This is an interesting article in the NY Times, (Stop Trying to Be Productive) because in a lot of ways, it’s true. Like I see a lot of fitness stuff (fitness influencers are having the time of their lives right now) and I think- good luck with that! Lucky for you with winter coming, you can hide those pounds acquired from all that panic-buying under your winter layers 😂.

My advantage is that I’m used to it. Before living in New Zealand, and back home in Pangasinan, I spent three lucrative years doing ‘freelance writing’ after quitting work at the Provincial Government. It was 24/7 and full on in front of your computer the whole day. I’d take a breather and finish at 6pm after which I’d either go out on my motorcycle or bicycle, or go drinking with friends. On weekends, I’d let the help rest and I would buy and cook anything I wanted for the family (my mom and my brother and his family). I really didn't go anywhere else and my circle of friends was small and I never did see them that often. I never deviated from that schedule though I went to the gym on and off.

When I got to New Zealand, it was more of the same and even more so because I don’t drive. Weekends are the library, or the mall, and making meals of course.

Probably the only thing that I miss is going to the supermarket because yes, I go to the shops nearly everyday. While I can plan meals seven days in advance in my head, there is a day when I suddenly don’t like to make what I had planned. A food ingredient, or a craving or a dish’s complexity would trigger it and I would reshuffle in my head, all the ingredients I have on hand and see if I need to get something I don’t have in my pantry.

Otherwise, easing into this is like slipping into your pajamas. Sure, I’d like to do more and be more ambitious like everyone else, but it’s really one chore at a time which I’m ticking off. People don’t realise that accomplishing even what seems to be the smallest of things is in itself, a big deal; eg. we would grab a paper napkin, or posted mail to use as a coaster when we’re in the lounge with drinks so we wouldn’t ruin the surface of this $800 coffee-table we bought a couple of months ago. Today, I went to the garage and hunted down these left-over ceramic tile pieces that we threw out, sanded the bottom and now they’re on the coffee-table as coasters- took all of 20 minutes. I finally also repurposed a plant-pot into a pencil and pen and finally got to organise all the drawing stuff I have still in their boxes; and as a result, out of their boxes, I was able to clear my desk and have space for other things.

I also cleaned the bathroom; sorted my shoes; looked up a site where we could buy lamb for Easter and vacuumed (you can never vacuum enough).

And yes, as I’ve planned, I was able to make an apple and feijoa crumble as well.

Being truly productive is using the time you have for things that really matter to you- and not from what you see or read from the goddamned Internet.