Last week was so much FUN! I went to a much awaited 15th anniversary party for one of my childhood/teenage friends. We are still friends to this day and I love her whole even more. (And no, I didn’t say “to pieces”…why would we do that lol.) I can’t believe she’s been married that long. Anywho, I asked to stay at some friends’ house to be closer to the Kingdom Hall that I attend, so that required packing. Packing used to be enjoyable to me until I moved into my tiny house. Let me explain.
Don’t get me wrong, I love my tiny home, it’s the system that I had while living in my apartment that made it something to look forward to. I had a guest room where I sat the suitcase with it open. As time went on, I would find a piece of clothing that I liked, I put it in the suitcase. It was a slow process that included a list and removing items closer to time to leave, because let’s face it-overpacking is a huge problem for me, especially shoes. (They’re kinda my thing.) But now that I don’t have that space, it’s a mad dash right before time to go. It works, and one thing I try my best not to forget is my Mindfully Productive Planner & Journal. It’s the BEST non-verbal companion.
Fast Forward to Friday after the ministry in person. I’m exhausted yet hungry. This time hunger won, so I ate. I wanted to nap but also wanted to write letters so that I could stay on track with my ministry while getting more invitations out. So what did I do? Pushed through. Bad idea. I made mistake, after mistake, after mistake. It took me two hours to complete three letters. Why? Because I didn’t honor my brain or my body. This is the perfect kinda thing to write down in the Mindfully Productive Planner & Journal on the My Productivity Page as to what didn’t go well and why. When you mindfully identify what’s not going well you can see what you can do to prevent it from happening in the future or becoming a deep-seated habit. Then you can change your course and increase your productivity.
Now it’s Saturday and party time is upon us! And it was amazing. Had the best time catching up with old friends, meeting new ones, all the while supporting my friends who love each other so much. Being able to yell, “SURPRISE” as they came through the door was beautiful. They truly had no idea! You may be wondering, “Why is Keosha telling me this?” Because I was completely PRESENT at this event. My to-do list wasn’t running around in my head. My emotions had been addressed and I wasn’t overwhelmed with life. I felt confident, beautiful, and downright joyful. Yes, true joy comes from God’s spirit, yet it’s my responsibility to contribute to that joy by taking care of myself. What I do on an almost daily basis supports that; it’s what I share and coach my clients through.
When I got in that night, I needed to wind down. I got comfy and used the Weekly Brain Dump Page in my planner so that I knew everything I needed to do for the next week and I could rest easy. Then I did just that.
The next day was a first in history for me. I got to wear slacks to the Kingdom Hall! I wore the same outfit from the party the night before to the Special Talk. It was almost unreal and awkward. Yet for me, it’s all about the mindset of embracing something new. Most importantly, if I wanted to feel confident about the decision, it was time to take action. Productivity is a lot like that. You can plan, research, think, plan, research, think…you know where I’m going with this…but it gets you nowhere. You must change how you think and feel about your productivity not just before, but while you are taking action. It’s what’s going to move you towards your goal. Then, and only then, will you feel confident.
As the week progressed, I got behind in my planning. One thing I have learned over time is it’s ok not to plan everything. (The old Keosha wouldn’t have DARED say this lol) But there comes a time when it’s needed. Why? To free up my beautiful brain. So I wrote my habits, journaled why, how, and the results in the Habit Tracker section of the Planner/Journal Combo and plotted out my week. This literally keeps me sane. I can revisit it when I need to and regularly to stay on track.
Then I went out of town again for a Metro Shift. Since I was to be gone only one night, I packed using a different bag. As I was setting myself up for success the night before (we were to leave the house a little after 6am) I realized in my haste packing that day I forgot to bring clean underwear!!! That hasn’t EVER happened in my 38 years of living. So I asked myself, how did this happen? Once I identified how, I can prevent this from happening in the future. Embarrassing- a little, laughable..A LOT.
One thing that went really well was setting up my space. I grabbed a table, put it by the bed, and placed the journal I use for emotional release and the planner on top of it. This would ensure that I stayed on track with the habits that contribute to my productivity and my wellbeing. I even wrote “READ TEXT” on the release journal page I am going to use as a prompt to do so as I had gotten out of the habit. Stacking these habits where I want to do them is a magnet for action. Even if it’s just two minutes at a time. This is something I coach on in the Mindfully Productive Time Management 101 Course-Where the Master Plan Meets Action.
I had a beautiful day although our shift got delayed several hours due to the cold. It was worth it to set up and then enjoy a slower morning.
As the week progressed I was struggling with focus. My cycle was coming and I was tired. I needed to problem solve something for a client and I was STUCK! What did I do? Push through to solve the problem and do the work to complete it? Nope. I read. I could literally feel the stress leaving my body as I read and enjoyed coffee mixed with my high protein shake mix. (I lay here with relief reliving that moment as I write.) For the rest of the day, I take strategic breaks reading or leaving the workspace. I was able to find a solution to the problem and get cracking. I was super happy about that.
Having accountability for self-care has been vital. As a coach, I have coaches, and one is my very own sister, Ja’Nina Hamilton of the Nourishment Nest (Check her out here.) It facilitates change and you can share how you feel without judgment-which is what I offer my clients. A safe place to express themselves while taking action to be more productive.
The week was eventful and fun. As I partied I got to be fully present. Wearing slacks was exciting, yet required a mindset shift and for me to take action. Then preparation set me up for success although I didn’t have clean underwear.
Being productive doesn’t just encompass your to-do list, it’s the WHOLE of you, and you my friend are wholly beautiful. You deserve a life that is wonderful with a mind that is free from excessive overwhelm and mental clutter and more focus.
You deserve to be mindfully productive.
Xoxo,
Keosha
P.S. I experimented with new mental clarity and focus aromatherapy blends this week and let me tell you!!! Be on the lookout for more on this in the blog. Don’t forget to hit that follow button or subscribe to get updates!
The Mindfully Productive Era 