F**k Productivity (Thanks to the Flu)

I’m starting to think I can find inspiration in almost everything these days.

From a conversation overheard at a coffee shop to a song heard on Pandora, and now, Influenza B (which seems to be going around these days – you’ve been warned, people).

Last week I was knocked on my ass by the flu. It was the first time with the flu in my 25 + years of living so I guess I had a good run, but for those of you who have had it – it sucks, and it leaves you laying in a dark room, drinking orange juice, eating soup, and basically waiting until it decides to go away.

For the entrepreneur and overall go-getter that I am, a week of barely getting anything done would suck pretty bad, right?

Maybe not so much.

Last week was the first week in well, a lot of weeks that I was able to not work and not feel guilty about it (because I could barely hold my head up). I spent my time doing things I normally tell myself I don’t have time to do and now that a new week has begun and I’m flu-free, I’m already missing being “away” from the grind.

So what DID I do last week?

  • I caught up on my Google Reader without clicking “Mark all as read”.
  • I wrote (a lot).
  • I snuggled with my dog (don’t hate).
  • I cleaned our place from top to bottom and packed up a few more bags of stuff to give to Goodwill. Clean and clutter free, baby!
  • I drank tea instead of coffee (and didn’t hate it).
  • I listened to this epic 3-hour-long Saved by the Bell podcast.
  • I watched this incredible Saved by the Bell-inspired film.
  • I listened to the new Radiohead album.
  • I watched several less-than-stellar movies, including one called “Dolph Lundgren is the Killing Machine” (and loved every minute of it)

Most importantly, I’ve walked away from my inspirational flu-week knowing that I DO have time for myself, if I want it. I can relax more often and I don’t have to put as much pressure on myself to be working constantly. It’s okay to unplug. It’s okay to do nothing.

Odds are, if you’re reading this, you work, a lot – maybe at your nine to five, maybe with your startup, maybe both. We live in a society that praises being “busy” and celebrates who works harder (which is a shame – but a discussion for another blog post) – and because of it, we’re tricked into thinking that trash-talking 12 year olds on Call of Duty just for the hell of it is a waste of time. Or that we don’t have time to go for a walk, or have coffee with a friend – that anything away from making money and doing work is time that SHOULD be spent being productive.

Well here’s to saying “fuck productivity” and instead, enjoying living a little more. Because life’s just too damn short not to enjoy Drago’s bad acting.

(Photo c/o manyfires)