There are all sorts of different views of productivity, ranging from hustling to maximum efficiency to picture-perfect planning with 20-step morning routines.
But here, we like to think of productivity more gently.
Lately I’ve been thinking about my productive output like it’s a garden. The work I do is like planting seeds–this means that many of the projects I work on are things that I hope will have awesome payoffs in the future.
But planting seeds isn’t all involved in having a successful harvest. I can expect seasons of growing, seasons of weeds, seasons of harvest, and seasons of winter.
I’ve discovered that there are seasons or cycles within each of my days, months, years, and more. Within a day, there are times when I feel more tired and other times I feel more energy.
Within my body’s monthly cycle, there are times I feel healthier and other times I feel the need to rest.
Within a year’s time, the seasons give me different feelings, with winter being the time I want to hibernate the most.
My business also goes through cycles, with the end of the year typically being my busiest time.
If you’re a freelancer or entrepreneur, chances are you can relate!
Rather than expect constant growth from your garden, expect that there will be days where you have to focus more on weeds (distractions) and maybe some days where you simply rest and let natural growth occur on its own.
Here are my top 5 tips on how to embrace the idea of productivity as a garden:
1. Plant things that will grow
I like the term “stream of income” because it has a connotation of a constant flow of additional money coming to you (and who wouldn’t want that?).
But sometimes it’s helpful to think about a “tree of income” instead.
A tree needs to be planted, nourished with sunlight and water, and then it goes through seasons of harvest, scarcity, winter, and growth to yield fruit.
In your business, it may be that you plant the seed of a tree of income and then have to wait a while for the fruit to come to you. And even then, the fruit won’t necessarily be coming to you constantly.
You need to be patient, nurture the fruit, and you may even need to plant another tree.
2. Realize that things won’t grow like crazy every day
If you have a day where you feel lazy or tired or un-motivated, don’t worry that there is something wrong with you. It’s natural to have days like that.
The tide will turn, and you’ll also have days of energy, motivation, and productivity.
3. Plan for your cycles
Each of us have cycles of energy throughout the day, month, and year, so why not plan for them?
On the daily level, if you know you have the most creative energy in the morning, take advantage of that and do your creative work then.
If you get tired after lunch (many people do), plan for that by having low-brain-power tasks you can complete. Or let yourself take a nap, if that’s an option.
On the monthly level, you may choose to work on your side hustle for extra hours during the week before your period, so that when it’s your time of the month you can devote more time to rest.
On the yearly level, perhaps in the winter you actively choose to take on fewer commitments because you know you don’t have the same energy you do during different seasons.
4. Nurture your ground
Amazing things can’t grow in dry, stressed-out ground. Think of your ground as your daily life and habits, and keep those conducive to growth.
Prioritize your health. Get enough sleep. Practice self-care. Nurture your relationships with others.
Remember that a day spent “nurturing your soil” is not a day wasted. That is what helps great things to grow.
5. Remember that weeds will grow
Don’t be surprised when weeds pop up.
You can think of weeds as different things, but I tend to think of them as distractions.
You can’t stop distractions from coming to you, just like you can’t completely stop weeds from popping up.
Don’t feel bad when you look back on your day and think of the several times you got distracted. Those are just weeds that you pulled up.
Final Thoughts
If you’re in the process of building a life of gentle productivity and financial growth, be patient and remember that it’s like a garden. I love this quote by Robert Louis Stevenson: “Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.”
For more gentle-and-peaceful productivity tips, I recommend the book I Didn’t Do The Thing Today, which has a lot of ideas that vibe with this garden idea.
Best of luck!
