how we spend our days

is, of course, how we spend our lives.
In which John talks about Annie Dillard, productivity, and the relative value of haircuts.
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[@sam-the-moomin]

“The great philosopher Hank Green” 🥺🖤 I love that so much

[@MisterYagibe]

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[@gmoburrito6090]

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[@t.nysted4146]

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[@TENTHMAG]

Ya the quote is beautiful too

[@bpersun7]

I listened to that quote 3 times…..joyeous

[@DragCadRacing]

" 'You will always struggle with not feeling productive until you accept that your own joy can be something you produce.' -- Hank Green" -- *JOHN GREEN* That needs to be a poster.

[@ihavespoken164]

That’s an awesome idea! Mind if I use it?

[@DJTI99]

This is going to be put on a page and put up in my office.

[@kritikasingh755]

+3000 John, we need a poster ♥️♥️

[@eithan2578]

how do i make this happen?

[@kritikasingh755]

@@eithan2578 the poster or the production of your own joy?

[@oliviarogers5511]

"You will always struggle with not feeling productive until you accept that your own joy can be something you produce." 🤯 This video was so comforting to me today

[@SamuelGeist]

Without even a trace of irony, a succinctly poignant idea like this completely justifies the title of Great Philosopher for Hank.

[@i-never-look-at-replies-lol]

90% of my day is spent producing something. Music, art, writing.

[@jawadulkabir9120]

Yeah I watched it twice straight. Most productive part of the day

[@_maxgray]

Like the best Vlogbrothers videos, this was profound, funny, helpful, thought-provoking, and uplifting, all at once. Thank you, John. I needed this today.

[@lifegeek5742]

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[@sruthidivvela4298]

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[@amanatee27]

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[@chrissik3102]

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[@a.bookwormist]

Something about picking up kids from school feels like the most sacred ritual. I’m only 23 and I don’t have children, but I occasionally pick up my little cousins from school and it’s so special to me. I feel so unsure about my life right now - being 23 sucks and I’m very lost- but I feel so lucky when I get to find joy in doing things like driving to gymnastics and watching my cousin learn how to do a handstand. I’m not sure what my life will look like but I look forward to finding more of those rituals. ❤️ thank you John

[@maxono1465]

maybe in those times we feel like we have a clear purpose, being there for people who rely on you

[@hannahstronge2348]

It gets better! No one likes you when you’re 23 anyway!

[@gnarthdarkanen7464]

Life's a hell of a thing to happen to a person. It's okay that you feel lost right now. I've reached the tender years of 44, and the ONE thing I've honestly decided for myself is that I'm NEVER EVER giving up my motorcycle and riding again... I still don't know (for sure) what I want to be when I grow up. Perhaps it's a mystery best left unsolved at this point. I can live happily with that. ;o)

[@annamonson212]

+ as an older sister who used to frequently chauffeur a 9 year old, yessssssssss. absolutely this. I felt like I could do it right, I could get my sister home safely, and I could do it right by just being so interested in her life instead of my own for a little bit. It's a wonderful moment that I miss. We would call the local radio station, and request the only songs we knew they had, and sometimes get a treat, and mostly just drive and chat and decompress together.

[@bekah9344]

yes! I would nanny for kids and occasionally bring them from school or to the dentist and it was a beautiful ritual

[@Isabellecomplete]

This is actually a perspective that has been developing for years in the disabled community, where the reframing of “productivity” is absolutely necessary in order to correctly reflect that disabled people lead full, meaningful lives regardless of how much time we can spend working, socializing, etc.

[@nicokelly6453]

absolutely! definitely has been part of my own life perception as a disabled person

[@charliespinoza1966]

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[@charliespinoza1966]

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[@charliespinoza1966]

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[@melodysmash]

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[@audreybray1149]

If this is how I can spend my life, listening to intelligent people give intelligent commentary about life, I am satisfied with that.

[@StarlightJosh]

Yes💕

[@ihavespoken164]

Esp when that’s vlogbrothers

[@audreypayal]

Ikr I'm so grateful to have not only found someone as intelligent as John Green but also be able to listen to his advice and philosophies of life. He's truly one in a million, a gifted human. (Btw we share the same name!)

[@amanatee27]

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[@Ostbuggen]

I redefined what "productivity" means to me a couple of years ago. I'm a serial procrastinator and I used to spend an exorbitant amount of time browsing reddit or watching youtube whenever I was putting something off. This made me feel bad because killing time on reddit makes you unhappy in and of itself in addition to feeling bad about not being productive. So what I did was redefine productivity to include things that made me feel good, whether that be playing a nice video game or taking a walk or baking a cake. As a result, when I felt that I was procrastinating I decided to reschedule the thing I was putting of till later and instead actively do something that made me feel good. The following day I would then feel better and be more ready to deal with the work I needed to do. Since then I've drastically reduced the time I spend on reddit and I end up being more traditionally productive as well. Today I've been really productive workwise because of the very productive nap I took after lunch.

[@trillakit9227]

This is something I've been trying to do lately, with mixed success. I'm really glad it worked for you! Hopefully I'll be able to figure it out as well :)

[@ghost.mp3]

hearing someone call a nap productive is life-changing in a small but significant way

[@mmmondegreen8074]

yes! I call it productive procrastination! :) I may not be able to push myself to do thing that I feel that I am supposed to be doing, but I may be able to make a deliberate choice to do something other than scrolling (which I'm now realizing was overstimulating me constantly & never felt like an active choice, per se). Once I make one deliberate choice, I try to make more. Sometimes I get all the way up to working on the thing I didn't want to do, & sometimes I have to try again another day.

[@soulserenity8188]

Philosopher Hank Green, Hank has another job again...

[@ihavespoken164]

Hank “the tiktoker, educator, influencer, writer, vlogbrother, philosopher” Green

[@ponyote]

How many does he have now? I lost track.

[@lijohnyoutube101]

There’s a site that keeps track :)

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

@@ihavespoken164 Hank "science communicator, novelist, podcast host, social activist, inventor of 3D glasses" Green

[@ToadManJon11]

As someone who's currently trying to start my professional career, it often feels pretty bad just to take time for myself instead of putting in more applications or following up on emailing about applications. So this message is a real uplifter, thanks 😊

[@chrisandfluffs]

Rest is work too. It's valid and necessary for our mental health! You got this 😍😍😍😍

[@haze_s]

As someone who's been trying to start a professional career for the last 20 years, I… don't have an end to this sentence.

[@doing_aok]

i feel the same! the lack of a schooling structure means i have the terrifying freedom of doing whatever i want. it’s a battle to find the balance of applying for jobs, resting and doing things i like, or trying to work on/figure out my artistic craft. i hope the best for both of us though because i know it’ll work out in the end!!

[@haze_s]

Wait, maybe I do! Kristen Carder has a great and very detailed analogy about this in the 'Why You're Not Productive' Episode of her 'I Have ADHD' podcast. It involves cars and lemonade.

[@sonjaya37]

As someone who feels like they’ve flubbed a lot of tries to start their professional career, I feel this and what John said today so deeply. I dislike that others are experiencing this difficulty with me, but at the same time it feels a little less bad to be reminded I’m not alone!

[@mschrisfrank2420]

You’re really speaking to me today, John. I’m in a transitional period where I’ve been rather idle because I want to choose the “best” thing to do next. But in trying to figure that out, I’m not actually doing anything with my days that I can enjoy or be proud of.

[@katiemiller8313]

This reminds me of a quote that I just shared with my students earlier today: "There are two kinds of people in this world: those who want to get things done and those who don't want to make mistakes." - John Maxwell

[@paa2464]

I feel this so much!!

[@arescue]

I struggle with the very same thing.

[@Equivocal-squiggle]

Thank you so much for this comment, wow, really helped me.

[@jliller]

@@katiemiller8313 It's a Kobayashi Maru: 1. Make mistakes, live with their memory and consequences. 2. Don't make mistakes, but burn up time trying to figure out how to do it right the first time. Mistakes are for people who can afford to make them.

[@brendantobin201]

John’s hair pre-cut reminds me of the time I met John back in 2017, I was having some pretty serious digestive issues and eventually I had to try and see a doctor. I tried to find a doctor in town but there was NOT A SINGLE DOCTOR that my insurance would cover. So I was forced to drive to DC and pay for a hotel to see the proper specialist. At least I had a decent view of the Jefferson Memorial, was almost at the top of the hotel…Anyways, I was informed that I would have to get a colonoscopy as part of my visit, so they make you take this medicine to make sure your, ahem.. tubes are all clear. So turns out I was up all night pooping my brains out and didn’t get any sleep AT ALL. Eventually it’s time to get to my appointment so I shuffle to the elevator, the doors slide open, and who is standing there but effing John Green!!! I found out later he was in town for some book he had just released… If I could poop myself anymore I would but I was tired and looking like a mess of course, but managed a good morning as I walk in. As the doors are closing John hovered his hand up and down over the buttons and asked, ‘where you headed?’ A very nice gesture... I parked in the garage on the bottom floor so I answered him, turdless, “All the way down.”

[@ponyote]

I was wondering where this was going, but I was very entertained when I got there. :D

[@loraleitourtillottwiehr2473]

I hope that this is true, but it was very enjoyable either way

[@RestlessHarp]

That sounds like a really miserable experience, but it made for a great story!

[@shavono8402]

This comment is absolutely brilliant and made me laugh.

[@titania642]

incredible

[@teuntjevd142]

Hi John, for what it's worth: I AM going to see AFC Wimbledon take on Arsenal tomorrow. I'm going to wear a blue and yellow t-shirt that says "as sunny as possible"- which feels like the right approach. And I could not be more excited.

[@KarenPuzzles]

Honestly, this is why I started Karen Puzzles, so I can feel productive while doing my favorite hobby. Though of course, it's turned out to be exponentially more video editing than actual puzzling 👀 I hope you get to do a gradient puzzle one day. Let me know if you need any recommendations!

[@Kagedtiger]

I was just thinking to myself, "John, Karen Puzzles says that gradient puzzles are some of the easiest puzzles. I'm sure you could do one if you really set your mind to it!"

[@Calvero52]

I was just thinking about you and your crafting videos yesterday and had trouble finding you for some reason. Just subbed to your puzzle channel! 👍

[@fugithegreat]

When I saw the gradient puzzle on the list, I immediately thought of Karen Puzzles! ❤️

[@sexyscientist]

There are more Karen Kavett following nredfighters here than I expected.

[@Kagedtiger]

@@sexyscientist I mean, I found her because of that playlist John posted at one point of cool KZbinrs. :) I believe CuriousTangents was on that playlist as well.

[@beethomas248]

i commented on hanks video last friday about this, but my family is moving thousands of miles across the ocean from new jersey to sweden. i find myself treasuring each and every single day i have left here with my friends and doing a bunch of fun things i otherwise wouldnt have done. each day is an adventure and a lovely capsule of memories that i will treasure. the time crunch that the move overseas has given me has in turn made me a friend who loves a little harder, a friend who smiles a bit more. thank you john and thank you hank for all that you do. dftba!!

[@iamthebock]

Omg that's such a cool adventure though! You're gonna bring NJ flair to the Swedes!!! Ps: not gonna lie, all I can think is Jay and Silent Bob in Sweden now lololol 😆

[@Marie-io7xx]

This is the first time I recognized a person in the comment section from last video. I really hope this community can be an anchor on your journey to Sweden!

[@electron8262]

I once had the idea of convincing my mind that I was going to die next Thursday, to see how I would prioritize differently and how I would use my 'last' days (before carrying on with my life). I never actually got round to doing it but it's an interesting thought.

[@titania642]

I just did something sorta similar - moved from CA to NJ, and I did the same thing: having so much fun with my loved ones before I left. It's a sweet yet painful time. I wish you the best of luck!

[@kashishkukreja5904]

John please make more of these about productivity, life and taking action. They help me regain perspective and is very refreshing than most of the ‘productivity’ stuff on the web.

[@dreamer.of.the.endless]

totally agree!

[@halhetzel7685]

Please do!

[@annajoymyrick3324]

Wow I needed this. The Hank quote, all of it, just wow. I’m taking a semester off of school and I’ve been struggling with it but I do make my own joy and that’s productive. Gotta live up to my middle name.

[@luciabee]

i'm also taking time off school!! i just started my second semester off which is one more than i initially planned, but i have enjoyed this time so much. i learned a hell of a lot about what makes me happy and how i want to spend my days when i don't have instructions coming from somewhere else. i wouldn't trade the time off for anything -- i hope yours is just as lovely and filled with joy 💕 good luck!!

[@movingforwardLDTH]

From an old fart, several decades removed from college: I recognize that I had to delay college by 2 years & then take a semester off in the middle (all due to financial issues), all of which greatly troubled me at the time, but the impact of those aberrations is minuscule in my life as I look back. Unsolicited advice (so, of course, feel free to ignore): Your emotional struggles w/this change of plans are valid & I hope your path to processing them is a gentle one. I hope you find comfort in knowing that, in the not terribly distant future, that gap will be just a, “oh yeah, that’s right” blip in your life. Best wishes!

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

Me, I just started college this semester, but the message is still there. I need to take the time to be _truly_ productive, in a way that really matters.

[@Calvero52]

I was almost expecting a "future John" ending with a haircut saying "Hank, I will see you on Friday"

[@DontRobMe13]

me too

[@HypernovaBolts11]

This was the sentiment and revelation I needed today. Thank you John.

[@akashayi]

My partner and I have been sharing meals and listening to vlog brothers together on Tuesdays. Today, while enjoying sandwiches (and a break from work) in each other's company, we realized that was the most productive we've been today. Thank you for that gift.

[@marinar1380]

I am so grateful that my own relationship with the concept of Productivity has changed over time and a big part of that has been these videos (the first time I heard 'your own joy can be something you produce' was a lightbulb moment for me).

[@M4nusky]

Yes!

[@ihavespoken164]

I don’t think I’ve seen that particular video if Hank’s. But I’ve never looked at productivity like that. That’s wholesome 💖

[@thefakereeds]

"You will always struggle with not feeling productive, until you accept that your own joy can be something you produce". Really needed this today.

[@kaitlinj4337]

This is both comforting and terrifying!

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

The truest things often are.

[@Xenolilly]

Hank taught me how fun is important years ago and it really influenced my life.

[@emilyfaith4061]

I haven't watched vlogbrothers in a long time. Mostly because I want to watch them all in order and I've fallen so far behind that catching up feels incredibly daunting to me. But something about this particular video made me feel like I needed to see it. And I did. I've been very caught up in "feeling productive" in my life lately. I think this reshaping of the way we view productivity in our society can be exactly what I need. I need to stop putting so much pressure on myself, so thank you John. DFTBA

[@clover0048]

"Talking to my grandmother about her childhood" 💔 I used to only visit my grandparents twice a year as a familial obligation but had to skip 2020 and the thought that that might be their last Christmas terrified me. Since then I try to call ever few weeks just to chat. Involving them in my daily life has been so rewarding. I can't get back the lost time but I can make what we have left count.

[@loozziee]

Usually just spend my days thinking and dreaming. 💜

[@smithhenke5049]

that is so good :)

[@loozziee]

@@smithhenke5049 Thanks. The thoughts aren’t always the best but we have to keep on going. 💜

[@_mayer]

I'm gonna add it to my playlist. Once in a while, I want to remind myself about what is important to me. Thanks, John.

[@friendlysharkce1831]

I kind of needed to hear this today, due to being chronically ill i spend a considerable amount of days at home, in pain. And it can feel really scary to think "im wasting my life" though i cant really choose when I am functioning or not. Sometimes i need to hear that that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Even though i might feel guilty for "watching to many KZbin Videos" on some days i just cant do anything else

[@nikki5095]

Wishing you peace as you navigate your humanness. I'm sorry to hear you live with so much pain.

[@andrewclark7887]

I often feel as if I’m not doing the “right” things with my day or that I’m wasting it or just not being productive enough with it. As a result, I often have difficulty enjoying whatever I’m doing in the moment. Hank’s quote really gave me some good perspective. Thank you for sharing this John.

[@cocoschocolate]

“My own joy is something I can produce” 😭 Thank you

[@oneofmanyjames-es1643]

"I kinda need to get a haircut" Jon, you're a wonderful human being, but that feral tuft is indeed in need of curation :)

[@nijnij3988]

Don't disrespect the puff!! :p

[@caboolian]

I am probably going to waste a significant amount of time trying to insert the phrase "feral tuft" into my conversations today.

[@ponyote]

"Feral tuft" may be my favourite hairstyle, if I could grow my hair that long. :D

[@minnolinath7188]

@@caboolian + Thanks, now I feel the irresistible urge to do the same. XD

[@3countylaugh]

@@caboolian I hope you mean invest not waste :)

[@morgantaylor6970]

The fact that John uploaded this today reminds me of the strange and wonderful way life can work sometimes. I read The Writing Life for the first time a few weeks ago, and have been spending a lot of time thinking about the very quote he mentioned - which had been stressing me out, honestly. I don't feel like I'm doing much with the days I have: I'm working a job I don't love, and haven't been seeing much of the people I do love because having OCD during a pandemic is hard! When I saw the title of this video I knew it was going to be about Annie Dillard, and that felt like a wonderful portent. So thanks, John, for the reminder that there are many different kinds of value. I really needed it.

[@WhatNowMaxTVchannel]

Every once in a while John messes up the last cut in a video where he reaches for the camera to turn it off. I find such honesty in that moment -- the face, the arm. "I just spoke to a camera for an hour, utterly alone, but others will find it, alone themselves, but together we are alone together, and therefore not alone, but only together. This effort is important, and good."

[@Artemisdianaxxx]

Casper and Vanessa mentioned this quote a few weeks ago on the real question and I haven’t stopped thinking about it. I also think things look different when scaled up. A day spent making meals for my family and calling upset friends becomes a life of helping people. That’s pretty cool

[@ericherz-obrien757]

"Bill dropped his keys on the counter and stood there staring at them, suddenly thinking about all the times he dropped his keys there before, and how many of his days of his life were wasted repeating the same tasks and rituals in his apartment over and over again. Then we wondered if, realistically, this *was* his life, and the unusual part was time spent doing other things." -Don Hertzfeldt

[@Kyasakoamy]

Thank you for this reminder, John, made me tear up a little. It's been a constant effort for me to feel like I'm being "productive enough" over the last year, when I don't have a proper job and I feel like there are all these things I "should" be getting on with more that I've been struggling to do. I've kind of come to hate the idea of productivity because I just associate it with the guilt of never feeling like I'm doing enough, but I would like to redefine what the productive things in my life are, as you do in this video :)

[@electron8262]

I completely agree. I don't where I learnt the stereotype of 'productivity' (and a stereotype it does seem to be), but I'd like to unlearn it as it's making me enjoy my life less.

[@velamela252]

This video was so helpful to me. As a grad student, I struggle with feeling guilty on days where I wasn’t “productive” enough, even though I was doing things that made me feel personally fulfilled, such as taking a break to read a book or spend time with a friend. We all need to stop making our personal worth so tightly connected to our productivity.

[@faithmire3853]

Really enjoyed this perspective, I spend a lot of my time wrestling with the idea of "wasting" hours/days/years. This is a nice way to reframe that battle of what is worth doing, and that adhering to what I need to do to maintain a healthy baseline is not a loss or a waste. This goes really hand in hand for me with the 100 days project, in that I too didn't (and sometimes still don't) see my body as worth investing in if it just takes my mind from room to room. I see a lot of my thought processes in your videos, so I really appreciate the guidance and advice you've offered over the several formative years I've been watching. I've been a nerdfighter since 2010 or 2011, and I'm 22 now, so I suppose it's been half of my life you've had an influence! I don't think I can express enough gratitude for your words, whether here or in print, and how they've helped me. Tldr; you're a great role model, John, and I appreciate the opportunities I have to learn from you. 💖

[@sebastiankelly374]

My favorite productivity quote is “everyone dies with a full to-do list.” from Pastor Buddy Hubbard

[@matty1two3]

[Sigh...] This feels like a condensed episode of The Anthropocene Reviewed: "I give what the logic of capitalism calls wasteful and non-productive four and a half stars." We all need reminders like this. Thank you, John.

[@clarehiggins5398]

The true mastery of John videos: making me experience this many epiphanies and bittersweet moments in a mere 4 minutes! Thank you :)

[@cubeofcheese5574]

This is probably my favorite vlogbrothers video of this year. Thank you John, it's Tuesday.

[@AngelaBonanza]

"You will always struggle with not feeling productive until you accept that your own joy can be something you produce" Loved this quote from that philosopher Hank guy so much - thank you as always for making this interesting and impactful video, just when I really needed to watch it

[@MrsClintA]

Why is it that Johns words are often what I need to hear. Thanks John!

[@A.Mayflower127]

Me, reading title? Well I know I’m going to spend the next three minutes and 44 seconds having one of my favourite humans talk to his brother

[@tiberiuswolf8259]

I appreciate the fact that you quoted Hank. It was rather touching.

[@Oli.V]

Happy 21st of September John! A great video for this very special day.

[@Aford47]

One of my favorite things about some vlogbrothers videos is the nature of them. The way that they feel like a conversation between 2 brothers, that I have had to joy and delight of overhearing. And unlike some overheard conversations at the grocery store or on campus or what have you, these conversations offer me a great deal insight into these 2 people, society, and myself, and overall make my day better, and make me want to continue to do good, and put good in the world. Thank you John and Hank.

[@gabriellesalib4670]

It's crazy, but I feel like every VlogBros video lately inspires me in a new way and I couldn't be more grateful

[@hurleygirly629]

I’m currently battling an eating disorder and have to take time off work so I feel guilty about not being able to contribute. This was a message I needed to hear. 🖤

[@wrongsalvation8904]

I find listening to you and your brother for your once weekly vlogs to each other it's probably one of my most productive points of my week. You both help center and ground my thoughts because sometimes they're all over the place. You guys help give me a focus point and make me ponder my own reality. I thank you for that. Keep on being productive as you see fit.

[@adaamthorn]

this man has made hundreds of videos consistently across like the past decade and yet still he always finds something interesting and profoundly insightful to talk about ! i love john green 💚

[@pippinhart7340]

"how we spend our days is how we spend our lives" and similar sentiments give me gut-churning panic, and this video really helped with that, so thank you.

[@Goldentigertail]

This was exceptionally comforting to me and I've been putting it off because I've felt terribly about how I'm spending my days, but this is so personally forgiving

[@sierraferguson9008]

I recently graduated with my PhD and have since started a postdoc and had been struggling with feeling like I’m “not productive enough” or that I could always be doing more things for work. A great mentor of mine said that taking time off to care for yourself is still productive. I always try to remind myself of that perspective when I get in that mindset. Now that I’m not in a university setting I’ve been sort of re-discovering myself and what it is that makes me happy. John, this video really encapsulates what I’ve started to realize more and more. It’s helped me feel less guilty for taking time to do things that replenish me or bring me joy. So thank you for this needed and wonderful video on a chilly almost fall Tuesday

[@auroraspeltz9910]

My college roommate put together a collection of quotes for me as part of my Christmas gift last year, and she included that one from ABFE. It's definitely my favorite of the bunch, and helping me remember what's important while studying abroad, so thank you both for bringing it to my attention in one way or another.

[@sonja5058]

I'm glad that part of how I can spend my days is watching vlogbrothers. Thank you for adding so much to my life.

[@JamesyHerald]

As soon as the video started I thought, "How is John going to make me cry today?"... and I mean that in the best way possible.

[@goshdoggett]

"talking to my grandmother about her childhood" hit hard. I think about how I wish I did that more while she was alive all the time

[@tylerharrell9862]

That Annie Dillard quote shook me.... Will be reading her book soon.

[@annafantasia]

This felt so, so on the nose to a lot of what's been rolling around in my head lately. Thanks for reminding me I'm not the only one who struggles with sorting it out

[@ImDemonAlchemist]

John's videos always feel so pleasant to hear. In addition to what he says, I love how he says it. I think part of it is repetition. He knows just how often and when to repeat certain phrases and words. Idk, it's hard to explain, but I find it immensely satisfying.

[@mostly-harmless]

just thinking and being is by far the most important [and productive] thing most people are missing on a daily basis... i just had this conversation with my dad over the weekend, thanks john for the affirmation that we're not crazy... just sit and think about who/what/when/how we are... it's wonderful.

[@wilcox4th]

This video and message is exactly what I needed this week. But I also really feel the need to point out that John's shirt choice matches perfectly with the blue color of the wall and the art hanging in the frame and that made me really happy today!

[@camillemiller5409]

I have spent so much of my time decoupling myself from the idea that my "productivity" is something that I provide to others. This video made me a little weepy, John, feeling so seen and validated probably by the man who taught me this concept initially (you). Thank you for being such a great philosopher, and for making your own joy one of your most important productions.

[@vi_leroux9166]

Thank you John so much for this. I needed this today. I have not been doing well emotionally with the fact that I can't actually begin doing the work I care so much about, mental health counseling, until the Powers that Be finish reviewing my AMFT application, which I am now on week 10 of waiting for. Before watching this, I had spent the last two hours crying to my own therapist, and then more by myself, feeling the weight of uselessness and guilt as I get paid for a job at a wonderful nonprofit that I can't actually do yet, unsure if my work will be worth the wait and the faith they are putting in me. But this helps me to remember that this time does not need to be considered wasted, if I am putting energy into preparing myself intellectually, mentally, and emotionally for the hard work ahead, and practicing that all-important self care. As so often before, your words have been a source of strength and comfort when I needed it, so thank you, thank you.

[@ImoodyI]

I spent a month or two not watching your videos guys, well, just to disconnect from youtube, and now I watch it... and it strikes me all over again just how good they are for me. How enriching they are for me as a person. Damn, you are influencing the formation of me as a person. Thanks

[@estagiariaa8146]

truly, the most productive part of my day were the walks back from school with my little brother. i cherish them more and more as he gets close to not needing me to pick him up anymore, and we haven't had this time together in a while.

[@trent6319]

You hit an extremely niche nostalgia for walks with my brother to school i didnt know I had. It wasn't a long walk but we took our time and relaxed. We were truly productive.

[@kellysartthrob]

"...your own joy can be something you produce." Wow. This is one of the best things I've ever heard.

[@r.t.laurila]

The small things are what stick. Like the special cups of coffee, the warmth of your house during winter and the days you spent smiling. Work blends in to a ball that is easy to hold and toss.

[@LorneGrimmer]

How I spend my day is listening to you talk about how you spend your day. Time and life well spent

[@vinicius99157]

Being with, for and in yourself, and also being with, for and among other beings is extremely productive

[@gracemoore5637]

I've been watching you guys for ten years and I'm still surprised every time you post a video exactly when I need it.

[@Psychadelico]

Man this really resonates with me...Time you enjoy spending can never be time wasted.

[@skidwilldanceforyou]

Currently just starting the anthropocene in a hospital waiting room. I think this is my favourite of yours already. I remember books use to take their sweet time to get good. Your books are like a swim, once I’ve dived in then I’m in.

[@zoecollins2944]

as someone who works full time and also goes to college full time, i needed this one today

[@firefly-fez]

You have an unusually unique and calming syntax to the way you speak. I had an alarming morning, disrupted by, of all things, an earthquake (unusual but not unheard of for my area), so your calm, gentle reminder to approach to our uncontrollable lives with care is exactly what I needed today.

[@user-n9990]

“You will always struggle with not feeling productive until you accept that your own joy can be something you produce” I feel like how I view my life just completely shifted.

[@lemonadeslices]

"You will always struggle with not feeling productive until you accept that your own joy can be something you produce." i've been chronically depressed and suicidal for a while and this was incredibly useful perspective; thank you.

[@ineslime3929]

i always struggle putting my mental health before my academics because i feel like i’m being unproductive, but “your own joy can be something you produce” is something that’s going to stick with me forever.

[@kyleweinschenker3978]

John, it's remarkable how you manage to put into words feelings which have been wordlessly tumbling around in my brain. I needed to hear this. Thank you, and as always, DFTBA.

[@sleepysteev2735]

I really just want to hug this man. Thank you, Mr. Green.

[@marissapark6964]

I feel like I needed this right now. I'm currently pregnant with twins at 25 weeks and I've been off work for a month now. I spend my days doing nothing except eating and resting because my twins need that to grow and be healthy when they are born. I am missing my job (a middle school English teacher) and the feeling of accomplishment that comes at the end of the day. I feel useless because I'm not "doing" anything. But I'm spending my days doing everything I can to help my babies grow. When I drink another protein shake or take a nap, my babies are benefiting from it and while it feels like I'm not doing anything, I realize that I am currently spending my life for my children. These babies will be our first venture into parenthood and I know that being a parent means making sacrifices and I have to keep reminding myself that the sacrifices I am making for my unborn twin girls right now will mean so much when they are born in a few months healthy and happy.

[@abigailharpe4971]

I opened KZbin to vaguely search for “feeling inadequate.” This video was at the top of the home page. I closed KZbin feeling adequate. Thank you, John, for AGAIN exactly what I needed.

[@Paris11loves]

I have never felt so much anxiety in the first 30 seconds of a video... then so much calm in the last part.

[@anniadeguzman3780]

you and hank have become my comfort people. thank you being here on this earth the same time as our generation. the universe probably knew we’d need you both

[@danaboebinger9464]

Thank you, John. This is exactly the message I needed to hear today as I prepare for my PhD thesis defense tomorrow, worrying about whether I have been sufficiently (scientifically) productive over the last several years.

[@oddment7]

The world sorely needs this message at the moment! Thank you as always for sharing your insights, John ☺️

[@freemovies411]

I've had a pretty crap day so far, most of which was my own doing in ways I couldn't have predicted, so I needed this. Not just to seek ways to "do something" to be productive, but to lift myself up instead of putting down because that's how I can do more. By feeling more okay. And feeling like I've done a lot, and it being enough, is the kind of thing that makes me happy, which is how I want to spend my days.

[@ceballard1215]

John -- How did you know we needed this today? All those moments of just thinking.... good comes from them

[@lucypeters9476]

This video made me cry. I needed this so much today. Thank you John!

[@EdwardLCheeverII]

The video started by giving me an existential crisis and then by the end it was very existence affirming. Real rollercoaster for me from a rather simple video.

[@NickHansen09]

On a day where it felt like I just stared at a screen all day, so needed to hear this.

[@monshalagon]

I love this. My soul yearns with pain at the misdirection of my time and what I think is important. I love you guys!!!

[@jessegrant2749]

Reading the incomplete list of ways you cannot spend your day was a great addition to the way I spent my day 😊

[@emilyg8285]

Im a freshmen in college and this is something that I needed to hear; I have to do all these assignments and studying and accomplishing all of these assignments and to dos feel like i’m being productive but I tend to feel more productive whenever i get to do those things as well as private things that i enjoy (like going on a walk) thank you again John for a lovely video

[@nicoleivonnedecamps1074]

Mr. John Green We are energetically aligned because I have been studying this book for the past few days in the hopes to gain some inspiration for writing. Thank you for this gem of a video!!!

[@birdyjo]

I picked up the Antropocene Reviewed the other day because I had 14 minutes between trains and one copy of your book somehow made it to the one English shelf in my local small city bookstore in Germany. It's like reading the scripts for your videos and I love it, because your videos are the content I enjoy most

[@JamesOKeefe-US]

I just want a compilation of the last second of every John video where he is turning off the camera. The looks you see there are sweet, contemplative, nuanced, maybe nauseous but always unscripted and unabashedly real. Thank you John for producing so much reality for us.