Just before my birthday, I had a lovely brunch with my good friend, Eunice
It was so good! 🤤
We laughed and chatted
And, like how it always goes, the conversation fluctuated between serious topics to the both of us just belly laughing
One of the topics that stood out for me was the one we had about the 7-F Framework or the Wheel of Life
There are different versions of it but the one I follow covers (in no particular order):
Faith
Family
Friends
Firm (business or work)
Fun
Fitness
Finance
In my conversation with Eunice, I told her about the “Fun” aspect of my life
i.e. how I’d shifted my mindset, and how doing so has not only improved my productivity but my relationship with being productive
For example, if you know me, you know I always say “October is my birthday"
In the past, this meant I’d reserve this month for fun, being with friends, brunch dates and just letting my hair down a little more
So I always had great expectations when it came to October, in the past, but this year was different
Here’s how 👇🏾
While I was looking forward to my birthday month, there wasn’t this huge weight on it to be fun-filled because I stopped delaying play
As someone who struggles with productivity anxiety, this was difficult because I find it hard to relax and have fun without feeling guilty or feeling like I’m falling behind when I’m not working
Since I’ve realised that I suffer from productivity anxiety, I’ve been intentional about not letting it get the better of me
I recently shared how I did that in a Black Ballad article
And that has meant having more fun, and doing more things that I enjoy daily rather than reserving it for a special occasion
Like someone’s birthday, Christmas, or my birthday month
So, as much as I was looking forward to October, this year for the first time in a long time, it didn’t hold as much weight
Because my life wasn’t all work and no play, or in my case, all work and play being delayed
If anything, the month was a continuation of the lifestyle I created for myself
That mindset shift has been huge for me…
Especially because one of the things I’ve realised is that when we allow ourselves to have fun rather than working all the time, we not only give ourselves a break, and increase our well-being, but we also get the creative juices flowing
In other words, we leave ourselves open to: - New ideas - Inspiration - Being able to step back from situations and come back with fresh perspectives - Different ways to work around challenges
This is confirmed by several studies
In fact, a Forbes magazine article states that: “Time off helps you refill your reserves. The quiet moments inspire reflection time, allowing you to break through creative barriers. Resting activates the “synchronised patterns of spontaneous brain activation. As a result, you experience increasing solutions to open-ended problems”.
A prime example of this is this blog you’re reading right now- which was inspired by a brunch date with a friend filled with belly laughs and multiple conversations in one
Right?
If, like me, you struggle with productivity anxiety or taking fun off the back burner, I’m here to remind you that you don’t have to work yourself to the ground
Like an elastic band, if you pull and tug on it for a long time, you will have no more (to) give and eventually snap
Burn out is real; so have fun and be inspired knowing that- as counterintuitive as this sounds- it will make you more productive
Because like Ali Abdaal says, “the secret to productivity isn’t discipline. It’s joy.”
This is one of the reasons Media Magic was such a success, by the way
(This is the luxury retreat that I hosted in Tulum, Mexico in July teaching women in business how to get PR for themselves)
We had fun
We danced together, went to the beach, swam with turtles, saw Mexico, had game nights at the villa, lounged by the pool, had massages, shopped, belly laughed and so much more!
Which created the perfect environment for the ladies to go from stumped to savvy about how to get PR for themselves
But don’t just take my word for it. See for yourself!
Know you need this in your life? There’s a waiting list that you can join to get early access to details about next year’s retreat and first dibs on early bird tickets. Will you join here?