Can Human Design Change Your View Of Productivity?
Innately, I think we all realize the way we view productivity in many Western cultures is a bit toxic.
The focus has been on how much you can get done, sometimes regardless of how that impacts our mental and physical health, our relationships, our sense of purpose & fulfillment, and our overall quality of life.
It’s why people brag about “no days off!” or rarely taking a vacation.
It’s why you have people passing out due to exhaustion.
I do not believe this is what life is meant to be.
When I talk about optimizing your energy, it’s about using your energy in a way that allows you to get things done while honoring your capabilities and the way in which your mind and body are designed. When we’re aware of the ways we are different, showing respect to those differences in turn not only allows us to be more productive, but also experience life in the way it was meant to be experienced. Full of joyful experiences, connection, moments of learning, and evolving. I believe that’s what we’re all here for regardless of what your job is.
When you understand yourself, you stop clinging to old systems, beliefs, and strategies that worked for other people and become open to experimenting to learn what works for you. This is what frees up time, space, and energy for the things you love.
Human Design is a tool available to you to learn about how you are uniquely designed to make decisions, how your work & rest cycles operate, the environments you thrive in, and how you show up in this world.
Your Human Design bodygraph reveals a lot of information about you when you dig into all of the details. In this post, we’ll highlight some key points that reveals what productivity may look like for you.
Your Human Design Type
Of the 5 types, each operates differently with some having more energy to work in the traditional sense of how we define productivity. However, that still does not mean anyone should work to a point of burnout, but I digress. Lol.
Manifestor
You are here to initiate and get the ball rolling on things. Ideas flow to you with ease and it’s up to you to inform others of those ideas in order to inspire them to take action. Because you do not have your sacral center defined, you do not have the energy to work long shifts and even the traditional 8 hour work day can feel like a struggle for you. You are more productive when you work in short creative bursts. You also thrive with autonomy.
Projector
You are gifted at seeing the birds-eye view of how we can work more efficiently by using the resources available in the best possible way. And with this perspective, productivity can increase. You’re adept at taking the role as an advisor or guide vs rolling up your sleeves and trying to get a lot of work done yourself. This is because you have an undefined sacral center that doesn’t provide a consistent flow of energy to get things done. Working in shorter periods of time is better for you physically and mentally.
Reflector
Your openness puts you in the best position to observe, evaluate, and then reflect what is happening in a given situation. You are able to see where the inefficiencies are occurring and how that information can be used to improve. Your energy levels fluctuate from day to day because of your undefined sacral center. Pushing yourself to work consistently in a traditional sense is a lot to expect.
Generator and Manifesting Generator
The way most of the Western world views productivity is dictated by the way you work. With your defined sacral center, you have the energy to work for long periods of time, quickly getting a lot done in a period of time. Although you have a lot of sustainable energy, you are most productive when you are doing something you actually enjoy. If not, it’s easy to become burned out.
Your Authority
The way you are designed to make decisions also impacts your perceived productivity. In many workplaces, you’re required to think on your feet, handle stress well, and work on tight deadlines. But in Human Design, the belief is that your body is the ultimate decision maker, not your mind. And each personal authority is not designed to make decisions on the spot. To learn more about the authorities, click here to read "How Are You Designed To Make Decisions?”
Your Energy Centers
There are 9 energy centers and whether they are defined, undefined, or open lets us know if you have consistent energy related to that center or not. It also lets us know if you are more open to conditioning from others in that center because you do not have a consistent way of operating there. For instance, if you have a defined root center and you’re working with people with an undefined root center, you may be unknowingly putting unnecessary pressure on them by setting quick turnaround deadlines. It can not be a big deal to you, but a huge stressor and blow to productivity for them. Or if you have an undefined center, you may take in so much outside inspiration that you become unable to take action - like the analysis paralysis of ideas.
Here are the 9 centers and what they correlate to:
Head - Inspiration and the need to know
Ajna - Conceptualization and processing ideas
Throat - Expression, communication, manifestation
G center - Sense of identity
Heart - Willpower, worth, and the desire for power
Solar Plexus - Emotional intelligence
Sacral - Life force energy and staying power
Spleen - Survival instincts and intuition
Root - Moving forward, stress, time pressure
Read How to recognize your potential for burnout using human design (and what to do about it!)
Your Determination
Are you designed to thrive with routines? Not everyone is. The traditional workplace structure was built for Generators and MGs, but also for people with left-facing variables, which means you do well with structure. This isn’t to say you can only be productive if you do well with structure. It’s totally possible to be amazing at whatever you do even if you do better with a less structured day that allows you to go with the flow. It’s all about creating a container for yourself that allows you to work with you energy flow instead of against it.
Your Environment
The environment you find yourself in can impact how you feel, your inspiration levels, and how productive you’re able to be in that moment. Your Human Design chart shares what type of environment you’re designed to thrive in. But let me say, the environment names aren’t meant to be taken literally. It’s about what they represent. For instance, if your environment is Shores, you don’t have to be near water, although that may feel nourishing to you. But seeing contrasting views by facing a window, for instance, can help you get in the zone and be more productive. Or if you’re a kitchens person, you are inspired and creative when you feel connected to your community.
I always stress this, but being productive isn’t simply for business' sake or to get more done. It’s about owning our energy instead of following the ways in which we have been conditioned to be. Getting into your flow and making space to cultivate more joy in your life. It’s about living life now. You only get one. And we can either spend it working all of the time and stressed. Or we can spend it balancing the things we love with the responsibilities that come along with being a citizen of this world. While some believe work-life balance is unrealistic, I believe it’s worth a try.
I hope I’ve given you a different perspective on productivity and how you can use your Human Design in your favor. I created a guide to teach you how to use your human design. Click here to learn more.