On the morning of December 24, 2022,

My family and I decided to take advantage of the winter weather and enjoy the jacuzzi. Once in the house, we stepped into ankle-high, frigid water; our pipes froze. In the aftermath, with the help of insurance, we booked a nearby hotel. Usually, in hotels, I get cozy, binge a show I enjoy, et cetera. But, my brother, who lived out of state, wanted to explore and invited me to the local library.

Previously, I had fallen out of a reading habit in favor of condensed (and certainly more flashy) clips of topics on YouTube, Twitter, and Reddit. Despite this, I went and uncovered two books: Atomic Habits by James Clear and Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport. It had been a while since I read books about appealing topics on my own accord. Unbeknownst to me, this was the beginning to my ever growing pursuit of self-productivity present in this blog.

Many think we all are running the productivity race. That our placement is the outcome of our work and willingness to analyze our methods. That adapting to the road ahead is necessary in this climate. That intentional living wins medals.

I agree with everything except one thing, the race is ongoing; it’s a productivity chase. I’ll never catch up to my what ifs, could haves, and should haves. This doesn’t mean we can’t reap what we sow… far from it. Pursuit of fruitfulness is always better than the negligence that cripples the chance to reach your potential.

These are the observations, suggestions, and applications from my productivity chase.

Enjoy.

-Chase