. I want to talk about hustle culture, which I'm partially responsible evangelizing over the years. But now is not the time. Now is a time of reflection. In light of Black Lives Matter and all of the civil unrest (not to mention a global health pandemic), trauma has reared its ugly head. 

But trauma has a purpose. We're seeing the pain that we've inflicted upon our fellow humans, as well as ourselves. And while our focus should be on using our time and privelege to amplify Black voices and educate ourselves, it's also incredibly important to make sure you’re taking care of our mental health.

So with that, let’s dispel the Productivity Myth. 

There has been a lot of praise given to people who have been productive during this time. And of course it's inspiring and we're all sharing it on social media: look at the bread I’m baking! Look at all the yoga I’m perfecting! And I figured out how to use TikTok! 

For some of us, just staying inside is enough. Staying healthy is hard; some of us have compromised immune systems. Some of us have sick family members. Some of us are applying for unemployment. Some of us have companies that are falling apart right now (myself included) and the pressure to be not just be productive, but to thrive, is too much to handle. 

I think we all saw this meme making the rounds:

FALSE. So many of us are merely trying to keep our heads above water. Not all of us have extra time. And even for me, doing laundry, folding laundry, putting laundry away, walking dogs, making food, doing dishes and all the cleaning, I don’t have any free time. I would love to be optimizing and organizing every single thing and Marie Kondo-ing the shit out of my life; meanwhile I’m writing this in my makeshift office/guest room with a pile of crap next to me: stacks of books, disorganized papers, an unmade bed behind me, figuring out what my very uncertain future holds. To me, just keeping my shit together is as good as it gets. Perfecting our skills and becoming a skinny yogi isn't something we're all able to do right now. Not all of us are able to turn lemons into lemonade. 

I'm lucky to be on an antidepressant and able to afford therapy. If you're having struggles with mental health, I strongly suggest that you seek a therapist or a psychiatrist or just someone that you can talk to. It's a lonely time for most of us.

They call us the Burnout Generation for a reason. This concept of productivity at all costs is what got us here. Sometimes being unproductive is the most ecological, safest and even the most spiritual thing that we can do. 

We're living through a lot together, aren't we? And whatever that looks like for you is OKAY. It's a luxury to be productive right now; just focus on doing whatever brings you peace. And please, do not create more stress for yourself. Pushing ourselves to do more and more when we're already stressed out, when our world and our economy are falling apart and people we know are dying, is not helpful or necessary. 

In fact, it’s dangerous. Stress is awful for the immune system. So take a nap. Have sex. Let your hair get dirty. Postmates ice cream (guilty). Drink wine. Journal, or don’t. Quit coffee or chug coffee (currently chugging). Grow out your hair or shave your head (just cut 6 inches off my hair and look like a poodle). Only you know what you need best. 

The world is collectively terminally ill right now. This time is a marathon, not a race. Don't let social media pressure you into performative productivity. But if staying busy is what keeps you sane, that's okay too. And no matter your method, give yourself some grace. 

What have these days looked like for you? I want to hear from you, so comment below and let me know the most unproductive thing that you're doing at home (I’m always looking for Netflix recommendations.) Let's celebrate just being.