Wordsley, Stourbridge, England: 4 degrees, cold, sunny, but the weather is trying to change.
Typically, the first week of the year is short with few classes, and depending on when January 2nd falls, it is even shorter.
Today is a day of basic routine, trying to get up early, which has been a battle while in England. Then, I exercise, which is going very well. If I’m not publishing a blog post, I go out for a walk.
I had prepared a blog post the day before, so it was just a matter of a quick revision, a proofread, and any necessary changes, and then publishing it. This has proven to be a valuable technique. Do the preparation, the bones of the work, 99.9% the day before, leave it, and in the morning, reread with a fresh mind and then publish it.
This is one more job that has been incorporated into my healthy, positive routine. In the morning, I complete a multitude of tasks without even thinking about them. Anything else is just profit!
Up early+ Exercise+ A walk+ Blog post+ Journal entry+ Classes= Productiveness!
- Productivity: is about getting more done in less time.
- Productiveness: is about doing the right things well, and ensuring the work contributes to a larger purpose or goal.
Imagine two writers. One writes 10 blog posts a day, but they are poorly written, lack originality, and don’t attract readers. The other writer writes two well-researched, engaging, and insightful blog posts a day.
The first writer is more productive in terms of quantity. The second writer is more productive in terms of quality and impact. The second writer is also demonstrating productiveness through their commitment to creating high-quality content and contributing meaningfully.
Being away from Brazil for so long gives you space to open your mind to new things and possibilities. With so much political unrest in Brazil at the moment, it is a welcome change to be out of it and all the confusion.
To be creative, you need peace and tranquillity. If you are working and rushing, trying to survive from one day to another in a frantic mode all the time, it is almost impossible. Creativity can also be interpreted as problem-solving, organisation, preparation, etc. Many facets of creativity are not immediately apparent, which helps us be more efficient and productive.
Here in England, everything appears to be correct, and to be right, it’s so difficult to follow rules, laws, guidelines, etc. It’s not easy; it’s much easier to break them. However, by following them, we usually improve and can move forward.
This is probably why, to a certain extent, Brazil is in its current position today, and England is in its own. Brazil is a special country; it is beautiful, and its people are warm and exciting, but it is clear to me that Brazil is exceptionally poorly managed on all levels. From the president, down through the other layers of society, with an over-manned and expensive civil service and into large organisations and further into small businesses.
I believe that much of this has been inherited from the past and an outdated mentality. Skilled and semi-skilled labour is so cheap that it doesn’t necessarily have to be efficient or organised. However, today, all running and living costs, especially in Brazil, have increased exponentially, leaving the country in a delicate situation.
Due to the new reality and globalisation with the rest of the world, organisation, efficiency, and quality control are paramount in a global market.
I don’t know how long it will take to have real peace in Brazil, let’s say with most of the population united to go in the same direction, all wanting the better for the country and not just themselves whilst also there is always a feeling of desperation in Brazil as the government says that it wants to help you but really wants to fuck you.
There is a feeling of despair in the air all the time. Perhaps you can get a job done, but it is usually only resolved temporarily or superficially, and this applies to everything in our lives here in Brazil.
I understand that England has its issues. However, I can’t help but feel that people here are somewhat spoiled, relaxed, and comfortable compared to past generations, as I’ve mentioned in a previous blog. It seems like everyone has a nice car and wears good clothes, yet many are also in debt and struggling with depression.
Moreover, as people get older, the likelihood of experiencing poor health increases. This isn’t just about the natural ageing process; I also believe that the weather in England takes a toll on people’s well-being, affecting them down to their bones.
In Brazil, people are generally content with little money in their pockets and understand the reality and responsibility of having to work to survive.
Today has been a good, productive day, and with the added bonus of not having late classes, I was finished at 5:00 in the afternoon.
In bed by midnight.
Thank you.
Thanks for reading this blog post. Please explore my other posts and share your thoughts in the comments section.
Richard
