“REDEFINING PRODUCTIVITY”
I had a really productive day when yesterday was today.
I arrived at today’s today determined to replicate yesterday. Alas! It cannot be so!
Why? Well, mainly because today is today.
“But of course!” you may say.
There is never any “of course” for me, I’m afraid. Maybe there isn’t any “of course” for anyone.
You see, today, I have a lot of things that I want/need to do, but I don’t feel as if they would come under the heading of “PRODUCTIVE.”
- Attend 12-step meeting.
- Meet with a good friend for breakfast.
- Go to the dentist to have my teeth cleaned.
- Take good care of our dog who recently had surgery. (My sweetheart is gone to take care of her mom, so I am the sole caregiver for our much-loved little ball of fur.)
- Call the chiropractor, since my back is hurting pretty badly.
- Take care of the compost.
- Set out the trash and recycling.
- Go for a bike ride on the Little Miami Trail.
Doesn’t seem terribly productive to me. It seems necessary in the case of most of the items I listed. In the case of breakfast with my friend (and the bike ride), it is certainly enjoyable. However, is any of this productive?
Perhaps my problem is that I need to broaden my definition of the word “productive.” If I define productivity too narrowly, I’ll be perpetually self-critical, and terminally frustrated.
Admittedly, not everything is productive. Sitting around eating sweets while my sweetie is gone, playing computer games, checking my e mail every thirty seconds—there are some things that really are not productive.
However, things that help me to be healthier are productive, whether or not I recognize that fact. For example, keeping and deepening healthy relationships with others (breakfast with my friend) is very productive.
My first 12-step sponsor realized that, in my reports, I was beating myself up when I was speaking of my “bottom-line addictive behavior.” So, he did a wonderful thing. He asked me what my top lines were.
At first, I didn’t even understand what he was talking about. So, he started asking me questions. “Did you get out of bed this morning?” he asked. “Yes,” I said. “Well,” said he, “That’s a top-line behavior.”
“Did you make your bed?” he asked. “Yes,” I replied. “Good!” he exclaimed. “That’s a top-line behavior.”
On he went. Did I eat breakfast? Did I brush my teeth? Did I call my sponsor? (Since I was talking on the phone with him right then, that was an easy one.)
What about you? How do you define productivity? Are you defining it in an accurate and compassionate manner?
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