For a long time, I believed being productive meant doing many things simultaneously. I thought that if I answered emails while cooking, listened to a personal growth podcast, and responded to WhatsApp messages simultaneously, I would be a functional adult. But the reality was different: I would arrive at the end of the day exhausted, with half-finished tasks, and that uncomfortable feeling of not having done "enough."
Multitasking sounds glamorous, but our minds weren't designed to divide our attention into so many pieces. Learning to do one thing at a time has been one of the most revolutionary changes in my working and living. It wasn't easy because we were used to noise and the feeling that "doing more" was better. But gradually, I implemented a simple rule: one task, one space, one moment.
The female gender is known, among other things, for its multitasking ability. However, it's also been shown that women tend to end the day much more exhausted than men. Is this related? Maybe so. By doing too many activities at once, we aren't fully present. We miss details or don't thoroughly enjoy things.
Focusing becomes more challenging in a world where we're constantly bombarded with information and stimuli. Therefore, it's time to stop, evaluate what's distracting us, and review our to-do list. Sometimes, we fill our schedule with things that aren't urgent—and if it's filled only with urgent things, something isn't right either. We need to become conscious filters for our well-being.
Today, I've learned that rest isn't a luxury; it's a necessity. I take active breaks: I walk for five minutes after spending a long time in front of the computer, pour myself a mate—Argentinians will understand—without a cell phone in hand, or stretch my arms and look out the window. It doesn't seem like much, but it restores my mental clarity.
A simple example of returning to the present is muting notifications when we get home or while driving. Not only can it save our lives, but it also helps us focus and use our time more effectively.
Being productive isn't about doing more but about doing better. To do that, I need to be present, breathe, and remind myself that I don't have to prove anything to anyone. I need to live my time with intention.
