Disclosure: Posts on AllTheThingsIDo.com contain affiliate links. For more information see policy.

The first time I watched Rick and Morty I was staying at the Warwick Hotel in New York City. I was there for Blogher 15 and while the conference had ended the day before I decided to stay an extra night and explore the city.  I realized that to catch my flight I would have to be downstairs and ready to go by 6:30 am. this put a small hitch in my plans of a crazy night in NYC. I decided to watch some tv while I looked through all the loot I’d been given over the past few days and tried to figure out how I’d pack it all. That is when I stumbled on Rick and Morty.

I watched it occasionally after that but only dived into it this past summer watching every episode on Hulu. Because I’m a huge productivity junky I noticed that this adult cartoon actually had a lot of value.

Four productivity lessons from Rick and Morty

Anatomy Park – Season 1 Episode 3

The world doesn’t stop just because you unplug.

In this episode of Rick and Morty, Jerry is determined for the family to have a device free holiday. The lesson actually comes from Summer, Morty’s sister, in this episode. When kept from her phone her boyfriend Ethan comes over fuming because Summer isn’t responding to his text messages.

While this is an example of teen hormones and frustration, it can serve as a pretty good reminder for online business owners. If you go on vacation, I hope that your clients don’t feel like it’s okay to show up at your hotel or home but it does show it’s important to let them know what is going on. Because let’s be honest, being ignored by someone (especially someone you’ve given money to) can make you feel like a frustrated teenager. If you are taking a few days off be sure to let any clients you are currently working with aware that you’ll be unavailable for however how long. Another option is to set up an automated email responder for any incoming emails. This way any potential new clients know that it may take a while for you to respond to their inquiry.

It’s good to unplug and spend time with your loved ones, but if you have an online business, you need to put systems in place to know that your clients aren’t left hanging while you’re away.

It’s hard to unplug in this crazy non-stop society we live in. I get it there is always “one more thing to do,” but it’s important to unplug from time to time. Burnout is real. It’s important to have things in order for when you do.

[bctt tweet=”If you take a break make sure you have systems in place. ” username=”Diadoll”]

Rixty Minutes – Season 1 Episode 8

Don’t dwell on what’s done.

Rick introduces the family to a new viewing experience when he breaks out a cable attachment that lets the family receive television shows from other dimensions. He takes it up a notch when he pulls out a pair of interdimensional goggles which allow Jerry and Beth to see the lives they could have lived had they decided not to keep Summer.

This spirals into a mess as the couple discovers that their lives both would have been pretty awesome if they weren’t together… or so it seems. The couple finds themselves questioning if they should even stay together.

We are faced with tons of choices every day. Once you make a choice move on. Sitting and dwelling on what you could have done or should have done isn’t just a happiness thief it’s a productivity killer. If you think you made a bad choice then make a different one, don’t wallow. It’s perfectly normal to have the occasional regrets but move forward.

[bctt tweet=”It’s perfectly normal to have the occasional regrets but move forward.” username=”Diadoll”]

Big Trouble in Little Sanchez – Season 2 Episode 7

Pay Attention

Often you can avoid big problems and lots of stress by paying attention. In Big Trouble in Little Sanchez, Rick turns himself into Tiny Rick to help find a vampire at Morty and Summer’s school.

Everything is great until Tiny Rick decides he doesn’t want to go back into his older body. Trapped inside this teenage body, the real Rick drops not so subtle hints that he wants out of this body and even goes as far to sing two songs about his real body dying in a vat in the garage.

It takes two musical numbers and some fighting with his sister to make Morty realize that the real Rick is in trouble.

The lesson is to pay attention. While not all hints will be as in your face as a song and dance, they are there. By listening to yourself and your audience, you can save yourself a lot of time and trouble. I took Be Booked Out, the course by Halley Grey at Evolve and Succeed and learned a huge lesson (among many) people tell you what they want, even when they don’t realize it. Pay attention to what your readers, clients and potential clients are subconsciously telling you. Increase your productivity by skipping the guess work. What are they telling you in the comments they leave on your blog posts? What solutions are they begging for in their social media rants? Sometimes the answers to what your dream client wants are right in front of your face.

[bctt tweet=”Your clients are telling you what they want. Listen! ” username=”Diadoll”]

Pickle Rick – Season 3 Episode 3

Don’t Avoid The Important Stuff

To avoid going to therapy with the family Rick turns himself into a pickle, more affectionately known as Pickle Rick! This seemed like the perfect plan except Beth foils it by taking the serum Rick needs to turn himself back into a human with her to therapy. This turns into a huge mess and Pickle Rick finds himself in deep doo doo that could have all been all avoided if he had just owned up and did what he needed to do in the first place.

While working on work you are good at and feel good about there is bound to be things you’d rather turn yourself into a pickle than do.

Rick goes through all this trouble to turn himself into a Pickle to avoid something he doesn’t want to do and still ends up doing it in the end.

We’ve all been there, we have some daunting task to do and we end up finding 20 things to do instead. Whatever the things are you don’t want to do in your business you have to do will still be there after you’ve procrastinated and avoided them. I’m not saying you have to do everything in life you hate but some things you have to just suck it up and deal with.  Business taxes, anyone? Most of the time people will spend more time avoiding a task than it would take to just complete it.

[bctt tweet=”Avoidance is a productivity killer!” username=”Diadoll”]

To sum it up, life doesn’t always go smoothly, but if you prepare, move forward, pay attention and tackle the tough stuff, you’ll be a lot happier and more productive. (You’re also less likely to have to fight a gang of rodents as part pickle part roach.)

So tell me?

• Have you learned any productivity lessons from unexpected sources?
• Do you watch Rick and Morty? What’s your favorite episode? Who is your favorite character? (Mine is Rick, hands down.)
• What is a task you often find yourself procrastinating?
• What do you do when you procrastinate?

[maxbutton id=”15″ url=”http://www.subscribepage.com/productivity-checklist” text=”Snag My Productivity Checklist” ]