Why “productivity” could be getting in the way of your Beautiful Life
The problem with productivity
If I had to ask you: “Are you as productive as you’d like to be?” - what would your answer be?
My guess is that your answer is going to be “No.” And I only guess that because almost all of my 1:1 clients tell me that they’d like to be more productive. It’s one of their top desires when they first start working with me.
But what's really behind this desire for increased productivity?
If you want to be more productive, it’s probably because you have a big heart with a big story and a big desire to serve the world.
You probably want to be productive in order to live your most Beautiful Life.
But I’m starting to recognize a problem here: The desire for productivity is actually getting in the way of you living your most Beautiful Life.
Why? Well if you’re like me or any of my clients, you probably feel the pressure to feel productive all of the time. This gets in the way of you taking care of yourself. It gets in the way of you spending time with your loved ones. It gets in the way of you having a LIFE!
Many of my clients have trouble believing that they can have a huge impact in the world AND get the time that they need with their families and themselves. This comes from the belief that “If I’m not working in some way, then I’m not being productive, which means I’m not making an impact.”
And then there’s perfectionism…
I’ve also found that this desire for productivity often comes hand-in-hand with its friend perfectionism. So what’s behind the desire for perfection?
Well, if you have a desire for perfection, you probably love the feeling of accomplishment. When you're getting great results, putting excellent work into the world, and achieving mastery over whatever you set your mind to, it feels good. These are all beautiful intentions, but I believe when your desire for perfection turns into perfectionism, this can be a huge block to you living your Beautiful Life.
So am I saying we should all be on a mission to let go of productivity and perfectionism? No way! I hope you’ve seen that behind each of these desires are beautiful intentions. Instead, we’re going to try and figure out how to get all the benefits of productivity and perfectionism - and leave all the detrimental effects behind.
Want in on that? Then come along with me for a quick history lesson...
Where did the desire for productivity (and the associated perfectionism) come from?
The answer is The Industrial Revolution. During the Industrial Revolution, many people would work on a production line in a factory. There was a huge demand for production - more, more more! The goal was to get as much output from the production line as possible - i.e. increased productivity. For the factory workers, this meant very rigid schedules, short breaks, and repetitive tasks. Not really the picture of a full life - but the need for production at the time was the priority.
And then there’s the perfectionism piece.
What would happen if you made a mistake in a factory? Well, I’m no production line manager, but I’m sure that even a small mistake could cost the company thousands or even millions of dollars. And if you were operating a machine and you made a mistake, you might be in danger of losing a finger or a limb, or even your life. So perfectionism had a really important function here: to prevent huge losses and to protect workers.
Enter: the school system
Significantly, the school system that many of us know today was developed during the Industrial Revolution. The intention was to prepare children for a world of factory work and production lines. And sure, there have been many changes in school education since then, but its roots are firmly planted in this era - with the priority of the day: productivity.
Now, you’ll know that the typical school day starts early and ends late in the afternoon, with just a short lunch break. Your whole day is scheduled and planned for you. Not much time for you to recharge or take time for yourself right? But again, the goal is for productivity.
And of course, you’ve got to get good grades on your tests - there’s no room for error - it’s got to be perfect.
For most of us, this is the system in which we developed our beliefs and our goals for life. And I believe this is why we have this deep-seated desire to be more productive and to strive for perfection in everything we do.
In the context of a production line, there’s some good reasoning for both productivity and perfectionism. But the thing is that this system was not created to make sure that employees spent more time with their families. And in the repetitive work environment, there was no space for practising awareness or self-compassion. I doubt the idea of self-care was even a thing! Is that the kind of life you want to be living in 2020 and beyond?
Perfectionism leaves no room for mistakes. All fair and well on a production line - but that is not the reality that most of us are living in right now. Mistakes are not going to cause us bodily harm - in fact, quite the opposite: they are opportunities to learn and grow.
Moving towards your Beautiful Life
So, I think it’s high time we leave the industrialized notions of productivity and perfection behind. Instead, let’s dig a bit deeper into the reasons why you want to be more productive. Let’s figure out how your desire for perfection can serve you - rather than leave you frozen in your tracks, afraid to try anything new in case you make a mistake.
This one of my favorite parts of my job as a Life Coach: Helping my clients figure out how to get all of the good stuff out of productivity and perfectionism! That “good stuff” can include mastery, affirmation, accomplishment and impact - without all of the detrimental effects that don’t belong in your life in 2020.
Together we try and answer questions like: How can I get to a place where I am thriving AND enjoying my loved ones AND feeling accomplished in my business/career AND making the impact in the world I feel called to make? This is possible - in fact it’s the definition of your Beautiful Life.
And to live your Beautiful Life, sometimes the most productive thing you can do is to find space in your schedule to rest. Sometimes the most exquisite perfection can be found in a day that was the perfect balance of stimulating work, creating a memory with a loved one, and taking a candlelight bath.
This is the Beautiful Life I help my clients to design during the coaching process.
We go hard after thoughts and dig really deep into belief systems. We figure out the ones that are working and the ones that aren’t. We make tweaks, or we just totally redesign the whole thing.
It can be hard work at times, but the rewards are so worth it. Because your Beautiful Life is not just a life lived by default - by a set of rules and priorities from hundreds of years’ ago. Your Beautiful Life is the most perfect expression of who you were born to be, lived out with ease and flow that by implication makes you super productive!
This, my friend, is the power of coaching. It transforms. It’s why I do the work that I do. So if you’re asking the question: “How can I be productive and experience ease and energy?” then I'd love to have a chat with you and see how I can help you to design your Beautiful Life.
