How to be Both Mindful AND Productive (Yes, it’s Possible!)

In my last post, we established that yes, you can be mindful and productive. You are a multidimensional person, a mosaic of qualities, and you operate optimally when your full “spectrum of self” is active—the mindful, creative empathizer and the productive systemizer.

Now, let’s address the fact that “mindfulness” and “productivity” might feel like polar opposites. You might think:

• Mindfulness = peace, zen, non-doing.
• Productivity = hustle, drive, lots of doing.

My definitions and the connotations I place around each word look a bit different:

Mindfulness means paying attention in order to live with intention and be fully engaged in your life.

Productivity is about doing the right things with attention and intention. 

So in order to be productive, you must cultivate a mindful approach.

In my work to combine the two, I use terms like “working with intention” and “creating with purpose” to make a “meaningful contribution.” Instead of conflicting dichotomies, the two become cooperative, compatible, congruent. Thus, “intentional productivity.”

If you want to work, create, and live with intentional productivity, focus on:

• Cultivation (internal: awareness, growth)
• Creation (process of manifesting internal thoughts, ideas, desires)
• Contribution (external: producing)

Each of these pillars builds on the next so that your productivity or the product you contribute (step 3) stems from and reflects the awareness and other internal qualities you cultivated in step 1.

Here’s an example of what that process might look like. Instead of reiterating the world’s most ambiguous question, “What do I do?”, like a broken record, explore these questions:

• What qualities do I want to nurture? What habits do I want to build?
• What do I want to make manifest in my work, relationships, or everyday life? How do I want to impact my reality? What changes am I ready to make?
• What or how do I want to give to my community or to the world at large?

Because each pillar builds on the next, go in order. Let what you value and want to cultivate be your compass for your next steps and entire path.

This might feel backwards or like taking the long way around (because we’re used to frantically searching externally for what to do next), but beginning with your values leads to long-lasting success: meaningful, lasting changes and personal fulfillment.

The process of pausing, stepping back, and asking big questions to get the full picture is essential to taking intentional and effective steps forward—in the direction that’s right for you.

P.S. last week was pretty monstrous, and I want to take a moment to celebrate with you.

For the month of January, I focused on my local community and developed and delivered two workshops (in one week):

• The first event was a sellout with 50+ people attending to learn about intentional productivity ? (I even had it recorded so I can share it with others—coming soon!)

• This past Sunday, I ran a 4-hour workshop on mindful energy management for an intimate group of 10 wonderful people committed to investing more energy into themselves and living with greater intention.

I also set up a pretty exciting February. This month, I will be:

• Speaking to college students about coping with stress and preventing burnout

• Sharing my journey and insights in an upcoming summit on simplifying your life (stay tuned!)

• Co-hosting the Vision Summit, a FREE 3-day online event → click here to register!

• Attending a life and business coaching training to gain and refine my skills

• Wrapping up the month creating my vision board to “leap” into the year (clever, right?)

I am honoured to share my insights and experiences with others in so many different ways. We are all multifaceted, multidimensional beings with so much to offer. I am grateful to myself (I don’t say this enough) to have had, and keep doing my best to have, the courage to carve out my own path so that I can uplift others in my own unique way.

And I am grateful to all those (including you!) who invite me into their spaces, their communities, and their hearts. Thank you for being part of this incredible journey.