You don’t always have to be productive

Productivity means making every minute count, which implies that every minute not spent in active pursuit of a goal is wasted.

Getting sleep, socializing at work, and geeking out over sports or hobbies can be seen as lazy or unproductive.  Yet science tells us that sleep enhances cognitive abilities and compounds our ability to focus.  Despite technological innovations, 80% of jobs are still acquired via connections to friends and colleagues and not online applications.

It’s difficult to quantify productivity here, but it’s worth noting that being attentive to our own mental and physical health and our relationships are effective in producing outcomes that we care about the most.  Don’t fall into the trap of feeling like you have to produce something every moment.