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This week we’re chatting about having expectations for productivity shattered and what to do about it. Also checking in with you after the US Thanksgiving holiday.
Hey there! If you’re in the US, how was Thanksgiving? What food did you eat? I’m always interested in what food was eaten, even if it was Chinese takeout (Roasted duck? Shrimp fried rice?).
I’ll tell you how my Thanksgiving went in the comments. As far as I know? It’s my job to make an air fried turkey breast, dressing, and macaroni and cheese. But we’re also having a super small Thanksgiving this year too so not as much pressure.
But okay, you know the two questions I’ve gotta ask every week:
What’s one thing you’re celebrating this week?
What’s something that was challenging this week?
I realize in my overeagerness to work ahead last week, that I didn’t share my own celebration or challenge. Just the origin of the two questions I ask every week.
I have a few to share of each from this past week (as in two weeks ago; I chat with ya two weeks in advance in a way so by the time we’re chatting this week, Thanksgiving would have been yesterday but I’m letting you know about my week from the 14th so I can get it to you on time every week). Makes sense?).
Celebrations:
Setting up an automated system! So I found out I could pay for automations for marketing and it’s a lifesaver! It’s like having your own personal assistant, I can now confirm. The only thing is when I’m trying to repurpose IG reels to TikTok, I NEVER remember to log into TikTok to finish editing to publish. Hehe, gonna have to set a daily phone alarm as a reminder.
Finally going to Trader Joe’s after over a 3 months absence! Felt SO good to restock on some of my faves from Trader Joe’s after having to go MIA for months. Thinking about making a (hopefully) quick post about my haul cause I feel it would be really telling to see what someone picks up after months of not visiting Trader Joe’s.
Finding my mom the perfect flowers. While at Trader Joe’s I found the perfect flowers for her! They were a dozen roses (her favorite), in her favorite color/color combo (yellow and red), and they smelled good! Costco’s flowers never smell good, so for only $10 to make my mom smile for days on end (she’ll sit in the living room, smell the sweet aroma of flowers, and then look at them admirably)? Absolutely priceless.
Buying a Switch Lite finally. So there was a game I played when I was a kid on the Dreamcast called Worms Armageddon, and I looked up the Switch to see if they had their own version… and they did! And it was on sale for $1.99! But you needed to have a Switch to buy it. So I bought a used one… but too late. It’s off-sale and back to $29 (booo!)... But I still finally have a Switch!
Challenges:
My chipped molar. Most days it’s okay, but others it gives me such an ache! I’m no doctor, but nibbling on a clove here and there and taking a Tylenol occasionally has been helpful until I can get this tooth YANKED. It is quite distracting though when it is hurting.
A busy week last week. Between Thanksgiving prep, doctor appointments, and facing new hurdles in my personal life… it was a busy week for me to try and keep up with my “staying ahead” schedule (and I failed miserably).
My luteal phase. I’ve been loosely observing this thing called “cycle syncing” as a person with a period to see when my highest energy weeks are and my lowest ones (where my PMDD also tends to flare up and debilitate me).
You ever have high expectations for your week or day? Like, you just know you’re gonna get so. much. done.
And theeeen… you don’t.
That was me last week. I lost my “I’m working ahead” streak and didn’t finish anything for the following week.
I was so excited too! I got the Switch and was ready to chill and play more than work but the weekend just ended up being a frantic catch-up before the launch.
You’ve gotta try to remember to be gentle with yourself during those times though.
I’ve learned enough during the week though! Especially how to pivot if need be (I focused the WHOLE week trying to push through an article when I should’ve let go and let a solution come to me).
So I’m gonna try to see what I can do to get done for the launch and to work ahead before my cycle comes (aka my lowest energy, and potentially worst mood).
How do you usually bounce back from days or weeks that weren’t productive?
Lemme know!
Items and Resources Mentioned
Not much this time! I was literally just spending most of the week just trying to get work done as best I could but it didn’t happen.
Would love to chat about productivity expectations some more, so leave comments below!
I’m off to keep playing catchup! See you next week.
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