More than ever, folks are adapting to the telecommuting life that I’ve enjoyed for the last few years. But while working from home is amazing for a lot of reasons, it’s also sometimes impossible to 1) actually work and 2) want to work when the nagging presence of TV, animals, offspring, chores, and an entire kitchen of food is calling out to you. Not to mention the option of getting high, all day, every day.

The commonly held belief that weed users are lazy, worthless, unbothered pieces of shit who only want to watch TV and eat copious amounts of salty snacks is… okay, sometimes accurate. If you continually blast yourself with heavy indica strains and unmarked edibles, or just generally overuse cannabis, there’s a good chance you might become sluggish, lazy, stupid, and unconcerned. But more often than not, long-time pot users (like myself) use the uplifting herb to benefit their workflow, creativity, and/or physical fitness.

However, not all cannabis is the same, and every person’s endocannabinoid system is different—so mastering the art of being productive and creative while using cannabis is all about dosage, choosing the right strain, method of use, and knowing your own level of tolerance. Getting to know yourself that well can take years. Setting intentions before you use cannabis for productivity is key. So if you’re just starting, avoid heavy indicas and go for sativas and hybrids instead. And give these strains a try: Lemon Sour Haze, Sour Diesel, Jilly Bean, Durban Poison, and Green Crack. As someone who’s been smoking to help with productivity for nearly a decade, here are a few pro tips for getting shit done while stoned.

Weed + Coffee = a Hippie Speedball

The caffeine-cannabis combo is also called a “hippie speedball” due to its reputation for inspiring high performance, and is even known to enhance such drastic pursuits as action sports. And get this: the neurochemicals that are present when you know you’re in the “flow”—dopamine, anadamide, seratonin, and endorphins—also show up with a hippie speedball.

Moderation!

Microdosing with cannabis is a good place to start for pretty much any endeavor. For something creative like music or writing, try taking an abbreviated hit of a joint, or just one toke of the bong for every 45 minutes of activity. Another thing to explore, especially for more physical pursuits, is choosing strains that are higher in CBD content and lower in THC, so you can utilize more of the effects in the body as opposed to a head high.

Smoke While Standing, Right Before You Do the Thing

I believe that chores are most enjoyable when high, but if I smoke weed while already sitting on the couch, they’ll never get done—because as soon as that good shit kicks in, I forget what I was doing and get sucked into whatever’s on the tube. My solution is to get my chore “set up” (i.e. bring the vacuum out, move all the furniture, put on a good piece of vinyl), and then hit the bong one time right before diving in.

Getting High Immediately Before Exercise

Unless I’m doing something like yoga, where I want a completely clear mind, I find it helpful to preface some challenging exercise by adding a little purple haze to my mental state. Think of it as a much-need attitude adjustment in the face of laziness. Go ahead and get dressed for that run/hike/walk/at-home-gym session, and then hit the weed once or twice riiiight before you begin the workout.

As a Reward for Productivity

Even if you aren’t yet skilled at using weed to help you get through certain tasks, relaxing with the herb afterward can feel like a special treat and gift to yourself, closing the productivity loop and giving you something to work toward.

Find more great cannabis articles just like this one in the Mercury's Cannabis Guide 2020!