The Rest of Productivity

Productivity is a driving force.  We might want to be productive in order to earn a paycheck or we might be driven by an insatiable passion.

Recently, I've been blessed to discover how being productive can be synonymous with doing what you love.  Most minutes of my day is spent either actively engaged in a soul-filled pursuit or in doing something to support that path.

And I've found myself exhausted.

Because productivity isn't all about the moving and sharing and DOING.

REST IS PART OF PRODUCTIVITY.

Allow me to repeat that in case you read over it too quickly.

REST IS PART OF PRODUCTIVITY.

I've tried days of sitting at the computer for 6-8 hours straight, eating dinner, then returning to my desk chair.  Sure, I'm working...but I promise that of those hours, only a few I'd consider productive.

Then there are those days when I try to rest.  A day, for example, when I took my lunch outside to our front porch and just slowly ate while watching the clouds rolls past.  On that day, I stretched often, did dishes, sat on the couch and petted the dog for several minutes.  In between those times, I would be at the computer.  I got more accomplished in that time than I did in my marathon-computer days....and wasn't exhausted at the end of the day.

It is easy to keep our view confined to this hour, this project...and to believe that if we are not working on this project, we are not being productive.  But a broader perspective can benefit us so much.

When we are able to see the entire picture, we understand that productivity requires us to be fully present for this moment.  It isn't just about our expectations, what we think we should be doing.

When we see from a broader perspective, we see that without being present, we aren't being productive.  And without rest and space and breath amidst the passionate expression of doing, we cannot maintain presence.

May you find your presence.

Namaste.