In a world often driven by hustle culture and the relentless pursuit of productivity, there exists a quieter, gentler approach to life that speaks to the whispers of our heart that tell us to: slow down. This alternative path, known as soft productivity, champions the idea of aligning one's actions with one's deepest desires and commitments, all while honoring the rhythm of one's own life.
Soft productivity is a philosophy rooted in the belief that true fulfillment arises not from the relentless pursuit of external markers of success but from the deliberate cultivation of harmony between one's actions and one's innermost desires.
For many, the idea of living a soft, productivity life is all about recognizing that our dreams are not mere destinations to be reached through sheer force of will, but ongoing commitments to be nurtured and honored each day. As the one adage puts it, consistency will get you a lot further than intensity.
By putting soft productivity into practice, one can learn that progress is not always measured in monumental achievements, but in the steady accumulation of small, intentional acts aligned with our deepest passions.
What if success looked less like a frantic race to the top and more like a leisurely stroll through our imagination, hopes, and desires? Soft productivity invites us to embrace a holistic approach to living that honors the interconnectedness of exploring our interests while living a life that’s in alignment with our deepest values and aspirations.
To help you live a life of soft productivity, consider these five tips:
1.Clarify Your Values and Priorities:
Take the time to reflect on what truly matters to you. What are your core values? What brings you joy and fulfillment? By gaining clarity on your values and priorities, you can align your actions with what truly matters, allowing you to focus your time and energy on the things that bring you the most satisfaction.
2.Practice Mindfulness and Presence:
Cultivate a practice of mindfulness in your daily life. Take moments throughout the day to pause, breathe, and center yourself in the present moment. Whether it's through meditation, journaling, or simply taking a walk in nature, finding moments of stillness can help you reconnect with yourself and your innermost desires.
3.Set Intentional Goals:
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Rather than chasing after external markers of success, set goals that are aligned with your values and aspirations. Be intentional about what you want to achieve and why it matters to you. Break down your goals into smaller, manageable steps that can be marked by internal validation and growth over external factors, and trust the process.
4.Embrace Imperfection:
Understand that perfection is an illusion and that mistakes are an inevitable part of the learning process. Instead of striving for perfection, embrace imperfection as a natural part of the journey. Allow yourself to take risks, make mistakes, and learn from failure, knowing that growth often comes from adversity. Be kind to yourself and practice self-compassion in your daily life — let go of self-judgment and embrace self-acceptance, knowing that you are worthy of your dreams and desires while going at your own pace to achieve them.
5.Focus on Process Over Outcome:
Shift your focus from the end result to the process itself. Instead of fixating on the outcome, enjoy the journey and savor the experience of growth and learning along the way. Celebrate small victories and milestones, knowing that progress is a journey, not a destination.
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Again, the answer never changes because, if there is one thing that Shellie Reneé Warren is gonna get, it’s 6-8 (sometimes nine) hours of sleep. However, since my chronotype (check out “Ever Wonder What Personality Traits Make Someone A 'Morning Person'?”) means that I like/prefer to write in the wee hours of the morning, sometimes I will sleep for the night for five hours and take a nap in the day. And y’all, that is just fine with me because I am well aware of the fact that napping does everything from give me more energy, heighten my alertness and even make me more creative to decrease stress levels, strengthen immunity, and reduce my chances of experiencing a heart attack or stroke.
My problem is I will oftentimes go “overboard” with my daytime zzz’s. What I mean by that is, in order to get the most out of a nap, they say thatyou shouldn’t sleep for longer than 25 minutes or so; otherwise, you could wake up feeling sluggish (I don’t but…). Also, it can make resting, soundly, at night a bit of a struggle.
So, what are you saying, Shellie? We should get quickies in? Yeah. And it’s funny that the word “quickie” would come up because just like a sex quickie can do wonders for you (and it can — check out “12 Super Solid Reasons To Have A Quickie Every Single Day”), it’s a full-circle moment when I say that something that can improve the quality of your sex life is to have a power nap (a nap that lasts between 10-30 minutes).
Wanna know how the two things correlate? Honestly, it’s no secret that sleep and sex work together to optimize both (check out “6 Fascinating Ways Sex And Sleep Definitely Go Hand In Hand”). Today, though, we’re going to tap into how a nap, specifically, can have you partaking in some of the best sex that you’ve experienced in a minute. I’ll explain.
Naps Reduce Stress
GiphyIf you’re feeling super stressed out right now, you are not alone. There is plenty of data out here that says that most of us are stressed for at least a couple of reasons at a time — and that can impact your sexual health on a few levels. For one thing, it can bring about feelings of depression and/or anxiety. Stress can also throw your hormone levels off (including your cycle) which can weaken your libido. Stress can make you want to put distance between you and your partner (yes, literally).
Stress can also make it challenging to get aroused or to have an orgasm. And just what can help to decrease stress? Taking a nap. Since sleep has a way of helping you to “get off of the clock” and relax a bit, that can lower your stress levels and “reset” your body so that you are calmer — and that, in turn, can do wonders for your sex drive and ultimately your sex life.
Naps Improve Your Mood
GiphyThere is one person in my life, and fairly 80 percent of the time, she’s in a super good mood. Oh, but let that girl go without sleep, and…who is this woman? LOL. There’s research behind why this happens. When a person is sleep-deprived, it messes with their brain chemicals, and that can amplify emotions like anger, restlessness and sadness. In fact, one study revealed that people who had their sleep disrupted throughout the night, they ended up having their positive outlook on life reduced by about 30 percent.
And geeze, who wants to have sex when they’re not feeling very good? Anyway, since serotonin is a neurotransmitter that helps to regulate your moods, your sleep patterns, and your libido and sleep is what helps to keep it in balance — by taking a nap, not only can it help you to feel better, it can also increase your desire for sex (it can also build up your endurance which is also…sexually beneficial).
Naps Increase Your Focus and Concentration
GiphySomething that some of my clients bring up is how, when it comes to having sex, sometimes the flesh is willing while the spirit is weak because, although the desire for intimacy is there, so much is going on that they aren’t able to get still enough to focus on experiencing copulation with their partner. This also tracks because, when you don’t have enough rest, your brain finds itself not working in harmony and that can make it hard to do everything from approaching life with a sense of flexibility to making necessary decisions.
Certain data also reveal that a lack of rest can cause you to have a really poor attention span and not process things in context (the more you know). So, if you really want to get some yet it’s hard for you to focus long enough to make it happen, ask your bae to lie down with you and take a nap. Between the sleep and the snuggling (check out “Fall's Coming: 8 Wonderful Health Benefits Of Cuddling”) — you may wake up with your mind and body totally on the same page. #wink
Naps Can Make You Feel Better About Your Body
GiphyEven if, overall, you feel really good about your body, I think that we all have moments when we feel less attractive than others — and who wants to have sex when they don’t really feel…very sexy? Well, something else that sleep, in general, can do is increase your confidence in your body.
For one thing, if you want to lose a few pounds, sleep can actually make that happen by helping your body metabolize the glucose (sugar) that’s in it so that you can better manage your appetite. Other studies go on to share that since sleep deprivation can impact one’s mental health and emotional stability in a negative way, of course, getting enough rest would increase body positivity.
Shoot, science even goes so far as to say that insomnia can cause people to have an elevated level of dissatisfaction when it comes to their body image. Don’t take their word for it, though. Look in the mirror before a nap. Then look in a mirror after waking up from me. Do you feel better? I’d be surprised if you don’t.
Makes Your Brain Bigger…Which Could Make Your Orgasms Better
GiphyI saved the best for last by design. Now if you’re wondering how in the world a nap can improve (and possibly increase) your orgasms — oh, there is a method to the madness…trust. For starters, the saying that your biggest sex organ is your brain? That isn’t a myth. Long story less long, the brain is what houses your central nervous system and that is what controls how men and women sexually function (yes, literally).
And since the brain also releases feel-good chemicals like dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin during sex and brain activity significantly increases in women during sexual activity (especially right before she orgasms) — well, would it trip you out to know that when you take a nap, your brain actually expands? A bigger brain (that’s healthy) can potentially intensify your sexual experiences (and your climaxes) — and who doesn’t want that to go down?
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Like I said earlier, I never have to be convinced to get a nap in. However, if your sex life has been a bit stagnant lately, you’ve been feeling a little sluggish and you’re not sure what to do — I’m hoping that a nap can get you right.
There’s enough science to prove that it can. All you need to do is give it a shot.
Now where’s your pillow and sleep mask, chile?
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