Hi friends!
This week, I’ve been thinking a lot about productive time vs. relaxed and restful time. Specifically, I’ve been fixated on the concept of post-vacation productivity, and getting back into the swing of things in a more effective way, after being away.
If I were more precise in squeezing all the productivity I could out of my “on” time, would I enjoy my “off” time more? And alternatively, after truly unplugging and decompressing, do I lose my edge just a little bit? This past Friday and weekend, I set an OOO and had a very welcome, life-affirming weekend away with seven of my closest girlfriends.
These are the women I call when things fall to pieces—as well as when amazing things happen and I want someone to rejoice with me, from a place of generosity and love. These are the women who populate the text thread where I freeform share my hopes and dreams and fears, as well as the tiny things that drive my blood pressure through the roof if I don’t vent them.
We had a magical weekend. I really and truly did shed my productivity skin in favor of my swimsuit. And upon coming back, I found myself ready to dive in and get shit done with guns a-blazing, first thing in the morning. I woke up early, I whipped out my laptop, I caught up on email, and I started checking meaningful things off my list (rather than filler stuff that I sometimes like to do just to experience the thrill of the quick checkmark). It was amazing.
I had a great day back at work and got important things done, spent time thinking strategically about priorities, and solved problems all day. But after work, I planned to go home and get just a bit more done…and couldn’t. I set foot inside my home and crashed on the couch. I didn’t even have the energy for Netflix.
Which led me to the conclusion that time away lets me get more done in less time, but also dulls my edge a little bit. It’s a working theory, but if that really is the case, then I need to have the most efficient mornings of my life to keep up. That’s why I was thrilled to find this piece on Girlbossthis week, pointing me to the habits that push Oprah, Shonda Rhimes, Nancy Pelosi, and Marie Kondo to live their best lives. I’m going to steal a little bit from each of these women and see how it goes. Maybe I’ll actually start living the dream of shorter, more productive workdays and more free time in the not-so-distant future.
xxNeha
Girlboss editor-in-chief
Would love to hear your morning routines and AM life hacks. DM me @nehaintown.
