Many states in the US, and countries around the world, are beginning to open up their selves to cannabis, whether for medicinal or recreational purposes. It’s about time that the stigma surrounding weed has come to end. In fact, there are celebrities and athletes who can attest to the efficacy of marijuana, and how it has helped them deal with their everyday lives.

And with the rise of dispensaries in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and across the entire continent, we are witnessing the growing cannabis industry flourish in front of our faces. Imagine; 211,000 jobs were generated by the cannabis industry, with federal incomes taxes estimated to reach billions. This is what removing the stigma surrounding pot does. Apart from creating additional livelihood, people who actually use cannabis to be more proficient at what they do can now freely express how much weed has helped them be successful.

The question now is this: How exactly can one make use of cannabis to be more productive?

1. Stress Removal – While we cannot rid ourselves of physical or mental stress by sheer willpower, this is where smoking a bowl can definitely help. For example; people who engage in physical activities for extended periods, such as construction or cleaning work, can rely on a bowl of Indica to relax their bodies. The typical couch-lock feeling that an Indica offers can help remove muscle pain, while Sativa-dominant strains often help with anxiety and depression.
2. Sharpness and Focus – With the right amounts, you can effectively use marijuana to help you focus. Take, for example, how Sativa-dominant strains provide a level of mental stimulation that keeps the mind active and engaged. If ever you work in front of a computer from 9 to 5, such as a copywriter or a software developer, smoking prior to getting the ball rolling on the project will help. By getting high before actually working, you can connect to what it is that you’re doing on a level that being sober cannot.
3. Reward Yourself – Successful professionals know how to utilize their resources to turn their vision into reality. Some stoners are aware of how smoking pot can easily turn growth into regression if and when you’re not careful. That being said, there are professionals who use their enthusiasm for weed as a reward after a long and stressful day at work. You reached the sales target for the month a week early? Light that blunt soon as you reach the comforts of your home! Done with all your calls for the day? You earned the right to smoke tonight then — enjoy your treat.

Productivity is really all about maximizing the resources and making the most out of opportunities available to you. Whether it’s a knowledge, skill, or behavior issue that is holding you back from becoming productive and efficient, no amount of pot will turn things around if you don’t help yourself. Recreational or medicinal cannabis use can become a form of escapism, especially for those who don’t want to face the harsh truth of reality, but if you know which strains work for you, then you’re all set. At the end of the day, it’s all up to you if that bowl of weed is a resource to mitigate stress or augment focus — just be sure that it won’t be the reason you’re still sitting in your mom’s couch all day, watching TV.

Paul watson