why everything I knew about productivity is wrong… & what’s the way forward
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- čas přidán 8. 07. 2024
- IG: / rowenatsai | Having spent the majority of my conscious life optimizing for productivity, testing new habits, creating all sorts of routines, and even unintentionally turning it into my niche here on CZcams the past couple of years... I’m here to tell you today that I may have had it all wrong. :')
For those who have been very patiently waiting, thank you 💗 I hope this gives a little glimpse into all the mammoth mindset shifts that have been happening in my little brain. So-what does slow productivity mean to you??
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╰ It's Time to Embrace Slow Productivity (article) www.newyorker.com/culture/off...
╰ On Slow Productivity & the Anti-Busyness Revolution (article) www.calnewport.com/blog/2021/...
╰ Tim Ferriss x Cal Newport (podcast) tim.blog/2022/02/02/cal-newport/
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✨ If you’re at all curious:
• My spiritual practice, Falun Dafa bit.ly/2z49zqz
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*Best to read start to finish in the shortest time possible for the highest benefit.
• If you want to learn more about Falun Dafa and qigong, check out local contacts in your area - there are practitioners globally and in most big enough-ish cities: bit.ly/2E0PL6S
• My friend Chris over at China Uncensored made an incredibly informative video on what Falun Dafa is and why it's being persecuted in China (YT video): bit.ly/2CR9yZQ
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One quote that had always stuck with me from Gretchen Rubin’s book “The Happiness Project” is: “You can do anything you want, but not everything.”
Wow! I am actually rereading this book along with her Happier at Home. ♥️
Slow productivity means I'm taking baby steps to be who/where I want to be. Even if it's a baby step, it's still a step and I'll still reach my destination...eventually.
Exactly 🙌🏻
Love it
Sames! ❤️
What a stupid comment
My Dad died less than 2 weeks before his Four Thousand Weeks were up. Proof. Gone. I wasn't expecting that. Obviously, neither was he. He had left his To-do list and his vitamins laid out on his kitchen table (why he took the vitamins out of their bottles and lined them up in a row on the table, I will now never know but I love him more now for this quirk). I happened upon this when I went to clear out his house, his life. It became seared into my mind that we think we're going to get another day, but what if we don't? I have completely changed what earns a place of honor on my own To-do list now. I traded in wealthy for well-thy. So much happier now.
wow i will definitely keep this in mind. thank you for sharing and i’m sorry for your loss ❤️
@@luvvreni thank you. It’s so easy to get swept away by the swift current of life but I’m making an effort to slow down, prioritize and focus on what is truly important to me these days. Live vibrantly
im so sorry:(
I’m sorry for your loss. May you find peace ❤️
I don’t want to sound cheesy but this video arrived at perfect divine timing to me. I’ve been trying to stick to my to do lists, my journaling, my responsibilities, my friendships, my family, my finances and everything on this god given Earth but nothing has helped me feel I’m control or accomplished with every tick I check off on the to do list. It just hasn’t been working for me and I’ve been deeply unhappy. When I had my ‘family/friends time, or my ‘me time’ or my ‘self care time’, I didn’t even WANT to do them anymore. I had no energy or interest in my loved ones OR myself and it has become clear to me that THIS ISN’T RIGHT. If I’m doing all these organised things on my to do lists to improve my life and my life isn’t improving then why am I killing myself to do them? I’m not living. This isn’t living a life or how it should be.
Your video is literally my divine intervention and has perfectly aligned with what I knew inside but was ignoring. THANK YOU🙏 As always I’m here with you on this journey and my core, my essence just knows this is right. 🌸✨
Commenting so you can see the likes :))
same ❤
I feel the same way.
@@baarbaramac awww thank you 😊 🙏
THIS!!
1 calendar blocking
2 minimize distraction
3 find productivity apps
4 find a routine
5 embrace stillness
6 value deep rest
Thank you 😊
"How do I want to spend my time (knowing that I'm mortal)?" - Even though I believe that this is a great shift in perspective, doesn't it bring us back to the old question and the struggle of wanting to use our time "correctly"? It feels to me that our real problem is that we're so obsessed with our time - either by being productive or by using it in a meaningful way. And this once more makes us so conscious about the way we live, instead of just living life. Maybe there is no correct or meaningful way to use our time. Maybe time is already used correctly in the mere fact that we're alive.
I agree so much ❤️
That's something for each individual to decide. We create our own meaning and life goals. Then there are some who choose not to. They simply exist for the sake of existing and that's okay too.
I have a few observations from the video (longgg post ahead):
1. To answer what slow productivity is for me: It is a way to be more aware of myself and understand my limits in what I can do at a given point of time. This could mean me crushing through work one day, only being able to make my bed and scroll on my phone another day, and sometimes intentionally having a break day. Sometimes I could be doing more than I should, or even less, but I am aware and willingly signing up myself to do it, and of course scheduling rest accordingly. From a big picture point of view, it also means to regularly revisit my plans and seeing what I'm still interested in doing and what doesn't interest me anymore to be able to focus on what's most important. Even if that means doing more sometimes in order to figure out what works. In short, slow productivity is a balance between intentional planning and going with the flow.
2. I have been starting to embrace slow productivity recently, without even realizing. At the start of this year, I realized my issues with time management and getting things done seem similar to those who experience executive function issues. I don't know if I have issues with executive function or not, but that realization has shifted my perspective a bit in planning how I go about my day. I give more time to a task and schedule longer breaks. However, I'm also aware that no matter how much I try to plan days consistently, each day will end up being drastically different from the other depending on my energy and mood. So that's where the going with the flow comes in handy.
3. What is interesting to me is that the tips mentioned for slow productivity are basically tips we've heard in most productivity videos. So the main difference is not the tools but the mindset with which you use the tools. In the traditional productivity sense, calendar blocking could lead to an overpacked calendar with no time set for rest. However in slow productivity, the same technique can lead to a balanced calendar, with blocks for both work and rest. Very interesting how a mindset shift can change how you approach a technique!
4. I don't think your previous notions of productivity were entirely wrong. To me, the earlier videos were part of a different phase of your life, and now seems like a different phase with shifts in priorities. Due to this, the older techniques don't seem to be as helpful anymore which is okay, changing systems to suit you is required once in a while! Good luck on your journey of slow productivity, looking forward to future videos :D
Absolutely loved your observations and completely agree! Really appreciate your nuanced approach to slow productivity.
I remember going “slow living” last year and again going “full speed” last three months .. personally I feel there’s always going to be certain pace needed from us through life .. so we have to balance when it’s go go time and when it’s very slow slow time… I hope that made sense lol ☺️💜
It does make sense! Adjusting your pace to what you need at the moment or want
@@perpendicularmouse exactly… ☺️💜✨
I love that you’re always trying to evolve and find a better system for you and your current needs. It’s not easy to adjust but I love how open you are about it 💛
Omg RIDICULOUS. YOU follow someone for years then they say they may have had it all WRONG. OMG what a waste of my time RIDICULOUS
@Valeria Kostyukhina omg yes i recognise her name, she makes a lot of nooby comments
You are CHERISHED 💜
Hey! This concept of slow productivity kinda reminded me of your slow down skincare❤
I am so happy more people are speaking up against the productivity rush on a deeper level. It is so crazy how we have all collectively been brainwashed into thinking we can make the most of our lives by just trying to fit as much work as possible in the time that we have on earth 🙃 Really hope a societal shift is coming and we will start valuing relaxation, joy and genuine connection more
I've been an avid viewer for a few years now and I remember, especially during the beginning of the pandemic, I went through a spiral of being obsessed with productivity. But what I have realized is that the problem is not productivity, but actually the neoliberal capitalist society we have to function in in order to survive. The emphasis on productivity is simply a system of this capitalistic system we live in that prioritizes outputs and demands labor and promotes exploitation. By understanding it is a systemic issue, and not simply the individual's fault or mindset, we can move beyond coming up with individualistic solutions and work towards creating a just society that prioritizes happiness and community well-being, etc.
For me, a big part of slow living is acknowledging that we can't do this alone. Something I've noticed about productivity rhetoric - even within your videos - is that it's so hyper-individualised. It's all about personal goals and how you spend your personal time to get work done, so that cultivating relationships becomes just one of the things you have to fit into your life. But humans are essentially social creatures and we achieve, or more importantly, *live* more when we grow things together. (And actually I think that community can easily go beyond the human.) Since I've started focusing on cultivating my relationships to the people, beings, places around me, slowly and consciously instead of rushing things to be Productive or Valuable, I might not get as "much" done but hell, I am leaps and bounds happier.
I think this is something particularly fruitful for me to think about because I'm an activist and surprisingly, that makes answering the question "what's important to you?" very difficult. There's the things I'm passionate about - music, writing, science fiction - and then there's the things I feel ethically obligated (but not in a bad way) to do - campaigning, studying and educating in environmental activism. Remembering that "i" am always a "we" doesn't simplify prioritising - quite the opposite in fact - but it does root me in a purpose that reminds me that "i" am both very small and very much more than just what this single human body can achieve in its lifetime.
yes yes yes this is so important. making time to connect with other people is so necessary- no matter how happy i am with my own life, i am not alone in it. i want to share!! goodness shared is goodness multiplied :)
I've been waiting for this moment for years :)
I've followed you for a while and even though you presented insightful advice, I also felt you were on a full-speed ride to burnout.
I saw you analysing every moment of your day and trying to optimise every second of it. It's amazing that you have such a strong will and discipline, but alas, we can't do anything without true rest.
But don't worry! Your life until now was not wasted. Try to detach yourself from the idea that your life was not meaningful before, just because you still haven't had come to this conclusion. That's still a productivity-perfectionism type of thinking. Your life was what it was and now it is what it is and it will be what it will be. We all come to these key moments in our own time. And there's not a Before and After, there's no Slow Living Code you must crack. This transition is a journey that takes time... if it is ever over! And that's ok.
I wish you lots of joy in this new slower, more grounded life you just unlocked.
rowena you came at the right time 😭 i just graduated high school and going into college and i’ve truly been reflecting (or overthinking really) about my future. i’ve been following you for so long, like a little sis listening to her older sis, and you’ve helped me all the time. this is such a great insight and analysis! love you, and will keep on living mindfully 💘
i’m in the same position as you! i hope we both can move into this new phase of our lives with mindfulness and grace 💛
omg girl me too! after graduating this month, I’ve been thinking a lot about the future and what I want to do and whether I’m even capable of achieving what I want to. And it’s exciting but also anxiety-inducing at the same time. Still, I hope you have a good college experience this first year :)! We’re all in this together!
I think "slow productivity" has it's root in mindfulness and being present. The balance of life is not east to achieve but I find as a student that's recently graduated and not rushing 24/7 that making set time for stillness and being comfortable in that (and not guilty) allows for me to 1. Acknowledge that I'm only human and deserving of rest and 2. Allows me to fully tap in when it comes to creativity and work. I'm still working on it and a lot of the time I still feel those tense shoulders and sore back but hopefully I'll reach that balance and inner peace. ✨
Yeah. I think I’ve been asking myself, “how do I be more productive?” rather than, “how do I improve life?” That includes being productive, but it also means living your life to the fullest - the way you want it to be lived, because it is just so terribly short, as you’ve stated.
I don’t think much is going to change in my habits, honestly. However, I do think that I’ll live life just a little differently, and I thank you for that!
I think you’d benefit from exploring and reading about stoicism! Very similar concepts ! Stoicism helped me come to terms with my own mortality and has a lot of similar self reflections. My favorite quote, from the book ‘How to Think Like a Roman Emperor’ is: “if it bothers me not that my body takes up a small amount of space, why should it bother me that my existence only takes up a small amount of time?”
That quote made me put the book down and really put a lot of my life into perspective. Strongly recommend!
Oh my goodness ... you are such an amazing ambassador of "personal limits" ... so many people are so "organized", but have not taken the time to "take care of themselves" ... LOVE your channel!!!
Productivity has always been elusive tbh, excited to watch this.
hello rowena! ive been watching your videos for years now and although I do appreciate the content in this video, i think you missed an extremely important aspect about productivity. it is important to note that we are born into a capitalist society that values and demands labor, meaning productivity and work ethic is unfortunately associated with the value of a human. i think this is really important to recognize that we are living in a system that exists based off labor and exploitation, and the only ways I have found to truly combat this is through health, love, and sustainability which all can play a role in slow productivity. I think the core of this is being able to detach yourself from your identity as a worker, redefine productivity & success, and decenter work/career to make room for the people or small things in life that are invaluable. to me that is love, bringing happiness to others, and helping other people.
I agree with this
Thank you for pointing this out ❤️ Productivity for me (at least in my journey in life thus far) has always felt forced from whatever job I’m in and used to measure my performance. Was I fast enough? Did I get to do all of xyz today? Was I productive enough? Never been about avoiding my own thoughts but part my struggle to be an asset to whichever job I’m in.
@@roxyui7210 definitely! i think it impacts the way we see ourselves and our self worth which is not the case, we are worthy of love and respect from ourselves and others regardless of how much productive output we generate
I wanted to comment the same thing! The most essential point is that productivity stems from the neoliberal capitalist society we live in that prioritizes productivity and outputs rather than one's happiness. I think slow productivity can be helpful, but ultimately trying to find solutions in living in such an unjust system that has essentially been created not to prioritize our well-being isn't going to truly help us.
Your thing about loneliness at the beginning was very meaningful. My productivity journey is so intertwined with when I started using social media as a surrogate to having real friendships ... as an adult, I relocated away from all of my family for work, don't have friends in my area, and so on, and being severed from formative relationships and our families so we can eat and pay off our student loans is common to so many people. I think that's one reason why people in our Millennial generation (and probably Zoomers, idk) are so invested in watching platform creators on CZcams in addition to the social media filler. I got very sick with influenza B in Feb 2020, and it jarred me out of complacency. I remember being so sick I couldn't raise my head and I felt like I was having issues breathing, and I was so angry because I didn't want to die without having finished reading Proclus' Myth of Er commentary (which, ironically, discusses the Platonic take on reincarnation, as the whole Republic is a city-soul analogy). I realized that I had wasted so much of my non-work time engaging in frivolous things that didn't actually contribute to my life goals or give back, and many of these distractions had also prevented me from doing creative stuff that brings me joy like writing and poetry. Since then, I've struggled with that anger, and I've made some prudent and some ... less prudent ... choices about time management, but I'm starting to actually figure out what I need. You and I are in different social classes (your apartment is way fancier 😅), but I feel like these are common struggles for anyone spiritual (or just driven, perhaps) who has leisure time.
So, for another data point ...... what's been helpful for me over the past few months is to reframe myself as a human being with a job instead of trying to do the fashionable self-help thing and over-identify with my career - nowadays, I go into the office at exactly 9 AM and leave at exactly 5 PM because if a to-do item isn't on my top priority list, it can wait, as work will never love anyone back. I've simplified my work meal to rice and canned fish with some frozen vegetables and sauce because it's just not worth my time to deal with complicated meal prep. My spiritual community is too small to have anyone local (at least anyone that I know of), which is why social media had been so alluring .... I have left public social media and am instead trying out a small Discord server related to my spiritual community, which is topic-focused, and it's way less stressful. I'm texting my family more. I started going to a Zoom reading group related to my spiritual community during the stay-at-home part of the pandemic and created another one to do the same, so I can talk to others in different parts of the world and explore our texts and talk about the Gods and theology and so on - both groups are relatively small, so it's personable, and I'm getting to know people and read the things I want to read in community. I work out in my gym's fitness classes so I can get ambient/light social contact - it keeps me fit while meeting my anti-loneliness goals. I wake up at fifteen past six, slowly get ready, pray at my household shrine and meditate, and head to the office at half past eight. It's not really about being "slow" or "fast" - just having life experiences that force one to look at how one is living and to make changes. I am interrupting behaviors that I know I will regret later, like scrolling and being on the computer too much. There are literally books stashed in every place I idle in my apartment so I can read them instead! I've benefitted a lot from the Fabulous app and its productivity modules (which teach habits - it's a great fact-finding exercise to try things out for a bit and keep/discard what works/doesn't take) in addition to spiritual reflection. There's still some way to go, but I'm feeling frustrated less often, and I have a clearer idea of what matters to me. I hope this data point was interesting and I wish you the best in your self-care-focused productivity future! 💛
Beautifully stated!! Thank you!
i enjoyed reading this a lot! loved hearing about a snippet of your life. gave me some things to think about
consistently having two 20 minute sessions for "productivity" a day has been enough to reach my goals
Wow, I completely resonate with this. My whole life up until 6 months ago I thought I was a machine that could never break down. I was taking on extra hours at work, extra subjects at University, committing myself to projects that I knew I couldn’t finish, immersing myself in video games, and the list goes on. Consequently, this became the norm for me, as I felt uneasy, restless, and anxious when I felt that I had nothing (chaos lol) going on in my life.
Further, I feel like I have reached a point in my life where I actually value doing ‘nothing’ and ‘slowing down’. However, I find this a constant challenge because I am always fighting the urge to fill up my time, to perform at 200%, and constantly being productive which I think is tied to my self worth and self esteem. Thus, I have realised that I am only running away from my unresolved issues/traumas and choosing not to face them.
All in all, thank you for uploading material like this, It’s really helpful knowing that others are experiencing the same things too. I think your helping a lot of us by identifying these underlying issues that we all face, bringing them to light, and finding solutions to address them.
Rowena,
This video feels SO timely. I think about (my) mortality a lot and it tends to paralyze me; I'm also very anxious. The "zooming out/back in" exercise helped me put things in perspective/relax a bit. To me, slow productivity means giving yourself time to do things well--quality over quantity. I'm guilty of subscribing to the hustle culture mentality. I believe there is a time and place to hustle but definitely not 24/7/365. Over the last few years I've been trying to slow my life down but it's always felt so wrong. Like I should be doing more and no matter how much I do it never feels like enough, it's exhausting. I REALLY appreciate this video. I spend so much time in my head, asking myself ALL the existential questions. This video helped me learn/remember some important things, so thank you, thank you, thank you. Take good care (and anyone reading) 💛
And me... OMG WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE AARRGGGGHHHHHHH
It can be unsettling to think of our immortality however, having a personal relationship with Christ puts things in perspective. God bless you 🙏🏽
Just thinking about slow and meaningful productivity relaxes me ❤️
Rowena, I truly admire your honesty and you have been a channel that I've been checking back in on for years now. It's been interesting to grow with your videos. Recently, after being burnt out from an overwhelming semester of college I have been wondering if I should use my days for only one or two tasks, but use the time slowly and wisely. I had no idea about this slow productivity movement. My second thought after that was- it just won't work, the world is moving too fast and I just can't keep up! So, seeing this video and having it explained to me that my view of what I thought the world to be is wrong has been truly eye opening.
Thank you so much for this video Rowena, I really needed it, was definitely worth the wait
I literally teared up watching this video because this is a reality that is not really pushed enough. Despite mental health and total health becoming more talked about, it is not really embraced as much as trended. Slow productivity should be a norm. Can’t tell you how many breakdowns mid day, mood swings, sleep deprived nights, planners, etc. this is great insight. Thank you!
I am starting to realize being adult is mastering awareness, awareness of self , awareness of others and awareness of self with others. Thank you for this video ! I needed this.
Definitely needed this, I'm only 2.5 years out of the collegiate student athlete life & it was shockingly hard for me to slow down & enjoy part time employment (my husband is the main income earner) & now with being pregnant sooner than expected I'm having to shift my career goals & recognize that slow life is just as beautiful as high achievement & grinding. Life has changed so quickly that I have yet to figure out how to adapt let alone reckon with my emotions & baggage surrounding being an achiever for over half my life who now has nothing to achieve other than contentment in the day to day life. I'm getting there, but as someone who always got locked in on a future goal & filling every hour I often neglected the joy in today & enjoying rest between every to-do
Loved your video! I have been thinking and practicing slow living for some time now and slow productivity fits right in! 😜❤️ Video definitely was worth the wait!! ❤️ (Hardcore binge watched your channel some months ago and waited for new content very diligently. 😆)
Ive worked in Production before and it was such a fast-paced environment and I did that for 6 years, as well as doing my creative work outside my 9-5. I was embodying hustle culture and I thought being a “hustler” = productive. Last year I was assigned in a much slower processing group in a sense that the work has to be slow and I noticed the change in my mindset overall where I need to take slow. I am now working in IT and my manager advised me to take my time to slow down and I am now applying this outside my work life. Rowena, you have been such an inspiration especially now that you spoke about this. I love you and thank you for shedding some light in what I believe is my journey to fulfilling my life 🧡
I feel like somehow you always know what the vibe of the world is and what is an advice that people need, even when we ourselves don't know it yet. I was thinking about writing some comments in your social asking about what to do with down time and how to relax when we don't know how to start being productive, and this video somehow perfectly answered me. This summer is my first vacation since covid started and now that I have so much free time I have no idea what to do with it. I feel overwhelmed with so much flexibility because I feel like I have to DO something. I guess I really need to just allow life and time to take their place and flow a little bit with the divine energy that exists without any pressure. I love your videos
Great impulse! I really appreciate the shift of focus on values and needs :) in my journey I am also leaning more into that & content like yours today inspires me. Thank you for that! ❤️
I love how pertinent your videos are, I am in a point of my life where I question everything I think I know about life. That video is just a relief♥
NOT ME literally rewatching the video yoou posted before this because i was waiting for a new one and then YOU LITERALLY POST THIS! love you rowena!!!
This video came to me at the perfect time, like literally right now. And this lovely person that i just met (i came from the video - also my first Rowena video-that opens our intro to Sunsana bc I’ve also been spiraling feeling out of control and trying to lasso my life back together after a burnout) took me by the face looked me directly into my eyes and explained this loop ive been stuck in, forcing me to acknowledge what i now see as self sabotage. This video truly got to my core. I didn’t realize how much relief id feel getting to experience a true raw human moment between two people. This is truly divine and I’m so appreciative that this human exists.
I am so impressed that you came to this realization... this is exactly where I'm at right now, and I can't wait to see the content you put out about this topic.
I remember purchasing a copy of Carl Honore’s ‘In Praise of Slow’ 10 years ago, and it’s something I’ve held on to for quite some time. I’ve been putting so much pressure on myself lately and have been crashing down a lot. It’s great to be reminded again to slow down and focus on what’s truly important. Thank you for being you, Rowena 🦋
I love going on this growth journey with you Rowena! Thank you so much for sharing🤍🤎
I love, love, love this! I’ve been trying to be productive in a healthier more balanced way for a little while now and it’s so amazing. It is hard to reprogram my mind with this new approach but I think it’s definitely worth it!
just a few days ago, i was feeling so drained and i just couldnt make myself do anything. and i kept thinking maybe i need to take things slow, maybe running and achieving everything so fast just isnt for me, and today i came across this video.. 'slow productivity'. makes so much sense. thankyou !
I just had a fast paced month and i always felt like im left behind all the time yesterday and today i just chilled with my mom and enjoyed the day then this video got recommended 💕 Love it.
I feel like this hits exactly on the realizations I have been having in my life recently and why I have taken my own break from watching CZcams over the past few months. Life is too short and if we spend all our time obsessing with where we aren’t we don’t get to enjoy where we are currently. Thank you for making this video.
Having gone through a couple of tough cases of family bereavement lately, this resonates so much with me - we are the master of our time our time should not control us! Definitely going to be implementing a lot of this, life lately has made me realise how we need to make the most of every day in the way that WE want
This immediately calmed me. I was literally weeping for no specific reason... You're soo sooo soooooo right. ❤️ Thankyou rowenna❤️
Thank you so much for sharing this. You are not alone in your journey. I am also trying to be more mindful and intentional with how I use my time every day. It’s so helpful for me (and all your other viewers!) to know that someone else is learning these tough lessons too. Sending lots of love out to you and anyone else reading! 🤗💐💕
I LOVE THIS. I was "planning the rest of the year" yesterday and this is exactly what I wrote down, you did a great job at explaining it and helping us find ways to actually embrace it.
The video was worth the wait, perfect timing. Please take more breaks when you feel called to. I can feel the energy shift and confidence radiating off of you. 💕💕💕
Thanks Ro for posting this video. I just moved after living with family after two years and I can say that I’ve been slowly inching towards slow productivity unknowingly. I’ve found that I’ve spent so much time serving other people that I haven’t really made time for myself and need to get that sense of control. But I also want to actively balance productivity and rest in such a way that I don’t burn out. So I guess I’m elaborately saying that slow productivity to me is having a healthy balance of work and rest to meet your goals in a *sustainable* way. And I’m looking forward to reading your book recs and participating with other sweet potatoes on this journey. 🧡
Glad you are evolving continuously and adjusting your channel with your growth. Truly authentic admitting when you are wrong publicly
I love you 🤍 have been watching your videos from the beginning of this channel and now I’m really happy for you reaching this level of awareness and grateful that you always genuinely choose to share it with us
Thanks from the heart
This has definitely been on my mind this season! Slow productivity to me, is being able to recognize the micro steps we take that push us forward, that still get things done, but not overwhelming ourselves or our bodies. Endlessly running at a fast pace is so exhausting & honestly feeling like no matter how quickly I move, there's always work to be done. I've been bringing in the practice of "slow productivity" to help with deconstructing my worth based on what I get done, but also to really lean into taking care of my mind & my body first.
You can always depend on Rowena dropping her (amazing) videos at a time where you need it the most. We love a queen who senses when her potatoes need something to revive them and set them back on track.
Rowena!! You put into words so many things I've been wrestling with lately, and why I always seemed to feel like I was falling short. Thank you for this video - so glad you got to unplug and enjoy these past few months
I absolutely loved and needed this video. Thank you, Rowena! I constantly have to remind myself that productivity doesn’t only apply to getting work done but it’s also about making time for ourselves and what matters to us so that we can keep doing what we’re doing.
I'm not even gonna lie that I found you because of your productivity videos but the me from then and the me now are really different. I still like productivity but I'm starting to realize my non negotiables. You're one of my favorite youtubers and you have no idea how happy I am that you managed to like synthesize all this and make sense of things for me. You're amazing, Rowena. And yes like you said, let's grow together. I'm really happy for you on this journey you're on!
You always post videos when I need them most. Thank you for being you and continuing to grow yet staying so beautifully genuine. 💜💜💜
Wow..thaaaaaaank you...I felt this way end of 2021 and have stopped , just put a hault on the way I used to function with all the todos and journals and habit trackers and calendars ughhh...I could go on, but it's so good to hear this...slow productivity!!🙂🙂
Rowena, this is such a blessing. I don't know how but it came at the right time. I was so burnt out, so unmotivated, and so stuck. Thank you so much!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you for this video!!! So validating to see a step towards a new normal. This video reminded me of something from Tuesday's with Morrie "Is today the day? Am I ready? Am I doing all I need to do? Am I being the person I want to be?"
I’m really happy people are coming to this conclusion. I felt sad I couldn’t watch ur videos anymore cuz I would just keep going in that cycle. I’m really looking forward to watching your such well made videos again.
Ro, I just wanna say that I am so proud of you. I rarely comment on youtube videos but this is exactly just what I needed in my life rn so thanks! May you have all the good things in life. Bless you!!!
the concept of slow productivilty could be distilled from productivity tips and basics+ psychotherapy+buddism practics. it is so damn right you said about shortness of life.we should hold it in memory every time and be conscious in order to balance our goals and meaningful moments without pursuing smth.
Had to change my outlook on productivity when my job stopped giving me challenging work to do.
I started feeling purposeless. Like what am I without goals and something to look forward to.
We’ve basically been trained to be productive since we were toddlers how do you now live without it?
I’m still struggling with this tbh. And don’t know what to do 🥲
So relatable. I’ve been feeling burnt out these days but I know when I take vacation I struggle to rest.
Do what makes you feel happy :)
@Miranda finding a balance isn’t easy
I have just hit something similar at work. I have purpose outside of work, but when I spend 8 hours a day in an environment where I'm neither learning, nor really participating in highly valuable work - sigh, it's actually quite depressing still.
@C Raven Then you feel guilty for not having much to do. 🙋🏽♀️ It’s demotivating
my favorite youtuber 🤍 I have been experiencing my own reevaluation with productivity these past few months. finally letting myself watch a tv series instead of bingeing “productive content” on social media. i’m taking steps to be kinder towards myself and remind myself i’m just a little speck on my own little journey and I don’t need to compare it to anyone else’s. I appreciate you and your content so much and i’m so excited to go on this new journey and continue gaining insight about how to live a meaningful life from you!
I literally wrote in my journal, that I miss you. OMG! Your timing is perfect 🥺 missed you ro! So grateful for you ❤️
I love your productivity and motivational videos. Also, love your graphic designing and how educated I’m getting from this video.
Never have I ever taken out time specifically to watch a video this attentively. Thank you, Ro.
The launch timing of this video is perfect! This is what I need right now!
Recently I have been blaming myself not feeling motivated in life.
An unexpected random phone call from my ex ruined my mood and did emotional toll on me.
First several days I blocked all my feelings and tried to pretend everything is ok.
I used work as the method to distract myself.
Later on I finally acknowledged the importance of sitting in with feelings.
(Game-changer!)
I let myself cry while listening to the music/ driving or during the nap time.
I feel better and put together.
What Slow productivity means to me is living my life in my own tempo.
:) Rest and stillness are ok and needed!
I find this type of video to be very helpful in guiding my current mindset because I’ve found myself to be constantly on work mode all day long and ESPECIALLY when I’m supposed to be resting/on a break (kinda like rn). I hope that adding slow productivity in my life will help me to free up my mind and stop being so anxious about how I spend my time and the future.
thank you so much for this. i feel like this video comes across as a manifesto of how weird it was as a society to go through whatever these years’ been like and deal with hustle culture just the same as before
This was beautiful. Especially slow productivity, just not looking at your productivity from short frames but from longer frames. And the message at the end, living your life according to what your moment in time needs❤️
The way that you actually, truly think about your life and what it is you actually, truly want to do with it, is very impressing to me. I watched a couple of your old videos a while ago and I did like them but now watching your new videos and seing someone also saying things like you did in the beginning of this video "I think I got it all wrong" is just... impressing. It feels so rare that we as humans are able to change our minds like that, we get stuck in doing what we think we should (which you also have been off course and still are, as you say in this video) and we may never get out of it. But you are trying and really using both your intelligence and intution and emotions to find your way in life and it's so inspiring. I love your videos and your channel and you have a new long time subscriber in me
Ro, I honestly adore you SO much and are SOOOOOO happy you’re back 💕💕💕💕💕💕💕 sending you all the love and good vibes
Loved this so much! 🤩💖 Thank you for taking us on this journey✨
So glad to have you back here Rowena! Your productivity videos helped me finish my master's thesis and now I'm also at a point where I want to slow down and settle into a new pace as I'm transitioning into the workplace and side hustles. Your Notion templates about our 2022 plan has also been helpful in that process, as it helps to create systems around our priorities rather than just be productive to not feel guilty about procrastinating. Let's see what video you have in store for us next week!😁🤗
Thank you for talking about this. Its was very much needed to know that other people are in this same place and althought it feels like a loop - there is a way to more efficiently use your time and not ignore your mental health in the process.
THIS. 🙌🏼
I am now implementing slow productivity in my work life. And personal life too. I was subconsciously sabotaging myself by trying to be the most efficient and hardest worker I could be. And I brought this mindset into my personal life activities too (i.e. gym, downtime, catching up with friends, spending time with my partner, etc.). I was overloading my schedule with all these things that I forgot to truly stop and take a break for myself - even my "downtime" felt like it was forced and rushed.
It led to a breakdown. But then I had a breakthrough. Now I am seeing things more clearly and realising that I should take things slow.
love your top and blazer combo! and thank you for bringing this concept to light. as a med student, i feel guilty when i give myself time for deep rest but honestly...lately i have been prioritizing my mental health over my grades and im not sorry about it
Just Wow!!! This is why I love you so much. You did it again, Row! Re-evaluate my life and see through it cus I have been trying so hard to ignore the most important thing…the present. Thanks to you!
Your timing is divine, Rowena ! I have been thinking about not giving my soul to work and productiviting, and rather focus on living a substainable and comfortable life. Sooo, thank yooou, for your honesty, vulnerability and innsight
This feels really thoughtful!! I'll need to watch it again to process it more and to have much opinion on it. For now am glad you made it and glad I got to read the comment section too. I'm really interested too in this stuff: productivity, intentionality, slow living, fast living, capitalism, time and energy management, etc
this is the video i needed today ❤️🔥 i love your editing btw
I've stopped watching your videos and any other productivity videos like yours for a while now. I'm so happy so see this! As someone who could never be that productive person that you were able to be, I was lucky to learn to reject it. I'm still constantly working on rejecting that part of my brain where productivity is so ingrained. Now I say fuck productivity. It shouldn't be tied to your moral standard. If you ever feel like you're not productive enough, instead of trying to be more productive to meet that bar, try lowering your standard and just letting it be wherever you at. It's easier said than done because you will feel like you're supposed to feel guilty and need to remind yourself that you don't. The only way to really be happy is to be happy with how you are naturally.
One way I think of it is that every time you try extra hard, you're borrowing energy. You can do that for a short period of time, but you need to pay it back. Trying hard everyday should not be the default. Maybe everyone in society can tell you what you do every day is not enough, but the fact is that your brain and body know what is enough for you everyday, and it's what you do naturally. So you actually don't need to try any harder to reach your full potential.
I think people who are productive can't accept this because then that means their best isn't enough for their standards. That's why you have to lower your standards to meet your best instead of the opposite. Because your standards will continue to rise and rise but it will never fill the hole. If you're happy with what you do everyday, then you will always be enough and you could die fulfilled at any moment. Ofc that's the extreme version; I'm working on reaching a realistic version of that mindset.
I know that at your heart you are a productive person and will probably continue to be for however long you like, but no method of productivity will fully fill the hole. Productivity is a great tool and you've helped so many people on your journey. But I urge everyone to put some emphasis on how the absence of productivity culture also provides value. The best way to control your need to live your life to the fullest is to redefine your fullest to what is most doable for you. Many people go from one thing to another, like getting money to having a support circle to philanthropy, but none of it will fully satisfy you unless you are also able to harness the lack of productivity and allow yourself to be ok with whatever you are at the very single moment, this moment in the present that you can't do anything to change because it's built by what you've done until this point.
Love your transparency, Rowena. I'm watching this video about 5 months after you posted it, so closer to making plans for 2023. I know I need to rearrange some practices in my life based on my values, so thanks for getting the ball rolling. I def. need to take that silent time you mentioned. Hope 2023 is a happy one for you. Thanks, too, for the previous things you think you may have gotten wrong along the way; I enjoyed getting them the same kind of wrong b/c that is where I was and your videos were helpful for that time, too. Peace.
“ letting time use you “ if there was ever a time I was going to allow myself to feel used- that time is NOW 😅✨
girl i started tearing up with you. your videos are perfect! thank you :)
Rowena, so good to see you! As soon as this video popped up I hoped you’d be including Four Thousand Weeks-it’s really shifting my mindset and attitude towards time and productivity. 📖 Having ADHD adds to my struggle for perfection, but also helps me live in the present! Here’s to accepting our limitations and choosing to move. 🥂
I can't get over how beautiful you look with this bangs. So fresh and soft!
Not sure if my comment will be read.
But this subject matter has been on my mind in the past week.
Reading Tiago Forte's Building a Second Brain helps me clarify productivity. The Second Brain could be an example execution of slow productivity. It takes time to build this into a working system, however once it's set up to be a part of our life, we can do much more.
In the book, I learned - Most of us spend time in a Divergence Mode (Collecting and Organize information), but fare badly with Distilling them. Hence we never get down to the Convergence Mode (Distill and Express). At the end of the day, the goal of Productivity is to achieve outcomes and finished projects. But when we don't complete things, we feel we are falling behind and unproductive.
He suggested that we should organise notes and knowledge according to actionability instead of their categories. When we don't organise in a productive manner, we end up spending time looking for things. That becomes very unproductive.
Recommended read for anyone interested. :)
He also has a channel under the name Tiago Forte. If this resonates, I'd be keen to see a Collab.
thank you so much for this. I am in college and have to work full time because I’m chronically sick and have to pay for medical stuff, and i feel like i am in a constant rush of having to do things or manage things or not do things so that i can manage other things. admitting that i cant do it all to myself has been really helpful (as in C’s get degrees, i do not need to put 110 percent into work etc, not feeling guilty for cancelling commitments to take care of my health, not trying to keep things constantly clean etc). There’s also a huge amount of grieving that comes with trying to survive, our relationship with time, and being chronically sick BUT like you said it’s been liberating in terms of detaching my worth to from (influenced by the ideas of CRAPITALISM) productivity.
The video isn't even over yet and I am so happy I watched it. I really needed this right now, and I love the sift of perspective you're bringing us. One thing I will say is : you said that you feel that you haven't been using your time in the best way possible, but isn't learning to do better the best thing you could ever do for yourself ? Sending you lots of love
Thank you for this video, Rowena. I’ve been feeling bummed out because of my lack of productivity ever since I got pregnant. I thought I always had it all together with the systems I’ve implemented in my life. But being pregnant has forced me to literally slow down, especially in my first trimester. I was physically and mentally incapable of doing things and I hated how much I couldn’t function like I used to before. But then I kept on telling myself how much of a blessing this current journey really is. Slowing down has allowed me to appreciate the present, listen to my body and reminded me of what’s truly more important in my life 🤍
Missed you, Ro! Thanks for making this video and for talking about Slow Productivity! Personally, I think watching this video was very timely. I just started working as an Independent Research Consultant and I'm experiencing a bit of a hard time having a disciplined schedule. But I always remind myself to take it slowly and that I'm doing my best, especially since I'm adjusting to the setup and my body is adjusting to the normal daytime shift (my previous work was at night shift). Looking forward to your Slow Prod-focused videos!
YESSSS Rowena. Not even mad about you not posting for the past few weeks. Seems like you really had a spiritual uplevel from the time you took off. This is so awesome, as a recovering perfectionist I can relate to this sooo much. "You don't work to make time for more work, you work to make time for the things you love" - this one hits deep. Thank you for all the wisdom in this video! I am here for it #slowproductivity
Really needed this video, it came at the perfect time. I'm at this point in time that I've decided to take a social media break to take away the distraction from my reality and to examine myself including my habits and productivity. Thanks so much Ro, please keep sharing how've you felt. I also hope you don't beat yourself up so much for feeling like you've wasted time. We're human and that's okay. We'll learn again. Sending energy and love from the island of Guam. 🇬🇺❤️
This video was made so well but the 4,000 weeks perspective had sent me into an existential crisis realizing at only 24 over 1/4 of my weeks are over. Aging is so scary when you look back to the years before and we really do need to enjoy the days as they come.
I'm really looking forward to the Calendar Blocking video! Great content as always (: