For the past few days, I have felt disconnected from everything around me, including my own soul. I went outside this morning after waking up from a depressing dream and called out to Creator for help. Quickly after that, Jack wakes up and heads down the stairs and told me to push myself a little harder today. Meaning, no TV, Facebook or games. So I decided to play hooky today, but not to lounge around and nap. But to focus on some goals that I have ignored for a while. I call it “productive hooky.”
So what is productive hooky? It’s when you take a break from your 9 to 5 and place your focus on things you never had time for. In my case, I do office work at a construction company and social media management. I’ve been wanting to build my freelance writing business, but by the time I come home, there’s no energy left for myself. I feel drained and rundown, the job is a bit mind-numbing I much rather proofread and research for an article.
So how do you play hooky and be productive at the same time? Well here’s how I do it:
1. Make a list starting from the most challenging to the most relaxing.
I like to start doing the things I’ve procrastinated the most on. That way the task doesn’t get pushed further in the backburner. It also helps that I easier and even more relaxing task closer to the end of the day.
2. Dress for the occasion.
Most people would think that working to home for the day means you can lounge in pj’s while sitting in bed. I tried that before and didn’t get anything done. It’s best to take my laptop downstairs and put on some jeans with a nice sweater. It’s actually a psychological trick. Wearing bedtime clothes on a day you are supposed to be making progress, actually makes you want to sleep. But wearing a suit while sitting at your kitchen table will be too distracting. Some comfortable pants and shirt will do.
3. Give yourself a break.
I was working on a submission for a guest post. I took a long time to proof and edit everything before sending it off. So, I gave myself an hour to eat and look at my emails for other places to submit to. Always give yourself a moment to stop and breathe. After all, you are still playing hooky.
4. Schedule time to learn, pray and cool down.
At the very end of my list is taking LinkedIn classes, praying and taking time to meditate. This helps me end my day on a good note and feel less depleted. Whenever I come home, there’s always dinner and sometimes an extra errand to complete. When I schedule the time to cool off and feel like I did something productive, I sleep better.
5. Make time for your loved one.
Being able to talk about having a good day with someone special is important. It feels good to share your happy vibes with others around you. They might have a bad day and need a hug or a shoulder to cry on. Even though this day was planned for you, never forget about those who need you.
It’s now 4:00 and I getting ready to do some classes on LinkedIn. This has been a good day. I hope you find the time to play hooky every once in a while.
