31 Days of Productivity - Day 2

Today I have managed to get through a few things on my to-do list and make it through a few meetings ... but I have reached a stand-still because I have had a horrible headache all day.  Even typing this looking at the computer screen hurts.  I have worked with the lights off to help get the most important things done that I need to do.

Luckily, there are several things on my to-do list that I cannot finish because I am waiting on information from others so I do not feel guilty continuing to leave those items on the corner on my desk.  I have a few phone calls that need to be made and emails that need to be sent, but I'm just losing the battle of focus to these hammer pounding in my head.

I took a long lunch and went to my mom's house to take a nap ... knowing that I work my second job this evening.  At first I felt guilty about that "waste of time" and then I thought about how much better I would feel and how much more I could get done, if I could just get rid of the migraine ... Unfortunately, the migraine is still there BUT it has dulled and I feel much more refreshed to take on the world for the evening.

Productivity lessons of the day: It is okay to just get the importnat things of the day done ... those meetings that were already scheduled and just the items of immediate priority on your desk .... Productivity is fluid ... It will ebb and change and flow ... And as long as the work that needs to be done is getting done in a timely manner, we are allowed to slack a bit one day ....

And last, but not least, one of the most importnat lessons I have learned about productivity:  Sometimes we won't feel well ... Sometimes our heads will hurt or our stomachs or our noses ... It happens.  That is life.  And, yes, those days make being productive even harder, but the longer those illnesses and pains last, the more off track we get with our productivity ... So sometimes it is the most productive you can be to take a long lunch and take a nap ... or stay home, take medicine and sleep.  You might think that is a waste of time, but it might be just what you need to get your productivity back on track.