Identifying Unproductive Choices

 

We have gifts, talents, and purpose, we have an opportunity, yet we remain unproductive.  Waiting can be fruitless. I know that is not popular as many use that as an excuse to prolong their success. If you are not preparing during the wait, what happens when opportunity manifests?  When we continuously do the same unproductive thing, we wire our brains for unproductivity. Many of us have been in this stagnant state so long that unproductivity has become dominant, and we can’t get anything accomplished. Your choices create your reality. For those who are afraid of success, that fear is impairing your decision-making ability. Your original blueprint is not fear hardwired; remember “power, love, and a sound mind.” You confess that, but you are thinking fear; that is called cognitive dissonance, and no one gets fooled here but you.

Now is not the time to keep at being unproductive. However, that has become our portion. We do what we can to get by; the remainder includes catering to things that have nothing to do with our desires or passions.  We have lost our ability to trust ourselves enough to make decisions for our lives and have completely given up hope.  You believe no one can change because you haven’t, and you keep attracting what you do not want. In reality, change is possible, but many fear what life would be like doing something other than what someone said to do. Self-mastery and the ability to lead yourself are out the window. The devil did it all and not the thoughts you built, creating the reality you brought to consciousness. I’m not organized. You will never be if you keep saying that. “Life and death are in the power of the tongue” apply to life and death, not just life when you decide to speak it. There is always a positive and a negative. The spectrum has two ends; where do you lie? Opposites are a real thing so whatever you choose to think, say, and act upon has its results. Choosing not to do anything is still an unproductive choice.

 

 

It would take an entire book to explain the detriment of how being unproductive affects your brain. You have the power to knit in stagnancy; it does not just happen. We build habits with thought before they become physical. Every decision begins with an idea first, and I say this because I study my life first. Nothing happens without thinking it into existence, which is why we have to be intentional with our energy, thoughts, choices, and responses. Repeatedly delaying something builds that house in your brain, and you will take residence on procrastination lane. I hear this all the time, but hardly anyone is receiving it when I create a solution. I figured out why, to change, you have to want to change. It does not matter what answer is present; free will and choice will determine if you take action. If you are a coach, too, do not stop creating, those that are ready will. There are many roots to dig up; when the participant truly desires change, they will find you. We are in a time where acceptance of the part we play and change will transform lives. Blessings and curses are a choice, good or bad each option creates our world.

As you read the habits/choices I will list below, consider a life coach if you need rope to pull you out of the hollow place fear has you imprisoned. There is a root to everything. Unproductive choices and giving up on yourself has an origin, time to go deeper. Yes, it started with a thought, but what environment produced such a view? Sometimes it was a lie told to you that you magnified, and it caused the spiral. By uncovering that lie, you can be made free. We have had a lot of free time since 2020 to process and heal. The opportunity to evolve was at arms reach. A time to study and understand the times positioned itself. How did you respond? I am not talking about starting a business; I mean your healing, prescriptive responses. Did they change? How many years will go by before you act? If you knew tomorrow was the end of the road for you, what can you say you have accomplished?   

Unproductive Habits:

 

Allowing distractions

We all face distractions, but we do not have to cater to them. Look at what’s going on! I have not missed a beat. Get out of the habit of dropping everything you are doing because someone or something knocks at the door. 

 Not setting goals

I am an organizational coach; therefore, I can not stress the importance of setting goals. I set goals for the year. Each month I create smaller plans that will get me to the bigger prize. Every Sunday, I write out what I need to do for the particular week during my self-care time. Sounds like a lot? Imagine another year without accomplishing anything. Three hundred sixty-five days of lack of productivity, now that is a lot. Write down what you want to do, break those goals down into smaller goals and get to work. Let 2021 be the last year you are unproductive. 

 Setting too many goals

On the flip side, some of us do way too much. I found in my life years ago that I put too much on my plate because that was my way of distracting myself from what I needed to heal (everything has a root). Beyond the need to do some inner work, setting too many goals does not allow a substantial focused amount of time on each of your dreams. 

 Procrastination 

I spoke about Organized Procrastination in my Organizationally Healthy blog.  The more we put things off, the greater the chance of not getting it done because we were in this behavior through our choices or lack thereof.  Always reward yourself as you accomplish your goals. (If you are going to work hard, make time for personal tasks. Having balance is very important.)

 Watching too much TV

There are televisions throughout the house. I disciplined myself so well at one point; they only came on 2 hours per day. This medium is enormous when it comes to conditioning and altering the minds of those who get lost in it. When I choose to turn it off and tend to my affairs,  I noticed a big difference in my productivity. I have a great schedule that allows me to catch some movies, but if ever I see a decline in productivity, I know how to scale back. Televisions have the same effect on you as maladaptive daydreaming. You are sucked into another reality, losing sight of what is essential, and before you know it, you have wasted away. 

Consuming unnecessary information is unproductive. Mental clutter is more overwhelming than physical clutter.

Skipping meals

Without proper nutrition, you send your adrenal glands into overdrive, which depletes your energy and eventually leads to burn-out. If you get so busy you forget to eat, set a timer. Getting in the habit of carrying around small snacks helps too. 


 Lack of organization

• Not writing anything down-This is a great practice when you want to remember what you desire to accomplish. It also keeps your mind clear to focus on what you are doing at the moment (mindfulness). 
• Being in a cluttered environment-If, you have followed me for any length of time; I have discussed how clutter affects our mental, physical and emotional health. Clutter is draining. It is hard to focus on stuff everywhere which leads to nothing getting done. If you need help organizing while you have free time, send me a message #goingSOLO.
• Not setting goals (as mentioned earlier)- Click the link above to schedule a Goal Setting/Action Plan Development discovery call. 
• Multitasking- The divided focus is not focused.  It leads to lower quality work and mental stress. When our thoughts are all of the places, we create a milkshake with our cells per Dr. Leaf. Imagine if your brain was a milkshake; could you function? Single-tasking gives a greater sense of accomplishment and puts less stress on the brain.  
• Starting things and not finishing them.
• No structure-Creating general routines will give you creative pillars to depend on so you can take more risk throughout the day. 

 

 Failing to admit mistakes

Denying your faults and blaming others for your problems will do nothing to improve your life or help you reach your goals. Acknowledge your mistakes, learn from them, and move forward. 

 

 Not taking breaks

Your mind and body need a chance to rest. No matter how brief, when you start feeling restless, take a breather to regroup instead of burning out entirely. 

 

 Over-committing

The excitement gets the best of us, causing us to say YES to everything thrown at us. Start saying, “I’ll get back to you.” Statements such as this allow you to look over your obligations to make sure you have time. 

 

 Avoiding decisions

If we don’t make them, someone will make them for us.  Remember, indecision is still a decision leave no room for assumptions

 

 Neglecting your health

Ambitions are useless when we are exhausted. Eat healthy, exercise, and get proper rest.

 

 

 Thank you for reading. If you need organizational healing please reach out to me. I am here to be that missing link for you to bridge the gap between goals and accomplishments. 

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Writing Prompt

 

For the next 12 days, dissect each of the habits listed above, tackling one per day. Admit how you have allowed each of them to halt your productivity. Trace as far back as you can why you think you have permitted such habits to form. Rewrite the narrative by choosing a better way when faced with any of these habits. At the end of the 12 days, write out three goals for 2021, break them down into small goals you can accomplish each month, paving the way to the big goal.