How much do you do in a day? I would guess A LOT. Now, how often did you breathe today? Probably, little. So, why do we believe productivity is always the greatest action and inaction is the greatest failure?
The Act of Doing
What is doing? Is doing something productive or just something done? I have no idea. I am not even sure where or when the emphasis of doing something started to matter so much.
Doing something seems to have this connotation of productivity. I know I do lots of things that aren’t necessarily productive, but, in it’s essence, is doing something. However, productivity should not be tied to the act of doing. Doing should have it’s own self and be considered valuable to our lives whether productivity is a part of it or not.
The Productive Self
I have found that I can be ultra-unproductive. Luckily, I have honed my approach so that I am able to accomplish more than I ever did spending a quarter of the time I used to trying to be productive. Doing something to be productive does not always lead to being productive.
A question you may find useful to ask yourself is, “Am I being productive or am I just doing something?”
Now life should be everything except focusing solely on productivity. Productive nature tends to make us focus on achieving something rather than living life and achieving more without the implied action of doing so.
The approach I have found that leads me to accomplishing more is one that meshes the act of being and productive action. Now, most of you may say, “No sh** Sherlock!” The issue is I used to say the same, but only focus on that which was accomplished when I was in “productive” time. I rarely focused on all of the wonderful things I accomplished when I wasn’t trying to be productive.
Focus more on life and less on doing and the productive aspects will be present.
The Inactive Self
I am all for accomplishing great things in life. If it were not for my efforts in focusing on goals, I may have never realized that such focus isn’t always necessary. Thus, the inactive self.
At times, I literally sit on the couch and just think. Sometimes for 5 minutes other times for an hour. Sometimes I fall asleep and others I end up coming up with brilliant ideas. Either way, I just am. I am not doing anything but being.
When was the last time you just were present?
Being inactive can bring a center to yourself. Often we sway from confused to depressed to exhilarated to sad, often ignoring the center emotion.
My suggestion is to find an inactive self. Find a moment in your day where you just sit there and be. I know it sounds stupid, but taking the distraction of the outside world and the inside world can lead to fascinating ideas be generated.
Something to Do
Many of times we must find something to do. Well, try doing the exact opposite. Find nothing to do.
Find yourself happy without anything to accomplish or any goal to achieve.
Sure, at first, this may seem counterintuitive to everything you know, but realizing that everything you know may not be leading you to where you want to be is the exact reason why focusing on doing something is not the end goal.
As with all, balance in all that you do and don’t do will lead you to finding peace in everything that is.
Schucks...This one is super unique. No similar posts.
It’s very difficult for me to just “be” rather than “do”.
Many people get their self-worth from what they do, but we’re all already worth the space we occupy on the planet, even if we don’t do anything.
I like to stay busy, though. I’m not sure what that says about me.
Gip
I definitely have the annoying and often debilitating affliction of judging how my day went by how busy I was.
I’m learning that being busy isn’t always productive. Not only that, but sometimes just “being” is much more productive in and of itself.
Hey David,
That is an excellent observation. Some time ago, I read an article by Anthony Robert titled “Doing without Doing”
The gist of the article was that there is a time to act, and it is NOT ‘all the time’. If you get clear on what you want to accomplish then you will KNOW exactly when the time is right for action and what the right action is.
Great article.
Hi David! There is always the temptation of doing more and staying active. I like the idea of doing less and “find yourself happy without anything to accomplish or any goal to achieve.” I’ve been practicing this lately. I’ve been shifting my focusing from how much or how little I do to acting with purpose. It means allowing my actions to be guided by my passions and what I feel called to do instead of what I think I “should” do.
Thanks for this wonderful reminder. Loving blessings!