Often times, we wonder why we are overwhelmed, under productive and frustrated. You might have read some of my previous blogs addressing the critical issue of boundary setting to facilitate your ability to feel productive. Today, I want to share excerpts from this interesting NYT article, There’s a Name for the Blah You’re Feeling: It’s Called Languishing, published on April 19, 2021 and authored by Adam Grant an organizational psychologist at Wharton, the author of “Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know” and the host of the TED podcast WorkLife.
For the complete article, here is the NYT link: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/19/well/mind/covid-mental-health-languishing.html?action=click&module=Editors%20Picks&pgtype=Homepage
Grant says it is important to “Give yourself some uninterrupted time”. He elaborates:
“That means we need to set boundaries. Years ago, a Fortune 500 software company in India tested a simple policy: no interruptions Tuesday, Thursday and Friday before noon. When engineers managed the boundary themselves, 47 percent had above-average productivity. But when the company set quiet time as official policy, 65 percent achieved above-average productivity. Getting more done wasn’t just good for performance at work: We now know that the most important factor in daily joy and motivation is a sense of progress.
I don’t think there’s anything magical about Tuesday, Thursday and Friday before noon. The lesson of this simple idea is to treat uninterrupted blocks of time as treasures to guard. It clears out constant distractions and gives us the freedom to focus. We can find solace in experiences that capture our full attention.”
Mr. Grant then continues to encourage us to “Focus on a small goal.” He states:
“The pandemic was a big loss. To transcend languishing, try starting with small wins, like the tiny triumph of figuring out a whodunit or the rush of playing a seven-letter word. One of the clearest paths to flow is a just-manageable difficulty: a challenge that stretches your skills and heightens your resolve. That means carving out daily time to focus on a challenge that matters to you — an interesting project, a worthwhile goal, a meaningful conversation. Sometimes it’s a small step toward rediscovering some of the energy and enthusiasm that you’ve missed during all these months.
Languishing is not merely in our heads — it’s in our circumstances. You can’t heal a sick culture with personal bandages. We still live in a world that normalizes physical health challenges but stigmatizes mental health challenges. As we head into a new post-pandemic reality, it’s time to rethink our understanding of mental health and well-being. “Not depressed” doesn’t mean you’re not struggling. “Not burned out” doesn’t mean you’re fired up. By acknowledging that so many of us are languishing, we can start giving voice to quiet despair and lighting a path out of the void.”
So dear reader, the message here is to be aware; take notice of why you feel like you do and accept that feeling, recognizing it for it is worth. Once you do this, you can try some good ole self-talk to give yourself permission to try on reachable challenges and to set aside the important chunks of time to focus on your needs. The Eisenhower Matrix is a helpful framework for setting boundaries and prioritizing. If you need help with your boundaries, please contact Captured Clutter at 678-294-7813 or linda@capturedclutter.com If you would like to receive tips from my newsletter, click on this link: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/6TW6kqf/Dec2020 We are here to help with your productivity needs. #productivity #adamgrant #languishing #settingboundaries