Productivity and personal knowledge management, also known as PKM, is a hobby of mine. That sounds funny, but I love to organize things and often take it to such extremes that I never really accomplish anything other than nicely organized files. I treat productivity as a project which I can do and then move on, when it really requires a life- or work-style change.
Using Tarot to Control Compulsive “Productivity”
I’m using a system now that I’m really happy with. Based on Building a Second Brain by Tiago Forte, it turns productivity on its head by focusing on producing and creating rather than just collecting and organizing. Since I started, I’ve blogged for 62 straight days, never running out of topics. My not-so-secret addition to Forte’s system is Tarot.
Using the Tarot for productivity requires some self-awareness. We need to be aware of when we are just spinning our wheels or, in my case, organizing just to organize. Since I seem to get a real dopamine hit just from the activity of organizing things, it is hard to break away, but I can recognize the feel now and grab a Tarot deck to pull a card.
Tarot Puts Me Back in the Productive Zone
This morning I couldn’t decide what to blog about, so I messed around, wasting time on social media and, surprise, surprise, collecting more stuff for my second brain. When I realized that an hour had passed with no article written I stopped and pulled the Seven of Wands.
The Seven of Wands is about protecting your boundaries. It tells us that our current achievements are worth fighting any barriers that keep us from continuing on. How? Well, like the figure in this card, sometimes we just run in with what we have at hand and do what needs to be done.
For me, that meant writing about the problem. Not only am I creating something, but it reminds me that productivity systems exist to…(wait for it)…make us more productive!
Tarot As a Productivity Tool
My current goal is to recognize when I’m organizing to soothe rather than to accomplish something. To do that, during the times I should be creating something, I set a timer for 20 minutes. When it goes off I ask myself if I’m actually creating something. If not, I pull a Tarot card. If I’m just procrastinating because I’m not sure what the next step is, the card puts me back into creation mode.
Heaven and Earth Tarot
I’m learning Spanish through Duolingo (202 day streak!) and practice every day for 20-60 minutes. Once it is done, I move on to other things, but taking those small, dedicated lessons every day means I now listen to Spanish-language television and pretty much understand what I hear.
My interpretation for this card was to tackle a small step in each of my ongoing projects, using a timer to spend just 20 minutes on each. By the time the first timer sounded, I was making progress in a project that was giving me issues. Sticking with it meant that I actually completed the project that day! This is how productivity is enhanced by Tarot.
You Don’t Need Tarot For Productivity
Tarot cards aren’t necessary to be productive, of course. You might use lists, breaking down your projects into little pieces and then marking off each bit on your list as you do them. Productivity for you might come a lot easier. For someone who tends towards the compulsive end of the spectrum, Tarot is a tool to change focus to something useful.
What tools do you use for productivity? Would you consider using a non-traditional tool like Tarot to help you stay on track? Let me know in the comments!
What Clients are Saying about Sophrosyne Tarot
I was advised to ask open-ended questions instead of predictive questions which I thought was helpful because I never would have known if it weren’t for the reader. The reader provided the reading along with some advice too so the entire reading was very thorough and explained in an understandable manner.
Everything said was accurate and helpful for me to identify my flaws in order to grow as a person. I have learned a lot about tarot and what it does to help me.
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