the upsides and downsides of being extremely productive

For those who know me well, know what I'm talking about.

Since September 28, I have been pushing the limit of what I thought was possible. I am currently taking both the full-time work and a full-time Masters degree course. And if anything, that doesn't explain the other things I do.

The upsides:

- You don't lose track of time

Martin would cheer to this. When you're extremely productive, you don't lose track of time easily. As a matter of fact, you know exactly where your time goes. Fitting your schedule with meaningful activities differ your time hour to hour, day to day, week to week and that kind of effort doesn't lie. You know you've done things.

- You know that you really didn't know what you're capable of

Once in a while, test your limit. Test it to know to what extent you can stretch yourself. I want to say be gentle but also be brave to yourself. It's okay. Do it. Do it while you're still young. Do it especially you're no longer young. Who cares. But I think most of us underestimate what we can do. Be outrageous. Do it. Take your chances. You do have time.

- Reap what you sow

Pretty self-explanatory. If you want something and your work for it and being radically open-minded, Ray Dalio has said that there is virtually nothing you cannot achieve.

The downsides:

- Helplessly restless

Even when I have ticked all the to-do list, I feel the need to do more. As if there is always something I need to do and can be doing.

- It can be like a kind of addiction

Try me, I say, looking to another challenge, signing myself up to another one. And another. Sometimes this is great, sometimes it's not. You know, too much of anything is never good.

How to handle it:

- You are no robots

Take and value your break. It doesn't have to be a meditation or any kind of productive break (if there's any). Binge watch that shows. Scroll mindlessly on social media. Acknowledge that your brain and body need break from thinking and give them just that.

- Podomoro

This relates to the break but understands that a 25-minute deep work is more effective than any hours of unproductive ones. 

- Talk to someone

But don't vent. I know because I used to be like that. I got stressed out and I vented. It doesn't do any good. I got stressed out for my own choices and people don't need to take the garbage for that. Talk and listen to other people. Shift your mind from thinking about work-work-time to other people. Practice empathy and listening.

- Write

If you really can't help to vent, write it down. But know that you're responsible for what your actions are.