#redefining productivity

[chronicles-of-a-student]

 Wednesday, 30.12.30. ♡

We are getting towards the end of the year my dears.

Featuring, a quiet rainy morning on our tiny garden’s porch. 

-Had my favorite latte under the porch with my mom

-Listened to “The Long Day Closes” by Arthur Sullivan (1842-1900), a piece that comes from the book “Year of Wonder, Classical Music for every day” from Clemency Burton-Hill. Today’s selection is a particularly soft and calming secular song.

“Setting words by the arts critic, writer, editor, poet (and professional gossip) Henry Fothergill Chorley, it conjures a pensive mood for the penultimate day of the year.” 

Sullivan was apparently an author of “part-songs” which are “pieces written for several vocal parts” at a time where in Victorian England, “amateur choral societies were springing up around the land and groups of families and friends were revelling in the sheer delight of coming together to sing songs”

What fuels my productivity and sense of purpose ultimately is those little spaces in between of celebrating people I care about and the beauty in simple moments.

I hope everyone find a little moment simply for being today, x

[chronicles-of-a-student]

Thursday, 07.01.21. 18/100 days of productivity

-Woke up late at 10.30am.

-Took a long walk at the local parc, sat on bench feeling blessed, looking at the dogs joyfully gathering and trying to perceive their unique personality traits while soaking in the sun. Fresh air is such a powerful energizing force to me:).

-Naped for 25′ with my cat.

-Started my Chap 3 in Anthropology of Religion + did extended reading on social constructivism.

-Watched a Visual Etnography on the Funeral Practices from the Ibaloy in Philippines.

-Finished the summary and reflexive commentary on 1/3 interviews.

-Finished an additional summary of my second interview.

Sometimes, as a student, your job is to put everything you have got in reading, processing and learning - that goes hand in hand with taking appropriate time off and rest when needed ♡. 

I hope you find ways to recharge, honoring the multi faceted being you are, x

[chronicles-of-a-student]

Friday, 08.01.21. 19/100 days of productivity

-Finished summarizing all my interviews

-Finished writing reflexive commentaries for all my interviews

-Finished completing the research document with our twenty interviews, adding mine to it

-Had a 1h nap due to chronic condition

-Attempted to read more Anthropology of Religion (and failed after two pages)

-Watched Ep6 of S2 from ‘Anne with an e’ while having a bath

I didn’t do nearly as much as I wanted to accomplish today... It’s fine... I guess today is one of those days where my energy levels feels at its bottom... The crispy part of not being a linear being:). Hopefully tomorrow gets better, I still have a huge amount of content to review still until my exam on the 11th to be honest. Stress is rising and my body definitely is feeling it. 

Studying is so solitary sometimes so I had a call with a friend and planned something with my boyfriend on the day I finish my next exam. Writing here everyday keeps me accountable and hopeful I will get through this... Thank you beautiful community, even tough I know none of you.

You will make it through, x

[chronicles-of-a-student]

Saturday, 09.01.21. 20/100 days of productivity

-Read Chap 3, Classical figures for Anthropology of Religion

-Read the Chapter on defining Religion from Durkheim

-Read the Chapter about Durkheim’s conclusions (from ‘Les formes élémentaires de la vie religieuse’)

-Went visiting my favorite tree at the local park... this walk just filled me with happiness, it’s below zero and my eyelashes where filled with frozen droplets of water:).

On to a better working flow today, still hundreds of pages of reading to get done. Studying with calm music and candles lighted tonight

I wish you rest, laughter and peace for the weekend, xx 

[thecrastinationprofessional-blog]

redefining productivity (12/09/12)

Instead of answering these questions, I buried my head into my laptop, devouring, for the very first time, Breaking Bad and The Walking Dead—two high caliber shows, in my humble opinion. The resulting gap in productivity was disappointing, but meth and zombies tend to be addicting, so I overlooked it. At one point, I even questioned if I was really being that unproductive. After all, productivity is relative to some set of goals; maybe I shouldn’t buy into the notion that television is a pollutant of the psyche, period. Forever and ever, amen. I get to set the criteria for what I'll count as productive, and as an aspiring writer, I feel that I have it pretty easy. If I squander too many hours on Netflix, I can always chalk it up to: “Guess I got carried away, studying my craft.” That sounds like an excuse, and maybe half of the time it is, so I’ve really tried to move away from passive absorption of television—of anything at all, really. I turn on closed captioning whenever possible, because it really helps me to understand the strength of the dialogue in isolation. Still, I find myself pondering whether I’ve somehow been derailed.

One powerful countermeasure for me has been to download screenplays of cinematic classics, as well as movies that I personally find compelling. (The overlap isn’t exactly great.) Although dissecting screenwriting is still fun, mostly due to my insanity, I find that I’m better serving my goal of studying the craft. I’m immersed in language alone.

There’s still a time and place for Netflix. Context matters so much when it comes to productivity. Maybe I should give myself a break. After all, I’ve just completed some fairly awesome projects. (Pride tastes awfully foreign, by the way. I'm considering dousing it in Sriracha.) Perhaps I’m recharging and I should enjoy these holidays.

Who knows?

-J