"Today I want to talk about actions mindfulness for being more productive. Someone mentioned it at my church this Sunday, and it made me think about what I actually do with my time. I am terrible with it, just terrible...😭 Sometimes I am good though☺️ I just go back and forth a lot. lol😁 Message to myself: "STOP!"😬
I "love" wasting time by scrolling on social media and watching YouTube videos. When I had TV (I purposely don't have it right now because if I do, I can't control myself, and I WILL watch too much of it). I love the most Facebook, of course, "a little bit" of Instagram and Pinterest. On Facebook I check a lot of my Facebook pages for likes and comments. Rarely, I'll check other people's stuff. I have so many pages (4 to be exact). And since I don't have yet a social media person, managing them takes all my Facebook time.... Not really all my time😰: add to that watching funny, entertaining and inspirational videos like Juggling The Jenkins or The Real. That will make my "perfect" wasting time combination🥺 Just terrible🤔
On IG I like checking my likes and comments and scrolling down for other people's stuff just a little bit. When I really get sucked in is in the "explore" part (I think, that's what it's called.): when you click on a magnifying glass in the bottom of the screen and you just go crazy "exploring." The "worst" part is that IG somehow knows you so well, it keeps "feeding" you stuff you want. It's just an "abuse" of my mind, and I hate and "love" it at the same time😱
Now Pinterest... Don't get me started on this goodness. I have several boards that I keep adding to like "photography" and "greeting cards." This cycle is "torture" because it NEVER stops😕. The truth is I do get a lot of inspiration from Pinterest. But why do I need to look through 500 pictures at a time to "get inspired" blows my own mind???🤯
When it come to YouTube, I love watching The Wendy Williams Show and Ellen DeGeneres and lots and lots of educational videos. I can justify the educational videos binge because I am learning, right?? However, should I have some kind of balance, or should I watch for hours when I know I need to complete something that has a deadline. Here is my procrastination at its finest👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻Perfect for losing success😃😬.
Of course, I am exaggerating the addicting qualities and any kind of bad characteristics of social media and YouTube. Although I always wonder why why do the developers of those programs make their content so consuming by adding red buttons for likes (I can guarantee you, it's on purpose!!!), "recommending" you oceans of content and making it so easy to access them on our phones through convenient apps. I will never know for sure why social media and YouTube designed as they are. However, I do know that I must be in control of how I use them, not the developers that according to their missions just trying to help us socialize more, grow our businesses, fundraise, learn, get entertained and much more...
From everything you have just read are you overwhelmed yet?? Can you imagine how my mind feels when I actually do the social media browsing and YouTube binging😫This is just devastating, and I hope you see how messed up I really am. Am I crazy to call myself that or is it normal to admit your mistakes in public in hopes to evaluate some of your habits and change them. I also hope to help somebody who has the same problems even just by talking about it. Know that you are not alone, and if you do want to change, be more productive and mentally healthy, there is a way!!!
Here is what I have discovered works for me. Every time you complete a task, even if it's your social media time, write it down. I have a document in Google Drive called "My Days," where I put a date and list everything that I have done that day during work hours. It helps me assess my productivity levels at anytime, and remind myself what I need to work on: cut back the time on YouTube, spend more time researching, etc. Believe it or not, it's an awesome way of keeping yourself in check. If you can't control yourself, how will you be able to manage thousands of employees majority of us would love to have. Have a list of things you are doing every day. Read it through from time to time, and see if it help you be more productive. If it works for such a messed up on a head person like me, I hope it will work for you as well.
The key is don't "beat" yourself up at any time. If you spend way too much time on Facebook today, do a little better tomorrow. Every bit of progress counts. It will not only help you be more productive, but be happier, fulfilled & more confident. Don't worry. You got this!!! You have more power than you think to manage your actions mindfulness. Just try. Little by little you will set yourself to win success. Why don't you?🤩" Marina Amdream