We have talked about how a Vision can help you shift from feeling discouraged to feeling empowered.
But I want to clear something up.
Because a Vision may sound like yet another tool for doing MORE. And I’ve heard from a lot of people who are feeling overwhelmed with the ‘pressure to be productive’ while they’re staying home.
They feel like if they’re not learning a new language, becoming a master chef and getting in the best shape of their life (all while excelling in their career and being a rock for friends and family) then they’re not doing enough.
They feel like they’re not measuring up to everyone else’s standard for productivity. Whether it’s a vacation, the weekend, or after the kids go to bed, there’s pressure to fill every minute with efficiency.
And that’s where Vision comes in. I think of Vision as a “a definition of success at a specific point in the future”, and the key is that it’s about YOUR definition of success, not anybody else’s. Not society’s definition, not a social media influencer’s definition, not your friends’, family’s or colleagues’ definition.
The same goes for your definition of productivity. And that’s because trying to measure up to someone else’s definition can actually be counterproductive!
Releasing yourself from the way others are thinking and talking about productivity can be so freeing. It can help you reclaim what it means for you, right now.
Maybe the most productive thing you could do tomorrow is fully decompress and give yourself a day without a single “to-do”. Or maybe it’s to knock out a ton of stuff you’ve been wanting to tackle. Both are equally valid definitions of productivity.
One Visionary I work with was feeling completely buried in work last week, and I brought up the concept of a daily Vision. I explained that a daily Vision isn’t a scheme to do more or an excuse to do less – it’s about recognizing what’s going to feed you that day, and doing it.
She decided her Vision that day wasn’t about getting her inbox to zero or finalizing every single task on her list, because the likelihood she could accomplish either was slim to none, and that unrealistic pressure was bleeding her, not feeding her.
So while she still fulfilled her work obligations that day, she decided to base her definition of success on something else.
When the quarantine started she had forgotten to bring home a favorite plant from her office. She was struggling to feel settled in her work-from-home setup and realized that improving that environment, even by a little, would help. So that’s what her Vision was that day.
She was skeptical that what felt like such a small action would actually feel like success, but she texted me that night with her succulent in hand, feeling accomplished. She had clarified her Vision for the day, and she had made it a reality.
I hope this helps you think about productivity in a new light, and I’d love to hear how you’re defining productivity for yourself – not forever, but for today.