Rules for Engagement - Rule 5 - Look What You Did!

I know I said I’d cover exercise for this rule but I had an idea recently during lockdown that I think could help you see how productive or how much fun you’ve had, outwith reading my crazy, productive brain spillage. So I thought I’d share this with you while we’re still in lockdown.

So, what I mean by “look what you did!” is not me telling you off, I mean it literally. Take a look at what you’ve been doing, take stock and pat yourself on the back, whatever you’ve done. This isn’t an excuse to post on social media to show off, this is purely for yourself. I want you to put everything you’ve done during lockdown onto paper however you want to do that. You could draw pictures indicating an activity, or just jot them down in bullet points. Whatever you want to do, as long as you can physically look at everything you’ve done.

Not every activity has to be something super-productive. It could simply be that you finished a TV series, you finally got round to watching that film you’ve been meaning to watch or you video-called a friend. The point of this is to have proof of what you have accomplished in front of you and the good times you had amongst these uncertain days and months, so you can look back on lockdown in a more positive manner. We tend to beat ourselves up for not being productive on low-motivation days, but even if all you did was make your bed, write it down, you got up and decided to do something, however insignificant it may seem. Part of the reason we beat ourselves up is by comparing ourselves to others and with the rise social media, we’re able to see what, literally, the rest of the world is doing and if someone seems to be happier or more productive or more successful than you are, of course you’d feel like shit. So, perhaps something you could write down is ‘I didn’t look at social media today.’ This kind of ‘productivity pressure’ can create more stress during these already stressful times, so be sure to give yourself a break and write that down. Having a break or a day in bed binge-watching is productive. Or, picking up the guitar you haven’t played in years or playing on the Xbox or reading a good thriller or any other hobby you most certainly enjoy doing is worth it.

Also, you shouldn’t be hating these people that seem more successful than you, however, if they’re working hard for it, good for them, this should motivate you to be that successful or surpass that success. Although, success is relative so you should only be focusing on what success means to you. They may seem happy, but if they feel the need to show off on social media for acceptance, are they really that successful? Only post what you’re doing during lockdown if you think it will 1) make you feel better 2) inspire someone else or 3) inspire yourself. You shouldn’t rely on the confirmation and likes of others, however. If you feel good about what you’ve done, that should be enough. And don’t listen to those shitheads who are posting ‘if you don’t have a six-pack by the end of lockdown, you’ve failed’ or ‘you have no excuse for doing nothing.’ You might not have a six-pack but, you can always get one if your heart desires one but they’ll always be shitheads. I’d hate to think this article series is putting anyone under pressure to be productive or compare yourself to others. My hope is that this will inspire you to feel better about what you’re doing and to provide you, if you’re struggling with productivity, with techniques that have helped me.

Remember when I said we’d cover Collections. Well, we’re going to use one here. Title your page ‘Lockdown Collection’ and this is where you’re going to jot down or draw what you’ve done. Write down everything you’re even a tiny bit proud about even if it is finally watching Star Wars (I know I’m late). And remember to write this in your Index because you’re going to want to look at it later. Another idea I’m trialling is taking pictures throughout my day that portray what I did during lockdown so I can also look back at images representing lockdown. So far, I’ve taken pictures of the quiet town during a run, taken pictures of the meals I’ve finally had time to cook and the activities my family have been partaking in like reading in the sun. These are further reminders of the good amongst the uncertain.

The hope is that you can look back at lockdown with more happier thoughts than if you hadn’t taken stock at all of the fun you had. I know these times are stressful, especially if you’ve lost someone or if you were already struggling before lockdown, but let’s give ourselves a break and a pat on the back for getting through lockdown, with a lovely reminder of what we accomplished no matter how small.

Next time, I definitely will cover exercise (unless I have another mediocre idea).

References

Misra, K., 2020. Why You Should Ignore The Pressure To Be Productive During Lockdown. [online] the Guardian. Available at: <https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/apr/24/productivity-in-coronavirus-lockdown>.

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