4 Tips to Let Go of the Stress to Be Productive
/Let’s face it, it’s been consistently inconsistent. Moments of productivity come and go, leaving us wondering how to maintain any sense of order. Finding ways to maintain your routine, while navigating the stress of stay-at-home orders and constant media updates requires a level of coping that relies heavily on ‘acceptance.’ A key stage in the grief process, acceptance allows you to acknowledge what is will be and what isn’t will not.
Accepting that some days you’ll be productive and some days you will feel like staying in the bed or lying on the couch to binge the newest Netflix series will prove to be more beneficial than you think. It is one of the keys to decreasing your stress.
Here are some tips to get to a point of acceptance and release the stress and pressure of productivity:
Take a break and a step back - Stop, Breathe & Think (no pun intended, but truly check out this app and all that it can do for you). But seriously, take a moment to just step back and breathe. It will be okay. What we are going through is not normal and the expectation for you to behave as things are normal is unrealistic. Take a moment to gather your thoughts to figure out what you need to do.
Don’t focus on the to-do list - Let it go. In moments where you are struggling, feeling frustrated and your irritability is heightened make sure that you let it go. Do nothing. Leave the list alone and if you can’t, then do only what is absolutely necessary.
Do something you truly enjoy - Not only will this allow you to recharge, but it also allows for you to disconnect from the pressure of being productive. This is something that we all know that we should do, but in times like these a reminder doesn’t hurt. This is the foundation of self-care.
Let it be - After doing the first 3 steps, hopefully you find yourself in a relaxed state and realize that you are better off just taking things where they are one day, one moment at a time.