Before I broke through and achieved my productivity success, I remember hammering away at it. I was trying to solve the problem getting nowhere fast.
I know firsthand how agonizing it can be when you’re failing to reach your goals.
It was so frustrating, and I felt like I would never achieve my productivity goals. I was faced with a choice – keep working at it, or leave it and come back.
Now, what’s the lesson here?
I hope if you ever feel stuck, what I’m about to share will help you.
Instead of forcing my way forward, I decided to stop. Rest. Recalibrate.
What I found was eye-opening.
I discovered that normal, rational people can become wild-eyed maniacs when, despite their best efforts, they can’t complete a task. I explain why below.
It all stems from a protective response that is hard-coded in our brains called the “fight or flight” response. It’s designed to protect you from anything that puts you in danger and can be traced all the way back to caveman days. You may experience this response if you feel fear, anger, or stress. And when your “fight mode” gets activated, you can become obsessed with charging through to the finish line.
However, we also need to go through a “rest and digest” phase to recover and become productive again. This doesn’t mean you quit forever. It just means you got to take a break and come back when you’re calmer, focused, and clear.
This means if you want to take a break, it’s not necessarily going to harm your productivity. In fact, it’s often necessary to enhance your productivity.
Consider this…
The best way to reach your goals may be to quit them for a moment. Give yourself a break. And know doing less is sometimes the BEST thing you can do to achieve more.
Until next time,
Coach Sam Onigbanjo -CEO, Great Business Platforms