8 Tiny Habits for a Productive and Peaceful Day

Less hustle, more ease

My unconventional career and living with a chronic illness have forever altered my perception of time and freedom.

I learned a thing or two about self-discipline and productivity as a graduate student and as a multi-passionate girl with (too) many extracurriculars. But it was not until I began balancing my four lines of work — from home — while striving to stay healthy that my mindset about productivity changed.

Productivity cannot come at the cost of peace. Productivity is not being busy. Productivity is not hustling or rushing or ripping through space with an erratic heartbeat and messy hair. Rather, it’s flowing with ease and prioritizing what’s useful. Productivity is fruitful creativity. It’s ending the day with a gratifying feeling of wellness and fulfilment buzzing gently in your calm chest.

So, how do we get there? Here are 8 tiny habits I swear by.

1. Rethink the traditional to-do list

My secret to time management and life balance is list-making. What’s so new about that, you ask? Over the years, I’ve honed a system that goes beyond the traditional to-do list.

First, I have a few lists going at the same time. My month at a glance helps me see deadlines, appointments and days I’ve blocked off for self-care. My week’s list is a brain dump divided into sections for different projects, but also for leisure, health, home chores and errands. Then, my day’s list is organized either by priority or chronologically on days when I’m on a tight schedule. This list also includes my morning self-care routine and optional “to-do if I can” items at the bottom to honor my limitations as a spoonie whose energy and pain levels fluctuate daily. Sometimes, I scrap my list by noon and make a new one of everything I’ve done (rather than everything I set out to do before life got in the way).

Which brings me to my second point: a to-do list is fluid and flexible. It should be a guilt-free zone! I even write mine in pencil so I have zero qualms about using the nifty little eraser on the back of it.

I also find it important to have a “to-be list”. Productivity is a toxic construct when we equate it with performance. Reflecting on how I want to feel helps me determine my priorities and tasks. Ask yourself how you want to feel (not just what you want to accomplish) and set an intention for your day or week.

Productivity is not only about work! Listing fun stuff and self-care time helps you make work-life balance a non-negotiable. That’s why I love breaking my lists into quadrants, so I can make sure that I’m contributing as much to my health as to my work.

Don’t feel silly about listing everything, even the most mundane tasks. It helps reduce your cognitive load when you get thoughts out of your head and onto paper. Empty the dishwasher. Bake cake. Wordle. Honestly, if I don’t put “fold laundry” on my list, I’ll forget my load in the dryer for days.

Change your relationship with to-do lists and savor the planning process! I make my week’s list over my Sunday morning coffee, and my day’s list as soon as I finish work the evening before (sometimes over a glass of wine), so I know exactly where to pick up the next morning and I actually look forward to it.

2. Start the day with something you love

Don’t start your day with strangers! I mean, unless you absolutely adore social media and seeing into other people’s lives. Start the day with something that motivates you — a bit of time and space that’s all yours. Reward yourself for getting up (because, let’s face it, that’s a damn hard thing to do). Show up for yourself before you show up for others.

3. Load your senses

Wake up your brain and body by stimulating your senses. Drink water. Walk barefoot on the chilly floor. Splash your face with cold water after a hot shower. Light a scented candle or spritz yourself with your signature fragrance even if you’re working from home. Get a dose of daylight. Lean into your favorite playlist. Mindfully observe what your senses detect. This practice helps me stay grounded and calm as I work.

4. Protect your headspace and ditch your phone

Your creativity is sacred! Find ways to eliminate distractions that sap your brain power and threaten your calm. Leave your phone in another room and close your email tabs. If you need to have your phone on you, disable email and social media notifications. Designate a specific time and space where you respond to emails and customer inquiries or when you check in to social media. Set a timer in your Instagram settings for the app to warn you when you’ve exceeded your daily limit. Block some off-the-grid time for yourself every day or week and use that time to work in your bubble without being disturbed. Avoid scheduling meetings during this time.

5. Respect your nervous system

Hey, you there! Unball your fists, unclench your jaw and get your shoulders out of your ears. Have you checked in on what your body is saying about your stress level? Are your muscles tense? How’s your posture? Are you holding your breath? A calm nervous system is the key to a smooth, creative day. You can’t be productive or peaceful if you’re in fight-or-flight mode. Honor your nervous system. Check in on it often. Take time to breathe mindfully and stretch. Smile, even if no one is there to see it. Your nervous system will see it, and it will smile right back.

6. Befriend your brain

Get to know your brain, its strengths and its antics. Not good with numbers before your morning coffee? Save your accounting for the afternoon. Easily distracted? Close all your tabs but one. Switch tasks around when you’re stuck — anything to keep on moving through your list and avoid sinking into a slump of procrastination and despair.

You may dislike routine but our brains love it. Create rituals that become familiar for your brain and cue it to cooperate. On Wednesdays, I write as an author instead of a copywriter. I have a writing playlist and a writing room. These habits have subtly taught my brain to get into writing mode.

7. Fall in love with the word no

I used to think “no” was such an ugly little word until I realized how many doors it opens. It may initially seem counterintuitive, but saying no to the wrong things leaves you more time and energy for the right ones. Pay very close attention to your reaction to requests or notifications. Whether you are overcome with a huge sense of dread or a slightly unsettling feeling in your gut, say no thanks, not today. There are different ways to say no with empathy and respect while still honoring your own feelings.

8. Rest like you mean it

I used to ONLY rest when my illness forced me to. Otherwise, I’d live on overdrive, desperate to make up for lost time. Two years ago, I decided to start a new habit of taking days off when I felt well instead of when I felt ill, because what fun is a day off when you’re feeling crappy anyway? Treat yourself to slow days where rest is your only goal. Cut out the “noise” on those days — detox your system from social media and impostor syndrome. Go forest-bathing and fill up on nature’s wisdom. Replenish your creativity by granting yourself periods of non-creation. And, please, do all this guilt-free.

Productivity is creativity, freedom and joy. It’s not only about how much we do, but how we feel doing it. If you found these tips helpful, give the article a little clap and share it with your friends.

—

Thank you for being here.

You can also find me on the web or social media at veni.etiam.photography (if you love travel, photography and colorful home decor) or Kristina Kasparian (if you’re interested in my advocacy work for endometriosis and other chronic conditions).