Killing Time Or Living In The Moment?

Zen Habits delivered some inspiration into my inbox a few days back, titled, 'Why Killing Time Is Not A Sin'.

How is it that every post of his is relevant to me at the exact moment it hits my inbox?

Images from the Gallery Of Modern Art, Brisbane

It's school holidays. I want to chill out with my boys... so I tip-toed around my work duties last week, feeling guilty about not feeling like being productive.. feeling guilty about wanting time out from work.... despite my beckoning inbox.... customers needing invoices and shipping quotes and stock availability info. I wanted to go slower... but you know what it's like when you work for yourself.... no time is down time... there is always something 'productive' you could be doing.

Why is that so? As 'Mr Zen' suggested, "there is a tendency among productive people to try to make the best of every single minute. Every minute counts, because time's a-wasting". If you're not doing work, then you should be enriching your life in some other way... making every second count. If you have time to kill before a meeting, write a to do list, catch up on emails. Hanging out with your family in front of the TV?... answer emails, get started on tomorrow's plans.... ra, ra.

He asks, "is this what our lives are to be? .. a non stop stream of productive tasks?... a life-long work day? .... a computer program optimized for productivity and efficiency?"

What about joy? .... making connections with people, without purpose or goals?.... having freedom from feeling the need to 'improve yourself' every minute? ....

.... freedom to ask oneself, 'how can I best enjoy this moment'? ....permission to relax, to do nothing, to actually be 'unproductive'.

Happiness is in noticing the details, savouring the journey at a slower pace, taking time away from work and the drive for eternal productivity.

I have 'savoured the journey' over the last few days and delighted in my boys company. We've chatted, we've wandered, we've shared deep thoughts, we've learnt new things, we've pondered, we've consumed milkshakes. .... and it wasn't 'killing time'.... it was living in the moment ... and making memories.... ones that matter.

And when they went to bed, I worked! Balancing this stuff is an art-form I am still trying to master!

Do you slow down to smell the roses?..  often?... or do you struggle with 'productivity guilt' like me?
Washing, ironing, cooking, cleaning, working, planning, mothering... there's always something to do.

Happy Sunday! I'm takin' it easy today!