How Wellness and Productivity Go Hand in Hand
By Clayton Fujimura - eGuide Senior Systems Analyst
Wellness and self care often SEEM to be in conflict with hard work and hustle. We often think that self care means putting yourself first, taking it easy, giving yourself a break, and getting some ‘perspective’. Meanwhile, we often think ‘Hustle’ means breaking your back, pushing harder, pain equaling gain, and other unpleasant concepts like this… These definitions leave us thinking that we can’t always be productive if we want to take good care of ourselves, and that we can’t take good care of ourselves if we want to prioritize productivity.
Argument #1 :
Taking the RIGHT action is more important than taking ANY action.
Wellness is what allows us to make good choices and spend our energy in the right places. When we put our heads down and simply push harder, we will often miss opportunities to simplify a problem or solve multiple problems at once. When we are well rested and we’ve arrived to work in the right state of mind, we will be more effective at taking the right actions at the right time, rather than simply shotgunning as many to do list items as possible.
Argument #2
Using sports as an analogy - A great athlete can have a poor career if they have a lot of injuries. It doesn't matter how much hustle you put on the field if you are constantly injured. You'll get more accomplished in the long run if you slow down at the right times.
In this analogy, an 'Injury' could mean mental health absences, medical leaves for long-term stress, or even conflicts with teammates. All of these are examples of counterproductive behavior that is often avoidable if we take the time to care for our bodies and our minds.
Consistency is going to lead to more productivity in the long run than sprinting in starts and stops. Use wellness as a tool to provide the structure you need to be a consistent contributor over the long haul.
Argument #3
Wellness doesn't take as long as you think it does. Do a little every day, consistently, over time, and you'll gain a lot of mental and physical health over time. (You may find this to be true about the work you do as well...)
A healthy meal can be quick and easy if you’ve planned your grocery shopping accordingly. Yoga and meditation go a long way, even if you are only able to spend 10 minutes on them per day. Exercise can easily be incorporated into your commute and built into your workday if you plan accordingly.
When folks say they don’t have time to take care of themselves, I always ask: “What do you have time for?” There is almost always some behavior that is taking up time during the week that is neither productive nor beneficial to wellness. Can you replace some of that video game time with a little meditation? Can you spend one less night out on the weekend to make sure that you are well rested for the work week?
There is a difference between Wellness and Laziness. Instead of worrying about having time for wellness, start by reducing inactive rest (tv, drinking, video games,) and increasing active rest (meditation, yoga, reading etc).
Conclusion
View wellness as the source of your productivity, not an impediment to it. Your health is the reason you are able to have an impact, so when you step away from work to do active rest, view that as a boost to your productivity in the weeks to come, not a detriment to your productivity today.
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