What do fishbowls, low expectations, and happiness have in common you ask? Is productivity the way forward or perhaps taking a step back?
The endless struggle
About two years ago, I did not see myself write an article about the benefits of laziness. Everywhere around me, people are talking, writing and even dreaming about productivity. I want to be more productive, a morning routine is essential in being produtive. Not a single minute wasted and always busy with trying to improve their productivity levels through various systems and processes. Why?
Often, the reaction that you would get is: I don’t like wasting my time. It is expected from my employer. It makes me feel satisfied and fulfilled, increasing my happiness. For me personally, I realized that my dominant question in my life was related to productivity as well. Okay, now what? What is next? What should I do after? Especially nowadays, it seems to me that I cannot be the only one with these thoughts as people around me simply do not take the time to take a break to be lazy.
A barrel of water
By constantly having these kind of returning thoughts in your head, you do not allow yourself to take a little breathing break to think. You burden yourself with constant pressure and to-do’s which holds you back from doing what you actually want to do. Take a barrel with water for example. Filled with water in which you are able to see your own reflection. Over time, this barrel will fill with dust particles, your thoughts, that will make the water cloudy over time. You lose your sense of self and your busy life will take control over your life. You are not running it anymore and before you know it, you are a cog in the machine called ‘life’. By emptying the barrel every once in a while, you are able to fill the tank with clear water and see your true self once again.
Do not overreact in your productivity and habits as it can work detrimental to your wellbeing and self-confidence as well if you fail to keep at it. A morning routine was the perfect example for me. I would not say that I was obsessed with morning routines but I did take it very serious at some point. Initially it was rewarding to see myself stick to new habits and fill my morning with challenges but also mindfulness. At some point however, I realized that this was also the part of the day that was completely for me. Before I got caught up in the daily rush. Before I got other people asking certain things from me. Before work and basically before anything else that could steal time away from me, resulting in me being exhausted at the end of the day. Needless to say, balance is key here once again. Be lazy and take the morning to do at least one thing you enjoy most.
Goldfish
A couple of years ago, I read a book called ‘Don’t sweat the small stuff, and it’s all small stuff’ by Richard Carlson. In it, he mentions to let go of the idea that relaxed and gentle people can’t be super-achievers. In your own realm, you are able to become a super-achiever without comparing yourself to others. That is why I think that every person sometimes needs a fishbowl.
I am generally an optimistic fella in life but am also of the opinion that happiness is often only for a brief period. As soon as you realize it, it might already be gone. This is the case for many things in life as you become accustomed to your new ‘happiness’ without you even realizing it. In the ‘Science of Happiness’, an online course by Laurie R. Santos, she stresses this again and again. You want a new house and finally got it? This becomes your new normal before you know it and you are already looking for the next upgrade (preference drift), the next dopamine rush that you temporarily get from something new or something better.
This is becoming more and more so as society is influenced by others (reference drift) through social media and the likes . But back to the fishbowl. Imagine a fish living in its fishbowl. The fish does not have a clue of what is going on outside of the fishbowl. The fishbowl is its life and the fish does not know any better. For all the fish cares, he is living a luxury life. It is fed on a daily basis and can swim around his bowl as much as it likes. The fish is not influenced by the ‘if only’ curse. It is happy where it is, the present moment.
Now, if humans were just satisfied with what they have. Be satisfied with a D+ and your happiness might be within arm’s reach. Being content with what you have and not constantly trying to have more and to do more. By lowering your expectations a bit and by not putting yourself under immense pressure, you can free up more time for yourself and do the things you enjoy most. The key to happiness might not be based on how well things are going in your life in general but instead on whether things are going better than you initially expected. Lower expectations, let it sink in.
“Success is getting what you want, happiness is wanting what you get’” - Dale Carnegie
Tackling your problems
So what is the solution to it all? Should you just get rid of your morning routine and become a couch potato? Let go of all the hard work you have put in and start from scratch?
Of course not. I am not saying that this is the solution to it all. There is no solution to it all. The upsides to productivity are very real as it can increase your sense of purpose. It helps you grow as you challenge yourself and it can lift your mood if you succeed in these challenged. Just do not get lost in it and don’t push yourself to be perfect. It is okay to take a morning for yourself and play an instrument instead of doing your daily meditation. No-one will judge you if you skip a day of reading to be able to lay on the coach to have some complete peace, or to watch a TV-show you’ve been craving to watch for a long time. Everybody is human and needs some me-time.
A Harvard study by Ashley Whillans concludes that instead of spending your time to get money, happy people spend their money to get time. Time is our most valuable asset and if you cannot give yourself a break from it all, who will? Be a sloth for an hour and see for yourself.
