Choose Your Own Adventure: Staying Productive

I have a confession to make.

I’m not always On the Jazz.

In fact, I would go as far as to say that I’m a frequent sufferer of bluedom. It’s not quite as deep or dark as depression, but it’s a relative.

There are many days where all I want to do is sit on my butt, watch TV, eat a bunch of unhealthy food and play on my phone. But to tell you the truth, the days when I sit around and do nothing are the days I feel the least On The Jazz. In fact, I usually feel pretty lousy.

)

Recently, I’ve been feeling convicted about how many days I’ve allowed to slip by me with very little accomplished. And I’m not just talking about work stuff; I’m talking about things that I expressly have the desire to do.

But 

HOW 

do 

I 

find 

the 

kind
of
energy
and
  self-discipline

it
 takes
 to
 shake
 myself
 free
 of
  apathy? 

Maintaining a zest for life certainly isn’t easy, but in the end, my motivation is to create the most beautiful life I can have. Life is a choose your own adventure story…you can choose to waste a day or you can choose to take action.

The following is a list, some tips and tricks that help keep me focused and jazzy. I hope that on your blue days these ideas will help you.

Pump Yourself Up

Getting some exercise greatly increases your chances of having a good day. This is what I start my days with (most of the time.) Not only do I get the benefits of keeping myself healthy and strong, I get a hit from nature’s happy drug: endorphins! Believe me…endorphins are your friends.

Get Ready

When I was a kid and I would be slothing around the house in my pajamas, my mom would say to me, “Why don’t you get dressed?” Honestly, I always resented it when she’d say that. If I had the opportunity to lounge around in my PJ’s why wouldn’t I do it? Well, my mom is a smart cookie and she knows a few things about blue days, too. As an adult, I’ve found that getting ready like I’m going somewhere greatly ups my chances of productivity. Take a shower. Get dressed. Brush your teeth. Smile. You’re ready to take on the world.

Put On Some Tunes

          Music is magical. The things you listen to greatly affect your mood, whether you realize it or not. While sad or angry music has its place, never underestimate the power of happy music. Put on some music that makes you smile! My personal favorites include You Sexy Thing, Get Up Offa That Thing, and Jungle Boogie. Oh! Also Superstition! Apparently funk is a blue day eraser.

Write it Down

           Sometimes the thing that keeps us from wanting to do anything is not having a clear picture of what we need or want to do. If your mind is a swirling vortex of tasks it can be overwhelming to choose to do even one of them. The simplest solution to Taskmageddon is to make a to-do list. Simply writing down your goals for the day will allow your brain to calm down and more readily focus on something.

Environment Matters

Let There Be Light!

           Make sure you have some natural light. Many people suffer from the Winter Blues or S.A.D. (Seasonal Affective Disorder) but don’t realize it. I used to live in a basement apartment that only had one window.  For the 2 years I lived there I struggled and couldn’t fathom what was wrong with me...until I moved to an apartment with windows galore! It was as though I was different person…sunlight made all the difference.

Clean It Up! 

You’re gonna hate me for this, but let’s get real here. Make sure your workspace is clean. (I’m guilty of this one.) Trying to accomplish much in a messy space is an uphill battle. I’m not suggesting that you have a perfectly organized and flawless work space...but a little cleaning goes a long way.

Get Out of the House

            Get some fresh air. Take a walk. Soak in a few rays. Even if it’s just 5 minutes, being outside can be incredibly rejuvenating.

            Another option is to take a project to a local library or Starbucks. There’s something focusing about isolating yourself with one task out in public.

[Addendum 3/30/14: I just found this little tid-bit on another blog. Someone agrees with me!]

Take the Day Off

         If you just can’t seem to get your butt in gear, go with it and allow yourself to have a day for you, but make it a day about uplifting self-care. All those things that you “just don’t have time for” might be on the agenda:

1. Read a book
2. Journal
3. Create something
4. Write an old fashioned letter
5. Give yourself a pedicure
6. Use that gift certificate you’ve been saving for a rainy day
7. Watch that movie you borrowed from your friend a couple of years ago…

The possibilities are endless. You might just need a day off.

Celebrate

        This is my favorite one. Positivity is infectious. Likewise, apathy begets apathy. So, fill your mind with so much gratitude that apathy and negativity can’t get a foothold. This can be a bit tricky, but all you need to do is look around you and find things you like. For those of you who are scoffing at me, let me tell you a story:

        Once upon a time I woke up in the Worst. Mood. Ever. I was stomping around grumpling about how much I hated everything and kept saying that I “hated my life.” I got in my car to leave for the day and stopped short. “Self,” I said, “If you keep talking about how much you hate everything, this is going to be the worst day ever. How about we focus on things we like?” During my 15 minute drive I began to list the things I was grateful for, starting with the dumbest little thing I could find and continued until I was bubbling over with gratitude and laughter!

        This has become a way of life for me, from “celebrating” seemingly small things, like my socks or a smooth rolling pen, to the big things like a roof over my head or the people in my life.

Never underestimate the
POWER
of self-talk.

        You know that old phrase, “What’s wrong with this picture?” Try flipping it around: “What’s right with this picture?” It may just change your life.

Now, GO! 

Choose your own adventure and stay 

ON THE JAZZ!

Now tell me...What will you celebrate today?

What Does "On The Jazz" Mean?

     About a month ago I decided that I wanted to write my own blog. I had been dealing with a deterioration of what I would consider my “true” self and one day I sat up in bed with the sun shining over my bed and I said, “Life is what you make of it.” And that is, in short, what this blog is all about. 

    Next came the hard part: What should I call my blog? I wanted something that could describe having a joie de vivre, being whimsical, being in touch with your inner child, thinking outside the box, marching to the beat of your own drum even if everyone else thinks you’re crazy. The concepts were good but everything I came up with was a tired idiom and nothing seemed right. Then, at long last I had it: On The Jazz! But wait…what does that even mean? To tell you that we’ll have to take a little trip into my past:

    When I was a young girl I discovered a television show called The A-Team, and for many, many years it was my favorite thing in the world (…especially Murdock!) I know it may sound odd, but that show helped me to stay true to myself even if it meant that others thought I was weird. For a kid, having the confidence to stick to your guns is an incredible tool, especially when so many of your formative years are shrouded in peer pressure and just wanting to fit in. So, though the A-Team may seem like a dusty old piece of pop-culture it will always hold a special place in my heart.

    The phrase “On The Jazz” is lifted from various episodes of the A-Team. It was something that the members of the A-Team use to describe their leader, Hannibal, when he was forming a plan. Hannibal’s plans usually worked, but they were always a little crazy, and so they would normally say something to the effect of, “Oh, no, he’s on The Jazz!” One time a character on the show asked what “The Jazz” was and this was the reply:

    And I like it, too. But knowing where the phrase comes from doesn't really explain what it means. So, I began to think about that. What does being On The Jazz mean to me?

    The Jazz is being yourself, no apologies. It’s making the most of every moment. It’s finding something to celebrate in every day. The Jazz is following your dreams and thinking outside of the box. It’s seeing the world from a different perspective. The Jazz is sparkling eyes and a big smile. It’s doing something that scares you and loving it. It’s appreciating the small things and finding a way to tackle the big things. The Jazz is singing in the shower and catching fireflies or dancing in the rain. It’s laughing until you cry. It’s appreciating the people around you and telling them so. And most importantly, The Jazz is the best part of me. It's what I want to share with you and hopefully, in the process, you'll be On The Jazz, too.