}
If you were in high school during the early 2000s, you may have come across a strange phenomenon called Spanish telenovela. I know, it may be common for some of you, but in my area (southeast asia) it was an interesting phenomenon. Here we have long-running series that don't seem to ever end! I remember coming back from school, catching a few episodes, got hooked, and got bored. After giving up on it, I was drawn back to it because all my friends were speaking about it. In many ways, I think staying productive is a lot like watching a Spanish telenovela or a very long K-drama.
You've Got to Stick With it
When you're watching a long drama that is more than 50 episodes long, you've got to stick with it through thick and thin. These days, we have Netflix and you can binge-watch all 50 episodes, no problem! But there was a time before Netflix where you have to really commit to watching a series.
Commitment, in this case, entails watching it the series at the prescribed time that the network has set it at. Those were the days of such inconvenience. That being said, even with the ability to binge-watch an entire season, you'll still have to stick with it.
That I feel is how one can stay productive, you have to stick to whatever schedule that you have set for yourself. No matter how difficult or how inconvenient it may be, if you have set aside an hour a day to be productive, you have to stick with it. This can include being productive at learning a new skill or even just spending some extra time on a project. You have to stick with it.
You Need Like-minded Friends
Of course, it gets really lonely trying to be productive after a while. This is especially the case when you're trying to be productive while your friends are out having fun. As such, it is important to have friends who are aiming to be productive too.
Having like-minded friends also means that you can keep each other in check. That means when you feel like slacking off, they will give you a good smack off =)
This is the case when it came to me and my series binging quest. I got bored after a few episodes but was forced to watch it again because, well, peer pressure. Hence, having like-minded friends is a great help.
At the end of the day, it can be hard to stay productive with so many distractions around. It is important to make sure that you stick with it and have good friends to keep you on track. Do that, and before you know it, you'll have a new skill under your belt!