How to balance self-care & productivity

Being productive is one of the keys to achieving your goals and living a fulfilled life. If you are reading this, you are probably like me and are an overachiever (Hie bestie!). But being productive is a double-edged sword and can harm you if you’re not careful.

Being constantly on the go, having a never-ending to-do list, and filling up every minute of your day will lead to burnout, low-quality work, and an unbalanced life.

Mastering the art of balancing self-care and productivity will help you achieve your goals without sacrificing your health, relationships, and sanity.

So how do I do this you ask…Read on for 4 research-backed tips on how to live a balanced life.

1   Have a clearly defined schedule.

Having a daily schedule clarifies how you spend your time, it’s a simple way to monitor your productivity. With a schedule, you can allocate time to high-priority things and get them done.

It gives you time freedom because you are in control, you decide how much time you want to spend on work, relaxation, family, etc.

Some tips on making a schedule:

•  Plan days where you want to rest and days where you need to get a lot done.
•  Time block tasks that you have, this helps you stay on track but be flexible with it (you are not a robot)
•   Don’t overschedule, sticking to 3 important tasks is a good rule of thumb.
•  Avoid multitasking, studies reveal that it slows us down and we do our work less efficiently.

2    Create routines.

Routines provide structure, organization, and stability to your life.

We all have routines, some are conscious, others unconscious. You wake up, scroll on your phone while brushing your teeth, shower, and head out, that’s a routine.

Time is your most valuable aspect so create routines that serve you and allow you to free up more time in a day. And tasks become automated which saves your mental energy. No more stress about what to do when you get back home because you have a night routine.

3.   Know when to stop.

You don’t know when to stop, do you? (that’s right I’m calling you out)

You can tell that your brain is tired, your body needs rest yet you keep going, that’s self-sabotage and the fastest road to burnout.

Rest is not an indulgence, it’s essential. Learn to listen to your mind when it says slow down. Aim for progress, not perfection so when you wake up one day and you can only work for an hour towards your goals, that’s fine, it's progress.

If you don’t take a break, your body will and it won’t be pretty.

4.  Set up a reward system.

A little reward can go a long way in making you productive. Try binge-watching after you’ve finished your tasks and see how good it feels. It motivates you to stick to your work because you look forward to something fun.

You can also bundle up what you want to do with what you have to do

• Watch your favorite show on the treadmill
•  Facetime your friends while folding laundry.
•  Walk to your favorite café

Conclusion

Productivity is a skill we all need to have but we should be aware of how it’s affecting our lives. Be intentional with how you spend your time and you will be far ahead of most people. Enjoy and live your life while smashing your goals by knowing how to balance self-care and productivity.

 

Until next time,

xo xo