How Do You Measure Productivity?

How Do You Measure Productivity? by Debra H. Goldstein

Writers often measure a day’s productivity in terms of how many words are produced, whether edits have been accomplished, or if blogs or other related social media are addressed. It is a great feeling when any of these things are marked off the to-do list. Of course, there’s always more an author can do. But, is this type of measurement always sustainable? More importantly, is it fun?

I don’t think so. 

At times, recharging one’s mental batteries and efficiency necessitates taking a break without feeling guilty. For example, after getting in late from traveling and then needing to be up early for four mornings in a row, I was exhausted on the day before I wrote this blog. Deliberately not setting an alarm, I crashed early. To my amazement, it was almost nine when I woke up. After a quick breakfast, I was about to start my writing day when I decided there were a few things I needed and wanted to do first: throw in a laundry, mail some letters, grab a Starbucks latte, go by the bank, pick up my laundry from the cleaners, spend an hour at the gym, do a full grocery run, switch the laundry, read a good book while a meatloaf baked, talk on the phone with a friend for an hour, and mindlessly watch a few episodes of HGTV’s House Hunters. At that point, I felt content and eager to do some writing.

Even if I hadn’t written a word, I’d have felt that it was a productive day. But, I wrote.

Rather than worrying about word count for a new project, I decided to address some of my July blog obligations. I didn’t plan to write more than one, but as relaxed as I was, I quickly knocked out all of them plus a guest blog. Those finished, I cleaned my desk and planned the next few days of writing projects. 

Although I enjoyed doing nothing during my vacation days, knowing how much I had to catch up when I got home weighed on me to the point that I didn’t have the spark necessary to focus on my works in progress. Taking a day to simply catch up on life’s obligations, with the inclusion of some fun activities, cleared my mind and renewed my desire to write.

Whether one does mundane things like I did, takes time to work in the garden, enjoys family life, or takes an actual vacation, the key is to take time for oneself without being consumed by guilt at not writing (or whatever else you might normally prioritize in your life). 

In the end, there are multiple ways to measure productivity; but, not without taking the time for fun (or as someone once wrote, smelling the roses).