It took me a long time to become a hyper-productive stoner. Back when weed came in a sandwich bag from the skate park, weed was… weed. Whether the eighth you bought from a kid with a Ramones shirt and a shoelace belt made you sleepy or uppity, that was your weed for the week. Period. I would roll into school so fucking high on strains you never hear about anymore (Mr. Nice Guy, GDP, etc) only to sneak out, promptly, and lay in the meadow behind the gym, mesmerized by the eucalyptus trees.
At the time, I thought cannabis was hindering my ability to function as a normal 14-year-old. But really, I just didn’t know shit about weed. No one did back then.
If little Lindsay could see me now, ripping a bong in the morning and conducting important weed business, she would be thrilled. As my relationship with the plant continues to evolve, I’ve found certain strains of cannabis can work better than a cup of coffee, invigorating your mind and body into a seamless flow state of productivity.
Speaking personally (because we all have different biology), I’ve found the best terpenes for productivity are limonene, pinene, and terpinolene. Another important factor is making sure the THC percentage isn’t astronomical. That will fuck you up too much, ending in a blank stare and an equally blank Google doc. While everyone is different, if your weed smells like a magical land where a pine forest meets a lemon orchard, you’re generally good to go. If it’s dense, fruity, and sweet, you might want to hold off until later.
But before you mock this article, note this — most productivity aids suck. Coffee causes anxiety, Adderall is meth, and Redbull is jitters-inducing. If you have to contribute to capitalism, you should at least be stoned. Here are some of my favorite cultivars on the market right now for getting shit done and having fun doing it.
Sol Shine by Sol Spirit Farms
Price: $38 (for 1/8th)
If you want to transform into a sentient energy beam that simply cannot be stopped, this is the weed for you. One of my favorite flowers of now, Sol Shine by Sol Spirit Farms is truly electric. Everything about this cultivar is perfect, in general, but especially for busy days when you need to be on point.
Grown under the sun by true master growers in Trinity County, this strain is high in terpinolene, which spurs creativity, and caryophyllene, which mutes anxiety. When I first opened the jar, I was slapped in the face in the best way possible. Spicy, bright, and full of life, you experience the jolt of its power just from the scent.
Smoking it is even better. The scent translates perfectly to flavor, and immediately you’re hit with a buzzy and cerebral high. This strain is unique in that in addition to THC and CBD, CBG is present — which has strong anti-inflammatory effects, among other physical benefits.
I took a bong hit and immediately started cleaning, which I usually hate but didn’t mind this time. After manically straightening things for a while, I realized I should channel this energy burst into my work. The high is clear and capable, free from the anxiety that can come with these high energy strains. I sat down, wrote the intro to this article at lightning speed, and here we are.
The Bottom Line:
This weed feels exactly like the name sounds. Bright, just like the sun.
Orange Tree by Greenline
Price: $50 (for 1/8th)
My love affair with Greenline’s Orange Tree knows no bounds. I always have some on deck, and smoke it almost every morning. Where to begin? First of all, it smells and tastes fucking incredible. Bursting with orange blossoms, tangerines, and something sweet like honey, the nugs are frosty, perfectly dense, and crunchy.
The flavor is straight-up orange blossoms and the high is whimsical and upbeat. I love this weed for creative work, writing, and generally becoming a brighter version of myself.
The Bottom Line:
Equal parts soothing and energizing, this is a great weed for any time, anywhere, but especially if you want to work on something creative and have fun doing it.
Durban Poison by Farm Cut (Whitethorn Valley Farm)
Price: $80 (for 1/2 oz)
Durban Poison is one of my favorite productivity strains, a classic “get up and go” flower. While I tend to love Durban in all forms, this is one of the best iterations I’ve encountered. Fluffy, crystalline, and bright green with orange accents, this sun-grown bud by Whitethorn Valley Farm in Humboldt is available through Farm Cut, a farmer-run collective that offers some of the most epic weed on the market.
I came across this flower at Weedcon and begged them to give me some because the smell was just so spectacular. It’s sharp, pungent, heavy on the pine, and spicy at the end. The dominant terpenes are pinene and terpinolene, which means you’ll be focused, inspired, and excited.
If it looks a little leafy, that’s because it is. Farm Cut believes trimming too tight destroys the trichomes, and they’re right. The less processed the better. This flower exists in its purest form, straight from their farm to you.
The first time I smoked it I fell in love with the dreamy, energetic feeling. The vibration of this flower is very high, and so was I. Physically, I immediately felt the urge to create something. Mentally, I became thoughtful in an ethereal way. A great combination for working on a personal project or something you like doing.
The Bottom Line:
This flower is energizing and starry-eyed, allowing you to dream big, then make it a reality.
Claybourne Lemon Margy
Price: $50 (for 1/8th)
Claybourne crushes it every time, and this Lemon Margy is no exception. I use this flower the way normal people use coffee, and smoke it when I’m feeling lazy or caught in a web of anxiety-induced procrastination.
It’s zingy! In every way! The nugs are bright and robust and covered in orange hairs. The smell is a lemon pine wonderland that is razor-sharp, cutting straight to the sensation of energy.
To smoke this is to become electric. No matter the circumstances, this flower wakes me up, and throws me into gear, whatever that gear may entail. Before a party that I don’t want to go to, before an article I don’t want to write — whatever it is that you don’t want to do but definitely should, she’s your girl.
The Bottom Line:
A lemon pine masterpiece that will wake your ass up.
Bienvenida Prerolls by Country
Price: $40
Country is an interesting new brand focused on THC:CBD ratio blends that make you feel fun and social and not like a zombie. The first time I tried their Bienvenida prerolls was in the car on the way home from a weed event. I didn’t know what to expect, but the dry hit passed my test with flying limonene-flavored colors, and the smoke followed suit.
Personally, I love that they have CBD flower (Tsunami) mixed with the normal THC weed (Durban) at a 1:3 ratio. Contrary to popular belief, CBD in weed is good! It counteracts the negative side effects of THC like paranoia and anxiety, and rounds the high in a pleasant way that’s great for working or going to a party.
The flavor is overwhelmingly lemony, with notes of pungent pine. Obviously, I’m a sucker for this flavor profile, especially when I’m trying to work. The high is a bit of a creeper, strong in a different way than I’m used to. I think it’s because of the ratio, but I felt jubilant, bright, and cerebrally stoned.
The Bottom Line:
Mellow, balanced, ready for anything.
Golden Hour by Maven
Price: $45 (for 1/8th)
Last but not least we have the gorgeous specimen that is Golden Hour by the indoor weed wizards at Maven. Optically, this weed is insane. Sparkling with crystals, green, orange, purple and blue. Structurally, the buds are pretty much perfect, and I like the crisp feeling of breaking them apart.
Opening the jar, the aroma is intoxicating. Lush and deep, it conjures wildflowers in the nighttime and the earth after rain. There’s a distinct gas aroma that follows, completing this complex profile.
Distinctly different from the high-energy strains on this list, Golden Hour is languid and thoughtful, bringing you to a place where everything is okay. Worries float by like a cloud. I like this strain for work because it just makes everything feel better. A lot of the time not wanting to work is because you’re experiencing negative emotions or anxiety or stress. This flower frees you from all the nonsense, liberating you to create or care less about the fact that you have to work when you don’t want to.
Buoyant and euphoric without bringing you down, the name says it all.
The Bottom Line:
Perfect for getting through your last stretch of daily obligations, then easing into the serenity of a sunset.