Escape the Productivity and Performance Trap with Sensuality

In Episode 11 of The Shameless Wisdom Podcast with Natacha Guyot, PhD,we discuss the negative effects of the productivity and performance traps that plague our society, even our personal lives, and how sensuality can help you create an alternative.

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Do you feel like your hobbies and any other aspect of your personal life are literally too focused on performance and productivity?

Productivity and hustling.

They’ve become a baseline into our work and career.

And patriarchal considerations about sex have made it all about performance.

We have so much to gain from removing ourselves from the productivity and performance traps, especially when it comes to fun activities, leisure time, creative and passion projects, and yes, our intimate lives.

However, giving ourselves grace in the process is extremely important because it's not a once and done deal, at least for most of us, it's not.

When we are able to move away from being too focused on productivity and performance, we can be more present in our experiences, have more fun, get more pleasure, and overall live a more fulfilling life.

Sensuality can play a critical role in embracing a more pleasure focused and experience-based lifestyle.

First of all, let's talk about the issues with being focused with performance and productivity at all times.

There is nothing wrong with having goals and achieving them and bringing your dreams to life.

However, if you tie every single aspect of your life to performance and productivity, it can have a lot of negative effects on your physical, emotional, and mental health, as well as your relationships.

For example, if you pack your schedule with too many activities, especially some that you're actually not really interested in doing, and that you have high expectations in all your leisure activities, creative projects, and hobbies, you may find yourself suffering from burnout.

Reduced enjoyment of activities that you used to love is also a common side effect of making every hour of the day count, especially when you're also really wanting to achieve peak performance in any activity that you're engaging in.

The constant pressure of your life and fun activities looking a certain way can also impact your well-being.

In turn, it can exacerbate perfectionist tendencies when you think that everything has to be a certain way.

After all, your hobbies and other leisure activities should be opportunities for relaxation and exploration.

Speaking of creativity, when your passion projects are caught in the trap of performance and productivity, you may find your imaginative and innovative skills just tank.

Creativity benefits from relaxed and unstructured environments, and this may go as far as an eroded sense of identity as you are focused more into doing rather than being.

The good news is that tapping into your senses can make a positive difference.

Tapping in any of your successes can help you slow down and be more present in the current experience.

Thanks to be sensory approach, you may become more intentional about the activities you are engaging in, and one thing to remember about intentions, that it does not have to be related to a specific goal or outcome.

You may just have the desire to experience certain emotions, or you know, just have fun when you approach a specific activity, and although many activities engage multiple senses, you can also decide to prioritize a specific sense that you really enjoy tapping into.

You can become more relaxed and also find yourself more curious and open-minded again and explore new things or other things that used to bring you joy but that you forgot what it felt like.

Depending on the types of sensory experiences that you engage in, you may also get health benefits for your physical well-being, your cognitive function, or even your sleep quality.

Are you unsure of what types of sensory experiences you would like to engage in?

I've got you covered.

In my free sensuality workbook, you will find 84 practical suggestions to tap in any of your six senses in either a non-sexual or sexual way.

Now do not be daunted.

You do not have to try the 84 suggestions at once or ever.

You can just browse through it and see what catches your attention.

I will drop the link in the description below, so you can go download your copy.

Now let's talk about our sensuality can help us integrate body, mind and soul.

When it comes to sexual experiences, prioritizing sensuality instead of performance can help you out a more holistic experiences that is much more pleasurable.

This help you stop obsessing over social expectations, which most of them are rooted in patriarchy and the male gaze.

Focusing on one or more senses as you engage in solo or partnered activities can help you be more present in the moment, and also find yourself more comfortable instead of obsessing over what you look, what you sound like, for example, and just be there for the journey.

Making sexual activities about the journey rather than the destination can also foster a deeper connection, including when you are doing it on your own.

Because you get to be more in tune with yourself, your desires, and what you like.

As such, it can bring eroticism back to the forefront.

A key element is to give yourself time and kindness as you reconnect or connect with your sensuality, and also remember that it is different navigating situations on your own or in a partnered situation.

Introspection and clear and open communication can do wonders as you embrace your sexuality.

Your central journey in both ins, non-sexual and sexual aspects.

It’s a lifelong adventure.

So, that's it for today.

I hope that the short unpacking of how productivity and performance can hinder our leisure activity and personal life was helpful to you.

And I hope that you feel more ready to rewrite discrete and reclaim your narrative, especially when it comes to fun and pleasure.

If today's episode resonated, join us in the Shameless Lair on Patreon to embody a revolution.

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