The prevailing stereotype around cannabis is still the slacker stoner, but we beg to differ. It’s not always easy to focus on the task at hand, whether that’s work, the gym, reorganizing your closet or any of the zillion responsibilities in our daily lives, and cannabis can actually help. It’s a surprisingly versatile little plant, with effects that run the gamut from major relaxation to uber creativity to intense focus. And when it comes to productivity, there are three ways cannabis can be the boost you need to check off that to-do list.

FIRST, LET’S TALK ABOUT MOTIVATION

It’s next to impossible to get focused on something without some level of motivation. And motivation itself is technically an emotion, which means it’s fleeting. Sometimes we’re motivated to get after it, and sometimes… meh. But when we need a little motivation to find some motivation, that’s where cannabis can shine. And it does so in three ways.

• • Cannabis creates psychotomimetic symptoms. It’s a big word that essentially means we’re able to make connections between ideas that really aren’t connected, which basically describes the notion of creativity. A study shared in Psychology Today back in 2011 ferreted out this perk of cannabis, so all those artists and musicians are clearly onto something.
  • Cannabis can create the space we need to focus. Sometimes, we can’t focus on what we need to do because we’re distracted by physical or emotional issues. By reducing tension and anxiety and stress, cannabis can give us the mental or physical relief we need to actually turn our attention to something else.
  • The ritual of consuming cannabis can be motivating in itself. The thing about motivation is that it’s not always present. And to work around that, we create habits. You may not feel motivated to work out or go to yoga, but that’s just what you do on Tuesday afternoons, so off you go. And just by doing what you typically do, you find yourself mentally prepping for the work at hand. The ritual of consuming cannabis can have the same effect — lighting a fire, so to speak, even when we’re feeling kind of scattered or tired.

GETTING STARTED

Generally speaking, sativa strains will be your best bet when you need an energizing boost for productivity. But start low and go slow, because that feeling of alertness can be easy to overdo. You’ll likely need to practice a little trial and error to find what works for you, so ask our budtenders for some recommendations to help you get started.