What Does Productivity Have to Do with Joy?

How Productivity Relates To Our Joy

I am in a Joyful productivity practice group over the next six weeks developing the mindset of joy in my work. We are two weeks in and so far the feelings of joy I am experiencing in my life are improving. The reason I joined this mastermind group is for the experience, the learning and the practice of living intentionally with joy in my work and personal life.

You see a few years ago I heard the idea that we must learn to live with joy rather than think of happiness.

Happiness is fleeting however joy is a feeling that stays with us no matter what is going on in our lives. Once I heard that it made me think about my life from living intentionally with joy. If we practice joyful productivity in all that we do it just might make a difference to how we feel. At least this is how I am experiencing this idea in my daily intentional practice of living with joy. 

Sometimes we think of productivity only from the perspective of work and yet we believe that to live joyfully we have to be aware of all aspects of life.

It might be challenging to think of exercise as a joyful experience if the only way that this has been thought of as painful and not enjoyable. The same might be true for eating well, thinking well or even play if these ideas are not a part of your daily practice of intentionally live with joy.

Today I will share thoughts on what does productivity has to do with joy.

There’s a link between productivity and joy. However, the connection may not always seem to be a positive one. In order to be joyful, you may think you need to be less productive and work fewer hours. And when considering what it means to have increased productivity, you may envision yourself tirelessly devoting all your time to work. So how could you possibly be joyful?

The truth is, these views aren’t entirely accurate. Productivity can lead to joy. It’s not a zero-sum game. You don’t have to choose one or the other. You can have both. Let’s look at the ways that productivity can increase your overall sense of joy and as a result your wellbeing.

Sense of Pride
Most of us experience a sense of pride in a job well done. Being productive gives you a sense of accomplishment. You’ve completed something and can cross an item off your to-do list. It feels good to know that you’ve gotten a task done and that you have something to show for your efforts. Using your time productively instills a feeling of satisfaction and we find that this fills us with joy.

Perception of Contribution

We all want to contribute, right? This can be to our families, to a cause, to our own livelihood, or to society at large.

Being productive allows us to feel that we’ve contributed to something. When we get a job done or achieve a goal, we know we’ve worked to give something of ourselves and that we’ve seen it through to the end. Knowing you’ve made a contribution is important to overall joyfulness.

Increased Confidence

When you’re productive, you gain a sense of capability. You see what you’re able to accomplish in a set amount of time and feel motivated to move forward to complete other tasks.

On the other hand, procrastination leads to feelings of guilt and anxiety, which strip you of your self-esteem. Obtaining that feeling of self-worth can be a strong motivator for continued productivity.

Feeling of Purpose

Finally, when you’re productive, you can experience a real sense of purpose. The important thing to remember here is that the activities you’re completing must be meaningful. Being productive for the sake of staying busy isn’t enough to contribute to positive feelings. What you take on must be important to you if you want the action to seem purposeful.

These are just some of the ways that productivity can increase your joyfulness. The two really do go hand in hand. At least this is our experience. 

If you are looking for a Joyful Productivity course I highly recommend Mindful Time Management for Joyful Productivity with George Kao - I have just finished this course and the learning in this program has been super helpful in developing joyful practices that are meaningful and easy to implement right away.  You can find all the details here 

Share your thoughts on what does productivity have to do with joy in the comments below.

Be sure to get in touch with us if we can help you. 

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