Tag: Productivity

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Keeping Sane & Productive in an Insane World, Principle #5: You’re Not Tired. You’re Bored.

When we are doing nothing, we often feel tired. But we may not be tired. We may just be bored. Boredom and tiredness can feel the same.

This was an insight that I learned from Brett McKay and The Art of Manliness podcast. He has a lot of helpful insights, and I highly recommend his work to you. He said, you are not burned out, you are bored, but the principle is the same. McKay asks how is it that we are struggling with burnout

[a]nd yet, statistically, we’re doing less than ever, not more[?] We work a little less than we did fifty years ago, and a lot less than a century and a half back. We socialize less. We participate less in clubs, church, and civic organizations.

How can it be that the less we do, the more burnt out we get? How can it be that people who are involved in far less than their grandparents were, nonetheless feel more tired? Continue reading “Keeping Sane & Productive in an Insane World, Principle #5: You’re Not Tired. You’re Bored.”

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Keeping Sane and Productive in an Insane World, Principle #1: Don’t say, “I can’t do that.” Say, “I can’t do that today.”

Principle #1: Don’t say, “I can’t do that.” Say, “I can’t do that today.”

It’s easy to look at hard things and say, “I can’t do that.” That’s only partly true. You can’t do that today. But there are many things that you can’t do today that you could do if you worked at them over a period of time.

Many of the things that we admire in others are things that they worked at for a long time. Obviously, certain people’s bodies are better built for professional football than others, but those who become pro football players have put in thousands of hours of work to get there.

Whether it’s playing an instrument, speaking a foreign language, delivering a speech, writing a book, or running a marathon, these skills take time to develop. You may not be able to run a marathon today, but you could run one if you worked on it over a long period of time.

What is true in the area of physical skills is also true in relationships. You may not feel like you are good at connecting with people. However, you can work at it. You relate better to people. For example, you may think that your relationship with your child is not good. Say instead: it’s not good today, but it can be better in the future, if I work at it. Continue reading “Keeping Sane and Productive in an Insane World, Principle #1: Don’t say, “I can’t do that.” Say, “I can’t do that today.” “

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4 Mindset Shifts for Greater Peace & Productivity

Can we change and move forward? Sometimes it feels like we can’t change. We feel stuck. We feel like our emotions just are what they are. However, if there is one thing that the great teachers of the world agree on, it is this: people can change. We are not stuck in our current ways of looking at things. We are not stuck doing the same old thing. Humans have a capacity for change.

This question is particularly poignant in times of great stress in the international order like we are facing right now. In such cases, it’s easy to let our anxiety get the best of us. We may not be aware of it. What can help us maintain peace and productivity in the midst of the storm?

I have found some help for this in the writing of some ancient philosophers known as the Stoics. The Stoics weren’t perfect, but they wrote simply and clearly about some of the best of the ancient wisdom for living well.

They key to the whole process of change is this. The locus of change is not outside us. It is inside us. It is our judgments, how we evaluate things, that determine how we will live. How we think about sickness or death, for example, will determine how we respond to it. For example, the Stoic Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius says, “But I unless I think that what has happened is an evil, am not injured. And it is in my power not to think so” (Meditations, 7.14). He goes on to say: “If you are pained about any external thing, it is not this thing that disturbs you, but your own judgment about it” (ibid., 8.47). It is how we think that determines whether or not something is bad or not. Of course, this is not about what we think at one particular moment. This is about our pattern of thinking. “Such as are your habitual thoughts, such also will be the character of your mind, for the soul is dyed by the thoughts” (ibid., 5.16). So, if we are going to be what we were created for, we will have to change our mindset.

What are these mindset shifts that can especially help us change for the better? Here I would like to set forth some general mindset shifts that can help us achieve the human telos, goal, or purpose. These mindset shifts are to trust the providence of God, focus on what is under your power, find joy in being human, and focus on living today.

First, trust the providence of God. Don’t just see the events as bad things that happen to you or things that are random. Instead, see them as coming from the good government of God. The philosopher Epictetus says that we should agree with the providence of God and not want anything other than what God’s government brings us. If someone leaves us, “Don’t wish at any price that he should continue to live with you, don’t wish that you’ll be able to remain in Corinth, and, in a word, don’t wish for anything other than what God wishes” (Discourses, 2.17). Seneca made it his habit when things went contrary to his desires not only to recognize that God wanted something different but to assent to what God wanted as the best decision. “‘Heaven decreed it otherwise!’ Nay rather, to adopt a phrase which is braver and nearer the truth—one on which you may more safely prop your spirit—say, to yourself, whenever things turn out contrary to your expectation: ‘Heaven decreed better!’” (Letter XCVIII). See everything as the result of the providence of God, and you will be able to live a life of virtue and peace. Continue reading “4 Mindset Shifts for Greater Peace & Productivity”

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Getting a Lot of Important Stuff Done

It’s easy to let circumstances dictate what we do. It’s also easy to get a lot of stuff done. It’s hard to get a lot of important stuff done. It’s a battle that requires constant vigilance.

What is the important stuff that we need to get done? We need to work on our relationship with God and people, make the best use of our gifts, do self-care, do meaningful work, and take time to enjoy good things. Why does it seem so hard to get to this high quality stuff?

We must always remember that we are limited. As my economics professor said, everything is scarce, but time is absolutely scarce. No matter what you do, you have a limited amount of time. That makes what you do with time very important. You won’t get it back.

So, how can we move from being at the mercy of circumstances to getting a lot of important stuff done? I’m no expert, but I want to share my insights born of necessity from trying to hold together being a Pastor of a church, having seven kids, completing my doctorate, having active hobbies, and trying to connect with friends and the broader church. Like you, I have a lot of things I’m involved in and a lot of stuff I want to do. Here’s my basic plan for trying to do it all.

  1. Work on it. Instead of just doing things, I have tried to think about what I’m doing. In the moment, it may seem unproductive, but sitting back and asking ourselves what we need to do, what we don’t need to do, and what our priorities are is the foundation for being intentional and productive in doing the most important things.
  2. Cut the clutter. It’s probably as important to ask what we don’t want to do as what we need to do. Establish strict rules for your use of screens. They have a way of sucking all our time. They are designed by very, very smart people to keep you looking at them as long as possible. That’s why I think it is crucial to establish strict rules for their use without eliminating their use altogether.
  3. Make a list of less important things that are truly urgent and do them as quickly as possible. Ask yourself: what do I have to do today or this week? This includes things like taking out the trash, paying your bills, transporting children, and other administrative tasks. Make a list of them and do as many of them as you can as quickly as you can. If you don’t do them quickly, they have a way of hanging over your head and sabotaging everything else.
  4. Figure out what’s most important to you and schedule it. It’s not always easy to know what is most important. I like to ask myself, what would I do with a week if I didn’t have any obligations? That’s a way of using my imagination to discern my real values. Try this or a similar exercise. Once you’ve figured out what’s most important to you, schedule it. If playing the guitar is important to you. Have a time each day when you play. If developing a relationship with your kids is important, schedule a time to do things with them. What you don’t schedule rarely gets done.
  5. Prioritize your relationships. For most people, relationships are one of the most important things in their lives. However, we can go a long time without spending time with those we value most. Find a way to think through your relationships and be deliberate about spending time with people who are most important to you. This may seem somewhat cold, but the alternative is leaving our relationships to chance or whim.
  6. Always go back to today. Thinking of all the things you need to do can be overwhelming and can keep you from doing what we need to do in the present. When I get overwhelmed, I always go back to this question, what do I need to do today? I let go of the past and present and focus on that. This frees me to focus on what I most need to do.
  7. Keep working on it. Once you’ve got a plan, keep working on it and revising it. Keep asking if it reflects reality. Keep asking if these things are really your priority. Keep asking if you really need to do all that you’re doing. That’s how you get better and better at managing your time and adjust to changing circumstances.

Following these guidelines can keep you from wandering aimlessly and help you get a lot of important stuff done. What are some things that you have learned that have helped you get more important stuff done? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

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