The “lazy stoner” stereotype died years ago. Society now realises that, for the most part, people who enjoy cannabis have the potential to become wildly successful. From Joe Rogan to Rihanna, some of the most dedicated and hard-working people in the world smoke weed.
As well as enjoying a puff outside of work, many users also incorporate cannabis into their working day. The herb can help to enhance focus and fuel creativity; however, smokers also run the risk of overdoing things and reducing their productivity.
Alas, there is a good balance to be found. Harness the tips below on how to be productive while high.
Different Ways To Get High
Before we dive into the specifics of using cannabis during work and play, let’s quickly explore some of the most popular ways to use the herb. From here, it will be easier for you to dose in a way that supports motivation and focus, instead of detracting from it.
Smoking cannabis provides a relaxing ritual of rolling cones, and the odd satisfaction of harsh smoke entering the lungs. Of course, smoking also exposes the body to harmful carcinogens. If you’re going to smoke, we recommend avoiding tobacco and using organic papers. Overall, smoking produces a fast-acting high that peaks within 10 minutes and lingers for a couple of hours.
Like smoking, vaping gets users high almost instantly, just without the combustion. Vaping heats cannabis enough to release cannabinoids and terpenes, while leaving plant matter, waxes, and other components out of the lungs. Vaping serves as a great way to take measured hits of cannabis while working, without stinking out your space.
Edible cannabis produces a much more intense experience. As THC passes through the digestive system and into the liver, it converts to 11-hydroxy-THC. This molecule exerts a high that lasts for up to 8 hours and verges on psychedelic. Most users won’t get on well with edibles while trying to work, although it really depends on the dose. It also takes around two hours to fully feel the effects, but this can be advantageous as well.
Sublingual cannabis involves placing drops of oils or extracts under the tongue. Skipping the lengthy process of digesting cannabinoids, instead sending them straight into the bloodstream, this method of consumption culminates in a fast-acting, potent experience. While THC tinctures might not be suitable for everyone's workday, CBD oil and tinctures make for consistent and discreet dosing, without a high. Perhaps a 1:1 CBD:THC ratio would be best of all!
Not So Fast: Do These Things Before You Start
Before consuming cannabis and starting to work, we suggest getting your head in order. Tick off the following list before you fire up to experience the most productive day possible. This is how to be a productive stoner.
Add some structure to your day by setting goals and deadlines. This will enable you to make progress without feeling overwhelmed. Remember to set achievable goals, and to write everything down on a to-do list so it feels more “real”. In this way, there’s "evidence" if you don’t get it all done.
You can also set mini-goals that work toward a bigger project, such as finishing 5–10 pages per day of a large essay or book.
By staying organised, you can truly benefit from the productivity-enhancing effects of cannabis. The herb usually fires up the creative right side of the brain, encouraging divergent thinking, while leaving the organisational left-brain unattended.
Make sure you thoroughly organise your tasks before blazing. Once your schedule is set in stone, you can get as high as you need to without the risk of procrastinating or losing focus.
A balanced diet serves as one of the keys to success. In order for your body and brain to really perform throughout the day, you need all the right nutrients. Before you smoke, vape, etc., eat a healthy breakfast to get yourself going and ensure a serious case of the munchies doesn’t derail your plans.
Overworking leads to burnout. While it can be tempting to get everything done all at once, slowly but steadily taking on a challenge produces the best results. Take things one step at a time, and make sure each task really displays your full potential.
Every cannabis user has a favourite strain. Some really get on well with high-THC varieties that spur creativity and the ability to invest in a task. Others much prefer CBD strains that support a clear head and 100% functionality.
The terpene profile of a strain is also an important consideration. Those high in myrcene and linalool, for example, will encourage a relaxing effect, whereas limonene and terpinolene will energise the mind. So, terpene profiles that help you sink deeply into a book might not work as well when conducting a presentation or meeting. Consider what tasks your working day will bring, and select your strain accordingly.
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Avoid Distractions To Deepen Focus
Your environment will partially determine how much work you’re able to get done. An area full of potential distractions will always tempt you to concentrate on something else.
Turn off the TV, move your phone to another room, and let the people around you know that you won’t be available for the next few hours. Any of these factors can quickly break your focus and lead you down a rabbit hole of procrastination.
What To Do During Work
Now that you’re fully prepared, it’s time to dive deeply into your work. Use the following strategies to optimise your day and achieve the most productive results possible. This is how to be productive while high.
Take each challenge as it comes. Keep an eye on your structured to-do list to make sure you’re not rushing or cutting corners. Only move to the next task once you’ve completed the current one to the best of your best ability.
If you think of ideas that could help you with things further down on your to-do list, simply scribble them on a piece of paper and return to them later on.
You know what you can reasonably achieve during the day, so only hold yourself to that standard. If you set yourself too few goals, you’ll spread them out and move at a snail's pace. If you set too many, you’ll rush tasks and produce subpar work.
Finding your sweet spot will take some experimentation, true. But once you’re familiar with how much you can handle, maintaining that balance will allow you to produce the best (and most) work over a given period.
After starting off the day with a joint or vape hit, you’ll find yourself returning back to Earth within a couple of hours. Rather than hitting a massive bowl or an entire joint, consider microdosing. This practice will place you on the cusp of being high while keeping you sober enough to work to the best of your ability.
Start out with only a pinch of your favourite strain. Take a hit and see where it gets you. Once you figure out the exact amount that places you in the sweet spot of feeling motivated, but not stoned, take a hit every hour or so to keep you there.
Chances are you’ll feel the munchies start to set in around mid-afternoon. While it’s tempting to scoff down a huge meal or some heavy junk food, this will likely put you in a “food coma” and zap your motivation.
Instead, snack on light and healthy foods throughout the day. Fibrous fruits will keep you alert, hydrated, and feeling full. When it comes to lunch, chow down on some grains, meat, and veg to get all the nutrients you need and avoid a sugar crash later in the day.
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Remember: Worktime vs Playtime
Keep in mind that you work hard so you can play hard. Once you’ve paid your bills and stashed away some savings, you can play around with your hard-earned money. But you need to draw a solid boundary to make this reality possible.
If you start taking an hour here and an hour there to play during your workday, your performance will drop, and you’ll likely end up with much less spare cash. Resist procrastination during the day and bat away instant gratification so you can enjoy real fulfilment long term.
Humans didn’t evolve to sit down at a desk all day. Our bodies and brains need movement to work properly. We need to stay active to keep our cardiovascular system healthy, and to get that detoxifying lymphatic fluid moving.
Stand up and move your body briefly at least once per hour. Doing a round of sit-ups, pull-ups, or push-ups will bathe your brain in blood loaded with oxygen and nutrients. Once you settle back in, you’ll feel wide awake and ready to crush it for the next hour.
Our posture can also take a beating when sitting down all day. Consider investing in a standing desk, or simply place your laptop on a stack of books to keep your spine elongated while you work.
We’re often far too quick to tell ourselves we can’t do something or that we’re not good enough. Instead of giving in to these moments of self-doubt, simply make the choice to believe in yourself. Even if you don’t succeed, at least you tried. You’ll know exactly what to change next time to improve your chances of success.
Luckily, cannabis works as an incredible tool for self-reflection. Using it throughout your day will give you a refreshing view of yourself and how you work. You’ll likely uncover ways in which you can do better, and can exercise this knowledge in the future.
Sometimes it helps to get huge chunks of work done all at once, and other times it leads to mental exhaustion. Take 5 minutes every hour to breathe, move, and step away from your desk. The Pomodoro Technique works really well to structure your periods of work and rest.
It involves 55 minutes of work, with a 5-minute break every hour to regather your thoughts. There are plenty of Pomodoro timers on YouTube with and without music to help you maintain this rhythm.
At the end of the day, our perceptions govern how we feel about a situation. You have two choices: either look at work as a grind that requires suffering and hard graft, or choose to view it as a meditative practice that requires concentration and willpower, and one that fuels growth and positive change.
Incorporating cannabis into your work will help you embrace the latter option. The herb sinks the mind into the zone and helps one sit with what is happening right now, not several days into the future or a week into the past.
Things To Do When You Finish Work
It’s important to draw a line between your work life and free time. As well as helping you to rest and enjoy life, working during set hours of the day will keep you productive and motivated. Once you clock out, fire up another joint or bowl and engage in some of the fun activities below.
Nothing beats spending time among plants after a hard day at work. Breathe in the fresh air, see how your specimens are progressing, and take your mind off things by completing some tasks around the garden. Pot on transplants, prune leaves, feed your plants, and maybe do some training while you’re at it.
Tidying your house tidies your mind. A clean bedroom and office will help to keep your inner self organised and at peace. Sitting at a messy desk can impact your thought process and make finding important documents unnecessarily difficult. Smoke up, put on some relaxing music, and get your house in order.
Writing and painting serve as creative outlets that give our lives purpose and meaning. Whether you’re writing a novel, a scientific paper, or are painting a landscape, you’ll find peace and happiness when pursuing your passions. Throw weed into the mix and you’ll find yourself deep in a flow state. Drawing while high is always a fun activity, even if you don’t really fancy yourself a visual artist.
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Read a Book or Listen to Some Music
Watching movies or TV shows offers some nice downtime, but reading and listening to music lights up the neurons in a totally different way. Reading trains the mind, expands the vocabulary, and takes you to a different world. Music helps to relax and inspire us in ways that the TV can't. There’s just something special about learning while high.
After working, you need to make sure you keep up your healthy habits, and nothing feels as good as cooking stoned. Put on a podcast, sharpen your favourite knife, and cook up a storm to satisfy those late-afternoon munchies.
High Activities Outside of Work
There are limitless activities to engage in outside of work with cannabis by your side. Here are a few more ideas that might inspire you.
Boring, but essential, chores take up a fair amount of time during the week. You can either suffer through them, or fire up a joint, play some sweet reggae, and make them an entertaining task.
Exercise keeps us healthy and happy. Plus, it sends levels of our body’s own cannabinoids surging. Many gym-goers and runners find that both CBD and THC help them get into a rhythm, making working out more enjoyable.
There are many other ways to let your inner creative loose. Try out some of the following:
- Make an indoor houseplant setup
- Write music
- Photography/videography
- Learn a new language
- Create your own recipe book
- Develop DIY skills you’ve always wanted to learn
We all need time alone to rest and recover, but we’re social creatures at heart. Make sure to check in with your friends and family. Meet up to go hiking, play sports, or simply have a chat to stay connected and healthy in your relationships.
