Photo by Sid Leigh on Unsplash
Productivity fatigue is the state we reach when we do not give ourselves adequate rest.
In a world obsessed with hustle culture and optimizing every minute for maximum output, we forget that we are humans and not robots.
In TCM we often hear people asking “how do I get more energy?” when the answer is amazingly simple: to have more energy you need to rest more.
If we look at the TaiJiTu we can see that as Yang (our active energy) rises, it turns and becomes Yin (our resting energy). As Yin grows, it again turns and gives birth to Yang, and the cycle repeats.
As we work hard, we become tired, but when we rest hard, we are recharged and able to return to productivity. Without rest we have no resources to burn for work. That is why adequate rest, food, and relaxation are all required to balance out our productivity.
When we are constantly chasing the next goal, the next milestone, constantly moving the goal posts back, we are not giving ourselves a break. Without a break, we can not expect to work for long or very effectively.
Here are three ways you can incorporate mindful rest into your day.
1) 'When you are hungry, eat. When you are tired, sleep. When you walk, walk.’ – Zen Saying
In TCM we are taught that each organ system governs an action, and that these organs prefer particular situations for those actions.
For our Stomach organ system, which governs digestion, it prefers regular meal times and for eating to be the sole activity. If we watch TV, read a book, or listen to a podcast while we eat, we have two separate forms of nutrition, one for our mind and one for our body, that are competing for digestion at the same time.
The Stomach organ system can not do both, at the same time, efficiently.
When we try to work, study or be entertained while we eat, we are overworking one organ system while keeping our mind from resting.
The solution to this is simple: when you are eating, do nothing except eat and allow your mind to rest and wander.
This will help you feel more satisfied with your food, you will digest it better, and you will feel recharged for when you do return to work!
You can expand this thinking to any activity. When you are exercising, focus on what your body is doing. When you are getting ready for bed, listen to your body as it falls asleep.
It is beneficial for your creativity and wellness to let your mind make connections without constantly digesting new information. By being present for the one thing that you are doing in any moment, you will have more energy for your tasks.
2) Take Regular Breaks
I only recently discovered and have utilized the Pomodoro technique. At first, I only used it to stay focused on studying, now I use it for all my work.
The Pomodoro Technique is this: 25 minutes of focused work, then 5 minutes of complete disconnection from work. After every 4 bouts of work, take a longer break of 15-30 minutes.
When I am powering through flashcards all day, this technique helps me retain what I am studying. When I am really struggling to figure out what to write about in a day, taking those 5 minutes to walk away helps me turn a corner.
Regular breaks will save your body from the pain of staying in the same position for hours, keeps your eyes from glazing over, and will encourage you to stay motivated throughout the day.
It is also an important reminder that productivity is not everything. We all need money to live, we all have dreams we are building, but to stop and rest, that helps to keep all the stress in perspective.
The world will not end if you do not finish building a website in the next 30 minutes. Take a moment to move your body, drink some water and relax.
3) Break Your Goals into Daily Obtainable Habits
We have all experienced this before. We have a project we need to get done by a particular date. We keep putting it off until a few days before its due. Then we spend hours at a time constantly working on the project until it is finally done and we are exhausted.
It would be so much easier if we had taken the time to plan our time better. If we piece apart our projects into bite-sized chunks, we can finish them without sacrificing our health.
This method can be used in our day jobs and in our passion projects. Maybe you have a book you want to write, an app that you dream of building, or a garden that you want to create.
Figure out the steps you need to take to accomplish what you want to or need to do and reduce those steps into daily actions. By completing these daily tasks, you will feel fulfilled by taking another stride up the mountain, rather than remaining at the bottom dreading the climb up!
By accomplishing small, obtainable goals each day, we can exponentially increase our chances of reaching our big objectives. Also, we will not be utterly exhausted when we reach the end!
I hope this article has been helpful to you. If you liked it, please like/clap/upvote and follow me for more!
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