I started listening to podcasts again. I feel like I have to be doing something else when I listen to them, because I am not used to not doing something while I listen to something. Does that make sense? In my free time, I tend to watch television or movies so when it comes to podcasts, I am not used to just sitting and listening so I multi task and listen to them.

I’ve been listening to Emma Chamberlain ‘Anything Goes’ and she just gives me such a different perspective about everything: life, happiness, relationships, reliability, honesty, truth and just all around how I want to live my life.

I really like getting perspectives from other people because it grows mine to a point where I can rely on its truth. Having different perspectives builds almost like a mega-perspective and allows me to see all points and paths that can help me in my life. Whether its decision-making, or my views on something, podcasts are that outlet that help me see something I was previously oblivious to.

I want to talk about productiveness and I want to basically talk about getting a hold on what you want to achieve in your life.

I’ve been trying to rebuild my routine. Challenge myself to choose productivity to guide what I am capable of achieving and see what outcomes occur when I push myself. It is very easy to pick simple tasks and build a routine off of comfort, but then again, when I chose it that way, I was missing something. Motivation. By choosing to accomplish simple or what’s right in front of me, I don’t experience the fulfillment of getting feared or hard stuff done. So it mostly prevents a lot of repetition in goal-achieving tasks.

Don’t get me wrong, simplicity is a really good thing to have in your life, but how you could also think of it is what challenges you face or put in your life to achieve even more simplicity. Do you get my drift?

It’s the fact that fulfilling our lives and being productive will allow us to gain this satisfaction that we are getting somewhere. But let me tell you, it’s not stepping out of your comfort zone and challenging yourself that prevents you from getting closer to reaching your overall goals.

A lot of opportunity presents itself when you pair challenge with productiveness. Like bread and butter, you get the chance to challenge your energy and your eagerness to happiness. Building routine off of just comfort is going to be a deciding factor as to whether your mental capacity is prepared to reach your goals. If you continuously build in that challenge to your life, and I am not saying going to the extremes but rather small challenges that alter what you are used to as ‘normal’, you will realize that you are capable of that life you want. Finding the ultimate comfort by adjusting to challenges is something many of us are unaware of and that’s what is going to consistently keep us productive.

An example for me, I am challenging myself to wake up earlier.

Last semester, there was a point to where I was used to sleeping in. I was up late, but comfortable with the fact that I had this routine. However, I was unaware of the fact that I wasn’t achieving the success (academically and mentally) that I strived to have. I really did not get that satisfaction for myself, even though I was productive in staying up late.

There is a big difference between achieving something using comfort strategies and achieving something with challenge.

And when you build that challenge into your day, you move towards broadening your comfort zone.

Another thing that builds productiveness is maybe having predictability. Being able to rely on your schedule and building items into your day that bring you genuine eagerness will help you work towards opening your mind to establishing a framework and timeline to getting things done.

I’ve recently begun using my calendar on my computer more and it has been the biggest game changer. I plan my days or my weeks, build in what needs to get done, what I look to accomplish and then I get to see where I can build in balance. Finding time for me, my friends or my family. It shows me that I have the ability for balance.

Over the past four months, while I tried to build in balance, I felt lost in the stress I was feeling. Even when I switched activities from school to going out with friends, there wasn’t a moment where my mind was elsewhere. When I plan certain things into my day, establish and grow that routine, my mind realizes where it’s priorities should be focused and I have learned that my mind is clearer and I have more attention to the moment I am in. I seem to be more happy when I properly plan my day with school and life.

I recently saw something that told me what types of things/activities I should incorporate into my day. They say do something for your mind, something for your body, and something for your soul everyday. It formulates balance, challenges you to change up your habits, and you get to see what it’s like to accomplish anything you want while living your best life. That will build your desire to be productive and really achieve the purpose you seek in your life.

Also, productivity looks different for everyone so challenge yourself to not get caught up comparing your routine to others because you can still achieve what you want despite it being in a different way from someone else.

Question: Should I make ‘Building Perspective’ a series?

STAY KIND:)

with love,

Grace