Ravi Vora

You don’t have to work hard to be productive.

Instead, have fun. Productivity is just a side effect when you’re doing the right things.

Since I’m a big fan of doing things the easiest and most entertaining way, I’ve compiled a bunch of ways to waste time productively.

Play productive games

Have fun playing games while secretly becoming smarter.

• Lumosity - Increase your brain activity while you play. These games are surprisingly fun and challenging.
• Do crossword puzzles - They not only improve memory, but they increase your problem solving skills and can keep you up with pop culture.
• Cranium - This is my favorite board game of all time. It will be yours too once you play it.
• Jeopardy - Bet your friend a dollar to whoever wins the game and try to answer before the contestants can.

Get Inspired

Enjoy the pretty pictures and sounds that surround you.

• Look at good art - Great artists, whether discovered or not, can be a great way to get your creative drive in gear.
• See interesting photography - Good or bad, the photography should be unique and creative to get you going creatively.
• Discover good music - Music that you already like is good, but new music will expand your horizons.
• Watch a movie that isn’t mainstream - A movie everyone has seen is a good start, but watching a movie like Tsotsi will really give you a new perspective.

Write

Do something with all those English classes you’ve taken.

• Write a journal - Work on your writing skills or just do it to remember what you did that day.
• Blog - There are a million reasons to blog, so why not get started?
• Make a book - It’s easier than ever to get published nowadays. Not to mention it feels pretty awesome to say you’ve written a book.

Draw

Feed your creative side.

• If you don’t know how, learn - Being able to express yourself creatively will bring you a lot of happiness.
• Start a sketchbook - You can see how you progress as an artist.
• Draw pictures as your todo list - A fun way to remember what you have o do for the day.

Read

I love to relax with a good book.

• Read a book
• Find a new book to read - Tired of stuffy literature? Try a new book that is similar to something you already like.
• Read online
• Read blogs
• Browse wikipedia - You’ll be amazed at the random things you find.

Watch smart television

Sitting on the couch can actually be considered productive (if done correctly).

• The Discovery channel - Shows like Planet Earth and Mythbusters are entertaining and educational.
• The History channel - Don’t let the name fool you, there are a lot of interesting shows on this channel.
• The Learning Channel - Fairly self-explanatory, but often a missed opportunity to learn and enjoy.
• Food Network - Really fun shows like Iron Chef and my personal favorite, Everyday Italian with Giada De Laurentiis, make this channel addictive.
• Try to avoid MTV and Vh1 - They seem to actually make you dumber.

Get fit

A healthy body lets you eat another cookie and not feel bad about it.

• Work out - Have fun with it though. The easiest way to do that is to have a workout buddy.
• Do yoga - It is relaxing and enjoyable more than it is hard work.
• Go for a run - Clear your head and relieve some stress.
• Pick up a martial art - One of the most fun ways to get in shape is to kick some ass.
• Box - If you’re a sucker for pain, then pick up boxing. I did for a few months and was in the best shape of my life.

Do nothing

No, it’s not an oxymoron to do nothing and be productive.

• Meditate - There are many benefits from meditating and it’s not nearly as boring as it sounds. Find out what’s going on in your own head.
• Observe - Being able to sit back and observe what goes on around you can lead to millions of possibilities. Try it sometime and you’ll see how beneficial it can be.

Now when you decide that you don’t want to work anymore it won’t be such a waste of time. You can have fun while being productive. Yes, it’s possible.

Now go own the world.

-Ravi Vora

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