We know all kinds of people here at One of many. We know female entrepreneurs and business owners, we know stay-at-home mothers and full-time workers. We also attract a lot of creative types, writers and artists of all sorts.
I thought I’d mention this because I was speaking with one of our writers the other day and she was telling me how she transformed her rate of productivity. She did it by giving herself a break, a real break, every now and again.
We are so busy these days that if we stop we worry that all the plates will stop spinning. We are pulled in so many different directions that when we do have time to ourselves we get anxious about not wasting time.
What do I mean by a real break? I’ll tell you what I don’t mean! Checking Facebook while you wait for the kettle to boil is not a real break. Eating your lunch is not a real break. Zoning out in front of the television for a couple of hours at the end of the day is not a real break either.
If you don’t stop every once in a while, really stop, eventually you will burn out. This writer told me that some time back she felt as if her well of inspiration had dried out. She kept trying and trying, getting more panicked, coming up with nothing. Then she realised that she had to stop for a while, really stop, to let the well of inspiration fill up again. And that’s exactly what she did.
The truth is that rest is productive. Slowing down actually seems to speed up the visioning process.
Perhaps it’s a paradox. Maybe the more rested and centred you are, the more you feel the urge to create, to produce.
So when you don’t feel like doing anything, and you’re worried about wasting a day, ask yourself what you feel like doing, and just once in a while, honour your desire. Doze, read, eat, shower, don’t shower, stand up, sit down, stand on your head, etc. according to your preference.
Sooner or later your productive, expressive nature will kick in again. Your soft power. It might take hours, days or even weeks. But once you’re good and rested, you’ll be meaningfully productive.
Do you take regular breaks? How long does it take for you to feel truly rested. Have you ever given yourself the day off? Let us know your stories in the comments we love to hear from you.
Dr Joanna Martin: Founder, oneofmany.co.uk.| Author| Women’s Speaker| Entrepreneur| Ex-doctor| Loud Sister| Baby Wrangler = No professional training but do a fine job nonetheless!
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