Somewhere along the way, I learned to value efficiency over my own sanity.
I mean, I can multi-task something fierce. Today, my day began at 7 AM and had been straight through from meeting to class to rehearsal to workout to an hour and a half with nothing planned.
I had intended to relax and have a shake and chill until I needed to leave for the next thing, a class that would go until 10 PM. But no, I ended up doing other things, and all at once.
I ended up troubleshooting with an Adobe support person while making a shake with my Nutri-Bullet, and helping a friend in need on the phone through a rough time. My hour and a half quickly dissolved into a remaining ten minutes to get out the door and on to the next thing, and I still hadn’t rested or had my shake.
It was crazy! And thank God, the better part of me knew it. I was not with any one of those fully. I at least had the presence of mind to tell my friend that while I was glad she called and that I could absolutely make time for her, that I couldn’t give her my full attention, and I wanted to.
The truth is, I have to make a concerted effort to stop myself during the day to drink water, go to the restroom, take a breath.
It is hard for me to not see “downtime” as inefficient.
When did I begin to de-value just “being”? Why the frenzy to always fill every possible slot of time with actions and tasks?
It doesn’t really matter. I could blame it one the world today. This digital age. That I live in NYC.
All I know is that after several days like that, I will crash. My system will revolt.
I need those pockets of doing nothing. To refill me well. To daydream. To be blank. To breathe.
I practically have to schedule them. They are still not second nature. My second nature is to get into the frenzy.
But, today aside, I am getting better. Awareness is all, right? And action.
Or should I say, inaction!?
How do you get yourself to remember to do nothing?
Life On The Skinny Branches 