Day 6 - The Cycle of (Un)Productivity

Initially, I was planning on taking NYE as a break day from a productive first week of dedicated. But turns out, that's not how it went.

My first two days of productive studying were followed by three days of lackluster focus. The result was that what was initially meant to be a celebration of a successful weak turned into me dreading losing another day.

It wasn't until I was walking out of Scott Hall on Friday night, and the security guard wished me Happy New Year, that I realized... it's New Years Eve, and I'm dreading it because I need to study. What have I come to?

The Change In Perspectives

I asked myself whether post-step Karthik would be happier studying during NYE, or taking the time to study. I understood that it was invaluable time and much needed of a marginally productive week, but still. I instead decided that I should just steer into the skid, make the most of the day with my friends and family, and use it as a fresh start.

And that's the story of how I was able to shift away my feelings of guilt. Although I didn't really get that time back, I'm no longer thinking about the studying I didn't do. I'm not wondering if it is worth it,  or not. What's done is done, and now we adjust and move on.

The Takeaway

With every day of sub-par productivity, there's increased pressure for the following day to make up for the prior day's shortcomings. This for me led to a vicious cycle of feeling guilty despite any amount of work accomplished.

Although it sounded counterintuitive at first, an intentional day off has helped me reset this cycle and allowed me to start anew. A fresh start.

If you're feeling like you're caught in the cycle, try this out. It's worked for me, and might even work for you. And as always, good luck ✌️