This Blog Brought To You By Covid
Every summer, when my kids go away to camp, I have visions of productivity grandeur. Without kids to drive and schedules to coordinate and family dinners to cook, I think that I will accomplish more in those seven weeks than I get done the rest of the year…
And every single summer, the universe manages to send me some sort of reminder to stop being all about productivity and SLOW. THE F*CK. DOWN.
This year was no different.
Except maybe the universe got a little annoyed that after all my training and everything I work on with my clients, I still needed a reminder.
So it sent me a blaring order to STOP by giving me COVID a week after we dropped the kids off.
I didn’t have the kind of COVID where I slept non-stop. I had the kind of COVID where I couldn’t really sleep. So I binge watched some TV, read a couple of books, stared at walls and eventually, I decided if I wasn’t sleeping, I could get some work done.
What do you think happened every time I attempted to do work?
I FELL ASLEEP.
On day 6, I finally surrendered to the fact that, for the time being, I was not going to be able to do anything but speak to a few clients a day, after which, I would need a nap. Or to just lie on a couch and stare at a ceiling.
And then a crazy thing happened.
When I filled out my bi-weekly traction report for my business coach, I realized I had accomplished every single thing we had discussed - and then some!
Without the hustle. WITH a lot of naps.
DOING LESS MADE ME MORE PRODUCTIVE.
Why? Because slowing down is imperative to thinking more creatively and consciously. Staring at the ceiling (rather than my phone) allowed me to reset.
Without fail, slowing down always gets me there faster.
Part of what I work on with my clients is creating a life by their design -– and for many people today, that means pushing back against the “busy is better” attitude of our current culture.
But I forgot. My drive to grow my business was drowning out the wiser part of me that knows that I need rest and space to grow.
Sometimes you need a reminder to walk your walk. And by you, I mean me. 🤦🏻♀️
So…I dare you to slow down for a day, my friend. Not while you’re on vacation. Not because you get COVID. Right now. While you’re in your everyday insane life.
✅Go for a walk without your phone and let yourself be in nature.
✅Do something that’s fun and creative. PLAY!
✅Read a book in the middle of the day.
✅Eat lunch outside without your computer or your phone.
✅Lie on your couch and listen to music (without looking at your phone!)
✅Set a timer for 25 minutes to do deep focused work and then take a 5 minute break (one more time for those in the back) WITHOUT. YOUR. PHONE.
Pick one to try to and see what happens. Make it a science experiment. Make it fun!