Raise your hand if you feel like you’re not quite sure how to be “productive” anymore.

…I’m assuming I’m not the only one with my hand raised.

A lot has changed in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic—from how we interact with one another to how some of us work or learn.

Despite all the rapid changes that have taken place, the one thing that feels stuck in time is our idea of what productivity looks like: neverending.

Right when the federal government suggested we stay inside if possible, tweets circulated about how, while on lockdown during the plague, William Shakespeare wrote King Lear—and how you, too, can harness your creative energy and channel it into meaningful and productive ways.

It feels like there’s pressure to still drink from the same mug we did pre-pandemic, one that reads: ~ ✨ The hustle never stops. ✨ ~

But what all these always-be-hustling tweets forget is that dealing with challenging times can have a serious impact on your emotional and mental health. It’s OK if caring for yourself takes up most of your energy instead of the next King Lear.

We’re changing our day-to-day radically, which means our productivity will change, too.

As you uncover what the new normal looks like for you, remember that you do not need to be “productive” during a pandemic. It’s OK to take however long you need to recalibrate and adjust and redefine what “productivity” looks like for you, and you only.

As you uncover what the new normal looks like for you, remember that you do not need to be “productive” during a pandemic. It’s OK to take however long you need to recalibrate and adjust and redefine what “productivity” looks like for you, and you only.
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Twitter user @aprilwensel summed up these thoughts succinctly in a tweet: “Please don't judge yourself or your coworkers for ‘performance’ this week. It's not a normal week. Staying home and continuing to breathe are sufficient targets,” Wensel wrote.

These aren’t normal times, and taking a moment to redefine what ‘productivity’ means to you is more important now than ever—even if that means staying home and breathing are the only things crossed off your to-do list today. Here are just a few ways you can rethink about it before you craft your own definition.

Remember Your Values

The stress and anxiety that accompanies the unknown can impact how you work and live. One way to work through and redefine what productivity looks like for you might be taking a look at your values. Reminding yourself of your values can help you gain clarity on what’s important to you and help you find motivation.

Ask yourself: What do I value in life?

Maybe that’s connecting with a loved one, spending a few minutes on a creative project, or even going for a stroll to connect with nature.

Instead of basing your productivity off of how many emails you can send or how much work-related things you can finish, try adjusting it to include bringing more values-aligned moments into your day.

Instead of basing your productivity off of how many emails you can send or how much work-related things you can finish, try adjusting it to include bringing more values-aligned moments into your day.
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Remember Your Worth

Repeat after me: My worth isn’t hinged to my productivity.

It’s easy to tie our self-worth to how much we can get done, but it’s important to remember that your to-do list, your health, or your job do not determine how valuable you are as a human.

Instead, find small ways to remember that you are worthy because you say you're worthy, and that can’t be changed by anyone or anything. Your productivity has nothing to do with that.

If you do get stuck in that spiral of thinking though, use it as an opportunity to show yourself some compassion. Try doing one small thing that brings you joy daily, by reflecting on your strengths or finding a mindfulness practice.

Remember Your Resilience

“I am comforted by the knowledge we have endured difficult times in the past, and that as a group, we will be able to survive this too,” psychologist Patricia Thompson, Ph.D., shared in Shine’s project, Care For Your Coronavirus Anxiety.

The same sentiment can be applied to your personal life too. As you go about your day-to-day, don’t forget to take time to reflect on how you’ve made it through tough days in your past, and have the strength to make it through any that might come in your future.

As you go about your day-to-day, don’t forget to take time to reflect on how you’ve made it through tough days in your past, and have the strength to make it through any that might come in your future.
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In a previous Shine article, contributor Elisha Mudly reminded us all that “resilience is much less about finding an impenetrable shield of invincibility than it is about cultivating ways in which to accept and adapt.”

That act of accepting and adapting in itself is important, and moments of self-care are just as productive as anything else, especially in the face of the unknown.

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