Do “bad Work” When Your Productivity Drops
Coping with anxiety or depression is already hard enough, but trying to be productive at the same time can seem downright impossible, like swimming against the tide. There are some small productivity tricks that can help.
In Peaceful Dumpling, writer Kara Danielle Brown suggests letting herself do “bad work.” In other words, allow yourself to just start working, even if your work isn’t perfect – you can focus on improving it later.
“This may seem counterintuitive to anxiety-ridden perfectionists, but most of the time it’s not stressful work — it’s the expectation of having to do the job and do it well. Sometimes we need to override the system and give ourselves permission to suck if that means it’s easier to transfer the pen to paper. Once the main part of the task is completed, it is always easier to return to it and fix it later . What’s more, sometimes we unleash our creativity when we stop censoring ourselves and focus on doing a good job. I speak from personal experience when I say that some of my best work was done entirely by accident when I allowed myself to do a terrible job. “
Of course, it depends on what you are doing. Not every task allows for fine-tuning, but it’s a good tip for getting started in general (it’s similar to the concept of Shitty First Drafts by Ann Lamotte ) , and is especially useful when you’re dealing with depression and getting started is your best big obstacle. Even the simplest task can seem overwhelming when you’re depressed. Personally, I really helped appliances Tomato . Since you’re working in 25-minute increments, this method breaks the task down into smaller pieces to help you focus.
Aside from anxiety and depression, Brown’s concept works well if you just find yourself in a decline in productivity or in a rut. Again, getting started can seem like such a huge obstacle when you’re not motivated, and allowing yourself to do “bad work” that you’ll edit later at least helps you jump from it. She offers some additional tips from the link below.
How To Stay Productive When Anxiety And Depression Are Paralyzing | Peaceful dumplings