It’s been awhile since I have come on here and asked for some advice.
Anyway, every week or two I get a day off during the week from work. I usually have plans to do productive things. However typicallly I will spend the first few hours in the morning doing my normal house chores and then by lunch time I have lost all motivation to do anything productive.nd up spending the rest of the day surfing the net, watching TV ect etc.
Anybody got any tips on how to be more productive on my day off? Any books I can read on the topic?
Perhaps, you just need some motivation. Examine your life, if could be much worse:
"There is no such thing as a bad day, only a poor mindset. Any day above ground is a day to keep pushing. There are many who would do anything to be in your place rather than 6 feet under…Put in the work"
This may sound dumb, but I have become far more productive eliminating TV. I’m half considering removing TV sets from my home.
I get the majority of my news from the radio on the way to work or a quick review on the web in the morning. I’ve been able to spend higher quality time with my family, read more, and knock out things out on my to do list. I also seemed to be more relaxed in general, sharper, and have been sleeping better - not sure if this is related, but I venture to guess it is.
Nothing dumb about this my dude. TV can be a major distraction - especially when viewed habitually.
@theBird Good books for becoming more productive that have helped me kind of develop some “stick-to-it” behavior has been Meditations and the Autobio of Ben Franklin. Also, developing the habit of mapping out my day, and breaking down larger tasks into smaller, separate parts that can easily be accomplished in 15 minutes or so.
We are getting rid of satellite in the next month or so, and I am very excited about this, especially the increased productivity and higher quality family time. Good riddance, ha.
We haven’t had a TV with any sort of paid programming since 2008. You will be a happier person without it.
Check out Jordan Peterson on YouTube; his schedule-making advice was life-altering. He suggests that you make your calendar into a series of days that you want to have, instead of trying to use your calendar as a tyrant to control your activities. I find it difficult to strong arm myself into doing things, but if I am honest with myself about what I want to do (and not avoiding things I KNOW I need to do) and fill my schedule accordingly, I find that I finish it easily, in half as much time.
Also check out the recent study that found that men’s motivation and reward-center-of-the-brain is much LESS active in the afternoon lull of 2-4. It’s a natural phenomenon in our brains, and if you anticipate it, it isn’t as big of a deal. I find that my 2pm coffee is the most important.
On days that I want to be productive outside work I get up around the same time I do for work. My mindset is then in a productive mode. I’m far more motivated in the morning; more energetic and think better.
I set specific times and days to accomplish tasks. If I don’t do that, things don’t get done. I do the jobs before I have fun. Work then play.
This may not work for you though. You have to find your own groove.
I’m very task oriented and find it difficult to sit still and relax. I’m pretty sure I bug my entire family with my ‘jobs’. I spent the past two winters stripping paint off wood trim on weekends due to the inability to sit still for any length of time. Don’t overlook the gift of being unproductive at times.
